Subject: Re: gear cutters

From: [email-masked] (James Kirkpatrick)
Date: 28 Dec 94 13:51:13 MST

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Frank Haymes) writes:
|>Does anyone know where I can get gear cutters?  I would like a set of
|>cutters for 24dp gears.

I don't know how big 24dp is, but you might try:

   -  S. LaRose, Inc.
      234 Commerce Place, P.O. Box 21208
      Greensboro, NC  27420
      (919) 275-0462

      Watch and clock movements, repair parts, supplies, tools, equipment.
 
   -  J. Malcolm Wild (Clocks)
      12 Norton Green Close
      Sheffield S8 8BP England
      Telephone: 0742 745693

      Supplies and accessories for clockmaking.

   -  Merritt's Antiques, Inc.
      P.O. Box 277
      Douglassville, PA 19518-0277
      (610) 689-9541, (610) 689-4538

      Clocks, clock parts, clock repairing tools, etc.

If you need something larger than clock wheels, you might try an industrial
supplier such as:

   -  MSC Industrial Supply Co.
      151 Sunnyside Blvd
      Plainview, NY  11803
      (800) 645-7270 (AT&T), (800) 753-7900 (MCI), (800) 255-5067 FAX

      Their 93/94 catalog is 1971 pages, and their selection has been
      described as "dumbfounding".
 
   -  McMaster-Carr Supply Company
      PO Box 440
      New Brunswick NJ 08903-0440 USA
      (908) 329-3200 (Sales), (908) 329-6666 (Other Departments),
      (908) 329-3772 (FAX)

      Also has stocking sales centers in Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

      Note that they apparently only deal with companies.  Jim Harres reports
      that they refused to send him a catalog.

---

From: [email-masked] (Frank Haymes)
Date: 28 Dec 1994 16:57:52 GMT

Does anyone know where I can get gear cutters?  I would like a set of
cutters for 24dp gears.

Thanks for the information.

Frank G. Haymes

---

From: [email-masked] (Dan Caster)
Date: 28 Dec 1994 23:25:32 GMT

McMaster Carr has sold to me.  They said that there was no difference
in selling to a company or an individual.

-- 
 					Cheers,
					Dan
Greetings from Bainbridge Island, Washington

---

From: [email-masked] (Bruce Holder)
Date: Thu, 29 Dec 1994 16:34:51 GMT

James Kirkpatrick ([email-masked]) wrote:
: In article <[email-masked]>,
: [email-masked] (Frank Haymes) writes:
: |>Does anyone know where I can get gear cutters?  I would like a set of
: |>cutters for 24dp gears.

: [...] you might try an industrial supplier such as:

:    -  MSC Industrial Supply Co.
:       151 Sunnyside Blvd
:       Plainview, NY  11803
:       (800) 645-7270 (AT&T), (800) 753-7900 (MCI), (800) 255-5067 FAX

  Bingo!  MSC has 24dp gear cutters in both 14.5 and 20 degree pressure
angles.
  For each diametral pitch, there are eight cutters to cut gears from 12
teeth to rack as follows:

      cutter   teeth on gear
      ------   -------------
	1	135 to rack
	2	55 - 134
	3	35 - 54
	4	26 - 34
	5	21 - 25
	6	17 - 20
	7	14 - 16
	8	12 - 13

  The cutters are sold individually, $21.60 for the 14.5 deg. cutters and
$46.01 for the 20 deg. cutters.
  I have never tried to order from MSC without catalog numbers, using
just the description.  If they can't help you and you don't want to wait
for a catalog, e-mail me and I'll send you the catalog numbers.

Bruce

---

From: [email-masked] (Mike Rehmus)
Date: 29 Dec 1994 19:18:18 GMT

In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Bruce Holder) 

>teeth to rack as follows:

This year there was an article in (I think) Home Shop Machinist that 
discussed using a Hobb to cut gears.  One Hobb cuts all gears from rack 
to max. No mater the # of teeth, the gear is accurately cut which you 
can only say about gear cutters for one of the gears in its range.

If you are interested, (I think you have to make the Hobbs unless you 
can find an industrial source) I will try to find the article.

