Grant-
Yes, it would be fun to cut the gear portion on a shaper. The toolbit
could be ground to the shape of the tooth space as Peter points out. Also,
it's possible to generate the involute curve by using a cutter with straight
sides, shaped like a rack tooth, and rotating the gear under the cutter as
the table traverses. Here's a picture of the setup, cutting a 10 dp 40
tooth steel gear:
http://home.comcast.net/~b.fill/rg.jpg
A similar setup is possible on smaller shapers, but space becomes limited:
http://home.comcast.net/~b.fill/mg.jpg

If you want to come down to Olympia to make your part, just let me know.

-Bill Fill

Olympia, WA

"Peter T. Keillor III" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 15:41:17 -0800, Grant Erwin
wrote:

Grant Erwin wrote:

Well, I remembered another stack of cutters and one of them looks sort
of right. All it says on it (using a strong light and reading glasses)
is:
"8 14" -- so an optimistic guy might interpret that as a No. 8 cutter
(12-13 teeth) with 14.5° pressure angle. Then again, it might not be.
I hate it when I can't figure out what a cutter is. Anyone? - GWE

Nope, in direct sunlight I can read more writing. It's a No. 8 cutter but
for 14DP, dag nabbit. Close but no cigar.

Still looking for a No. 8 12DP 14.5° pressure angle cutter.

Grant

I've read a lot of posts on the Yahoo shaper group about cutting gears
with a hand ground single point tool. Got a shaper?

Pete Keillor