REPAIR 80 TOOTH GEAR

07/20/1999

I broke the 80 tooth gear that connects the L-R Feed Screw to the gear train. I was attempting to thread a piece of brass when the phone rang. I was almost to the LEFT edge of the workpiece, the phone rang, I looked away from the lathe, looked back, started reachng for the feed dis-engage lever when I heard a crunch. Supprisingly the lathe kept spinning the chuck. the keyway on the lower 80 tooth gear stripped completly. The lead screw wasn't moving. I pulled the gear off the lead screw & replaced it with the 65 tooth gear. Next I cleaned the gear in rubbing alcohol, then took a piece if clear packing tape and covered the hole. Then I mixed up some JB Weld Epoxy and filled the hole. I covered the other hole with more tape and sandwitched the gear between two pieces of round bar stock, compressing the epoxy so that it would completely fill the hole. Twenty-four hours later I chucked up the 80 tooth gear in my 4 Jaw chuck, Adjusted the gear to within a thousandth of an inch, and faced off the epoxy flush with both sides of the gear. I drilled a 1/4 inch hole in the center of the gear, and then bored it out to the diameter of the lead screw. NEXT I will cut the keyway, and attempt to re-install the gear. I hope the replacement 80 tooth gear arrives from HF parts soon.

Front View showing 80 tooth gear mounted & centered in 4-Jaw Chuck.	Top View showing 80 tooth gear, notice jaws half way out of chuck. Time to find a 4 inch 4-jaw chuck.
End view showing gear in first notch of jaw.	Close up of bored hole. I have just put a second layer of JB Weld on the previously bored hole. I went a few thou more than I wanted to and the gear wobbled on the shaft. I want a tight fit like the factory gears.
End view close up showing hole & dribbles of JB Weld .

This page last updated 04/20/2000

You are Visitor number since 06/23/1999