Square gears

[RabidAlien]

A Steve Good pattern.  This was a quick cut, even though the pattern has two gears on it, I stack-cut the gears and washers.  I modded the backer a bit so that it would fit in a base and be free-standing, and added a small crank (just a 1/4" piece of dowel inset and glued to the top gear).   1/2" ply for the gears, 1/8 for the washers, 1/4" dowel for the axles/crank, and 1/2" pine for backer and base.  Took about two hours from printing the pattern to staining.  Minwax Espresso and Natural stains.

 

The gears do turn and mesh well, but a word of caution.  When gluing in the axles after dry-fitting and staining, make sure they're perfectly straight up and down.  I think one of mine got a fraction off, or the stain caused the wood to swell more than I expected...everything still turns, but not quite as easily as the dry run.  Of course, that could also be because the posts were not glued in yet and had some wiggle-room....either way, a quick, fun pattern to cut.

 

 

[FrankEV]

Velly interesting!!!

Well done.

[amazingkevin]

Yes it was fun cutting but I expected more.i lost the other er gear keeper

[daveww1]

very interesting

[heppnerguy]

Cool little project. It  looks like they would never work. Amazes me they do. I guess I am not very mechanically inclined.

Dick

heppnerguy

[RabidAlien]

1 hour ago, heppnerguy said:

Cool little project. It  looks like they would never work. Amazes me they do. I guess I am not very mechanically inclined.

Dick

heppnerguy

Gears fascinate me for some reason.  In this case, as you rotate the gear, the flat edge causes the teeth of the first gear to withdraw from that point, while the teeth of the other gear advance, so contact is always maintained.  I'm so glad someone else figured that out first, though.   I'd never have thought of it on my own.  LOL