Tud wrote:
I'm hoping that my limited understanding off how the broaching process works
will help me find an answer. I'm lookin gfor an inexpensive way to create a
gear shift lever. My thoughts are to have a broach (if that's the right
name) made up and then utilize a press at work. People I have talked to
have suggested that using a milling machine would be the better way to go,
but that's not something I have access to. My quantities will be very low,
so the cost of having a broach made up may not be worth it. Now, here's my
application, I want to make motorcycle hand shift levers similar to the one
in the pictures below:

http://tinyurl.com/639ur

This one was made by cutting a stock foot lever and welding on the
additional peice that the extension screws into. Unfortunately this method
proved to be a little too weak, the last picture is the bike on the side of
the road with the broken lever. What I'd like to be able to do is to make
the small peice that attaches to the spline and I thought that the center
part could be made using a broach.

I guess my question, aside from wondering if this is doable, is whether or
not there's a company around that would be able to make such a broach, or am
I totally off base on how the whole process might work? I located in Canada
if that makes a difference as to what companies to recommend.

Thanks,
Tony


For a low-volume application, I'd look for a heavier lever on another
make of bike that has the same splines and enough material to cut, drill
and thread for the handle. Then buy new levers to modify. I bet that
would be cheapest.

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Rex Burkheimer
WM Automotive
Fort Worth TX