Welcome aboard Phil, that's an impressive gear making set up.
Is that what preceded your Mikron Hobber, or was it replaced by it?
Andrew
Hi Andrew
I still have both machines, the Mikron came first and then I inherited the Alexander Master Toolmaker when my dad passed away ten years ago. I remember your visit to me with a box of hobs when I lived in Harrogate.
I do have a hand written sheet my dad did on how to set the machine up for different tooth counts, the cutters are genuine Sunderland ones and I have about half a dozen different sizes, the cutter is held in a home made clapper box in a similar way to a shaping machine tool.
The idea is you make one pass and do a few teeth, then shift the table back and index the blank round part of a turn and make the next pass. The number of teeth per pass depends on the number of teeth on the wheel and there is a formula for working it out.
My dad was a bit of a genius when it came to working out compound gear trains, I dont think your average model engineer would have come up with a set up like that.
Phil
Phil