On Sun, 24 Jun 2012 19:14:15 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Sunday, June 24, 2012 6:24:23 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jun 2012 17:34:49 -0500, "HeyBub" wrote:

wrote:
In the old days people would periodically lubricate the gears on
their tools and appliances to keep them in good working order. In our
so called modernity people have become too lazy and stupid to go
around lubricating; so manufacturers have replaced hardened metal
gears with plastic ones so that people don t have to lubricate them.
In fact in most modern tools and appliances, the way they are
designed, you can barely access the gears let alone lubricate them.
The downside is that plastic breaks a lot easier than hardened steel.
Welcome to the throw away garbage life style. Here s a thought: How
many bottles and cans etc. do you have to recycle to make-up for all
the damage that a throw-away appliance or tools is responsible for?

The other side of the argument is that a better model of the tool becomes
available before the one with the plastic gears wears out. I could be wrong,
but I'm thinking of portable devices like drills, saws, and the like.

Then, too, my garage door openers contain nylon gears slathered with some
kind of grease (chicken fat?). True, they give up the ghost but it's not a
big deal to replace them - and not expensive.

It's quite possible that these are sacrificial gears, intended to destroy
themselves rather than the other side, which is usually far more expensive
and/or harder to replace. IOW, they're designed to break.

I always thought that's what a clutch was for.

1) nope
2) There usually isn't one