BTW, in the article, they claim that "industry" uses Hobbs, not gear 
cutters.

Best,
Mike

---

From: [email-masked] (Russ Kepler)
Date: Thu, 29 Dec 1994 23:57:56 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,
>for a catalog, e-mail me and I'll send you the catalog numbers.

They have a technical assistance number - I've ordered things not even
in the catalog using their help.

-- 
Russ Kepler posting from home  [email-masked]

                      Please don't feed the Engineers

---

From: [email-masked] (Bruce Holder)
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 1994 19:24:41 GMT

Mike Rehmus ([email-masked]) wrote:
: This year there was an article in (I think) Home Shop Machinist that 
: discussed using a Hobb to cut gears.  One Hobb cuts all gears from rack 
: to max. No mater the # of teeth, the gear is accurately cut which you 
: can only say about gear cutters for one of the gears in its range.

  I don't remember seeing that in HSM or Projects in Metal (which doesn't
mean it wasn't there).  I did see an exchange several years back about
using an acme tap as a hob to cut a worm gear.  That made a lot of sense
to me, but it isn't as clear to me how to use a hob to cut a spur gear.

: If you are interested, (I think you have to make the Hobbs unless you 
: can find an industrial source) I will try to find the article.

  Yes, please.  I keep thinking about making a 127 tooth gear to cut
metric threads on my lathe (even though I can come close enough to most
metric threads just by using the right combination of the gears I've
got.

Bruce

---

From: [email-masked] (Ken Toews)
Date: Mon, 2 Jan 1995 01:06:14 GMT

> Does anyone know where I can get gear cutters?  I would like a set of

I use KBC at 1-800-668-5616,  or 1-416-564-6600

a 24 d.p. gear cutter; 1 3/4 dia is $ 23.18 1994 cat price

Good delivery, last time I ordered one it was a eastern european
cutter.

Ken

--
.

---

From: [email-masked] (Henry E Schaffer)
Date: 2 Jan 1995 02:15:50 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (James Kirkpatrick) writes:
> ...

  I just got their 1994/95 catalog.  2298 pages, 8 1/2" x 11".  I agree
with "dumbfounding" - but there are areas in which they are excellent
and areas (e.g. welding) in which they have essentially nothing.  

  Their service is impressive - they say they ship the same day, and
seem to do this.
> ...

--henry schaffer

---

From: [email-masked] (RicKuzmack)
Date: 2 Jan 1995 15:40:49 -0500

Frank Haymes (in <[email-masked]>) asked:

>Does anyone know where I can get gear cutters?
>I would like a set of cutters for 24dp gears.

Another source is Campbell Tools Company at 2100 Selma Rd,
Springfield OH 45505 (telephone: 513-322-8562).  They advertise
in HSM, so orders from individuals should be welcome.  Cutters for
24 dp run $22.80 each for 14-1/2 deg. pressure angle gears (catalog
numbers 10-28n-240) and $63.12 each for 20 deg. pressure angle
gears (catalog numbers 10-289-24n), where the "n" in the catalog 
numbers is the cutter number.

Gear cutters can also be made in the home shop.  If time is easier
to come by than money, I suggest Ivan Law's "Gears and Gear
Cutting" ($21 from Campbell Tools).  Chapter 12 provides detailed
"how-to" on making gear cutters, including a novel mechanism for
providing clearance and relief to the cutter teeth.  

Mike Rehmus ([email-masked]) responded with the 
suggestion of gear hobbing:

>discussed using a hobb to cut gears.

I also recall a recent reference but could not locate it in HSM.  Gear 
hobbing is an alternative to gear cutters and is the method of choice
for the production of gears in commercial quanties, but the fact that
there is still a market for gear gutters, as expensive as they are, should
suggest something of the relative requirements and difficulties.  A
detailed
"how-to" discussion of gear hobbing in the home shop is presented in
R. H. Cooley's "Complete Metalworking Manual" (1967, ARCO Publishing
Company, 219 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003).  I have a copy
but I don't know if it is still in print.  

The Best,
Rich Kuzmack