[TR] How do they manufacture gears?

[fishplate at charter.net]

---- Jim Muller <jimmuller at rcn.com> wrote: 
> Speaking of gears, perhaps one of you with a mech. eng. or 
> manufacturing eng. background can explain how they make them? 

It's not complicated, but it does require special cutters and some precision tools. 

An example of cutting a small gear is at 

<http://www.deansphotographica.com/machining/projects/gearcutting/gearcutting.html> 

aka  http://tinyurl.com/gear-cutting  

with some pictures.  This is for a camera gear, but just imagine it a bit larger.  Cutting a helical gear just requires holding the blank at the proper angle.  And of course, our gears are hardened.

While you're at the drugstore, pick me up a nice Bridgeport lathe, will you?  Thanks...

Jeff Scarbrough
Metal Shavings, Ga.