Small gear supplier

We do a lot of prototyping work, I need a source for cheap gears. Most of the things we do could be done with one standard size, 32 pitch seems to be a good compromise. Where I'd like to get to is a plastic bin with a nice selection of small (8 tooth and up) spur gears to fairly large (64 or 72 tooth). Bore sizes appropriate (1/8' to 1/4") I'm not hung up on either the 32 pitch or English sizes.

Looking at page 1012 in

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they have suitable plastic gears for the $2.50 to $7.00 range, this is just more money than I want to spend. Page 1014 has 12" long sections of steel gear stock in 12 tooth to 40 tooth. I suppose this would work, would prefer brass stock for ease of machining.

I'd really like to be able to get to a 32 pitch 8 tooth spur gear/64 tooth driven gear combination for the $2 to $3 range.

Suggestions?

Reply to
RoyJ
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Hmm ... look at a company called PIC. Some twenty years ago, I got (at work) a couple of breadboard gear sets -- 1/4" and 1/8" shaft, and their catalog.

They provide a mix of stainless steel and aluminum gears -- which you should use in a mix -- never aluminum on aluminum or stainless on stainless, or you will get galling.

But -- they are also available hubless, with a series of hubs of different styles -- setscrew and pin, collet clamp, and various other ones -- including ones designed to be slip clutches. A slotted cast iron plate and a bunch of hanger castings, with a mix of ball and sintered bronze bearings. Even weird things like Geneva gear components.

Lovely things to prototype with -- but it is so tempting to include parts from the kit in the prototype -- with the problem that it takes forever to get a purchase order through the government for replacements. It is a little easier to buy the parts for the project instead, so keep the prototype kit parts with the kit. :-)

Aha -- they are still around:

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Here is the 1/4" prototyping kit:

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I can't seem to find the 1/8" shaft kit. You may have to ask them.

Hmm ... Not sure about getting an 8 tooth gear in the kits -- too small an OD, I think, at 32 pitch. It would have to have a hub bigger than the gear itself to fit onto either 1/4" or 1/8" shafts. :-)

And, from what I remember about PIC's prices -- ou aren't going to get any two gears from them for that little. They were quality gear makers, not cheap ones. But it won't hurt to call them and ask -- as long as you are sitting down when you hear the prices. :-)

Good Luck, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

SNIP

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Hey DoN.

WOW !!!! What a great site. The "Tech" section has lots of good info, laid out about like most of us need it. Excellent.

The one that shows gear train error was quite a surprise to me. Nothing to do with ratio or what gear is available, but just the "error(s)" that are in, or rather cumulative in, a gear-train. I know it is common to leave a little space between each on my South Bend to reduce the running noise, but this shows the error that develops.

Glad your memory is so good.

Take care. Season's Best.

Brian Lawson, Bothwell, Ontario.

Reply to
Brian Lawson

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Reply to
RoyJ

Try here.

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--Andy Asberry--

------Texas-----

Reply to
Andy Asberry

I've had good luck on some small gears from BOSTON GEAR.

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Click on "specifications".

Flash

Reply to
flash

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