# CNC router for gears



## timerie (Jul 25, 2011)

Interested in cutting gears for a clock. I tried using a bandsaw and file but it was not accurate enough. Thinking of purchasing or making a CNC router. Any suggestions?


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

G’day Tim

Welcome to the router forum. 

Thank you for joining us


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## Metalhead781 (Jul 27, 2010)

Tim,

Take a look at this ShopBot Desktop

I like shopbots i have one myself all be it 5ft x 9ft x 8" in movement. One of these little monsters in operation is well worth the price tag. You might also want to check out at Woodworking Tools Supplies Hardware Plans Finishing - Rockler.com the CNC Shark machines and well as CNC Stepper Motor Driver Systems & Hobby CNC Routers:: PROBOTIX™ for their fireball and comet machines. I can't give you any suggestion as to the performance of the latter machines but this gives you a place to start.

Happy Hunting
Randy


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## Joham (Jul 3, 2011)

Tim, One of the commercial machines as suggested should give you great results. If however your clock gears are a hobby and you feel you can't justify the cost, you might try the DIY route. There is a great deal of help and info on cnczone. I built one with plans from that site and am happy with the result. While it's not as fast or perhaps as accurate as a commercial one, it fulfils my needs as I only use it for hobby use (cutting ribs and parts for a wooden airplane). I do have a youtube vid of it cutting a miniature clock gear at: youtube.com/watch?v=qCZKr--NaQQ Just add the www ;-))


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## Ken Dolph (Jan 23, 2009)

*Clock gears*

If you can make one set of perfect gears as a pattern you could consider an inverted pin router. Lee Valley Tools makes a nice add on for your router table. Or you could even make your own.

All it is a stiff arm over your router bit with a pin the same size of the bit. The pin must be aligned with the bit. The pin lets you follow the template while the bit is cutting your material.

If you cannot make the templates you could have someone with a CNC cut them for you.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

I did cheat a little bit I got a gear clock from HF for 15.oo and I'm going to take it down to parts, for the templates, that way I know it will run right after I make all the parts with the router and Dremel, after all that's what I want it to do..(keep good time )

It runs on one "C" battery.It will almost kill one battery in two years.

====


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## timerie (Jul 25, 2011)

thanks guys, great suggestions!


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## Metalhead781 (Jul 27, 2010)

Another option, have someone with a cnc make you the patterns for the gears and invest in an overarm router. Just keep in mind you're looking at a very small bit and pin for it. Most likely 1/8" or even smaller. If this is a route you're going to take, it would lead you into production cutting. On something this small you could be on par for speed with a hobby level cnc.


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## Ken Dolph (Jan 23, 2009)

*Clock gears*

I do pattern routing through 1/2" Corian all of the time. I use 1/8" up-spiral bits and pin. I like the inverted pin router because you can see your template. With an overarm router the guide pin and template is on the bottom and you cannot see it. And an over arm router is more difficult to build than an inverted.

But either way your production time is fast.


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## vicliu (Aug 24, 2011)

Suggest you to visit our company products, we are specialized in manufacturing kinds of band saws.


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