making wooden gears

[clocks55]

I am interested in a good source that gives instructions for making wooden gear teeth both wheel and pinion for a new clock I am helping to make.

[Larry]

Try Don Bruno for wood works:http://www.clockcollecting.com/bruno/index.htm

Larry

[Scottie-TX]

Me two, C55. I have here currently that needs the simplest of wheels - an hour wheel driven by a four leaf pinion on one of them Columbus rock clocks. I did find a seller on eBay who lists often, plans from an old Popular Science mag for making wheels. It consists of a fixture for mounting blank, indexing, and cutting teeth with a band saw. The quality of his photos was adequate for me to copy and read. Ya might try that for beginners. I haven't tried doing it yet but may soon.

[MrX]

I am interested in a good source that gives instructions for making wooden gear teeth both wheel and pinion for a new clock I am helping to make.

Fine Woodworking Magazine has a couple books that has articles on cutting wooden gears.

http://www.amazon.com/Small-Woodwork...0609708&sr=8-2

http://www.amazon.com/Woodshop-Speci...609837&sr=8-46

Also here is the Wooden Clock Works forum

http://www.bealltool.com/clockforum/

[clocks55]

thank you all very much for your help on this, I found some great information, Peter Elmendorf

[Bill Ward]

If you're really intent on making your own, the NAWCC Library has several materials on the subject, including a video with George Bruno. Search on the Winnebago catalog (click the Library tab above to search the catalog) under "wood movement".
Gearmaking really falls under the metalworking category, and it's not a simple science. Even though this science was already pretty well developed by the early 19thC, when wood movements were in their heyday, wood was used in manufacturing because of the lack of suitable materials (e.g. high speed steel) for production of gears. Wood wheels present their own challenges to make (such as large dimensional changes with humidity, grain problems, and poor strength) and this science is now mostly long lost. Don't be deceived that wood gears are easier to make than metal. The story that early clcokmakers carved these wheels with a penknife is totally bogus!