# L-W Dividing Head Change Gears



## mhooper (Nov 5, 2018)

I recently bought a L-W Dividing Head.  It came with three dividing plates and a tail stock.  It was missing the auxiliary shaft assembly and the change gears.
My question is,  does anyone know what the pitch and pressure angle of the change gears are?  I would like try to make a set of change gears.
I found a single change gear for a L-W on Ebay but the description of the tooth count and the outside diameter works out roughly to 11 dp?  This doesn't sound quite right to me.

mhooper


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## benmychree (Nov 6, 2018)

What is the number of teeth and OD?  The numbers of teeth for the set would be the same as a Brown & Sharpe.  I'd guess that the DP is likely 12; 11 DP does exist, but is unlikely to be used.


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## BROCKWOOD (Nov 11, 2018)

The change gears for Brown & Sharpe as well as Van Norman are a Dp of 14 & Pa of 14.5. They are not interchangeable between the 2 brands though. Mr York knows more than I could ever hope to absorb about machining. I only mention those 2 systems to show what is usual & to ask this:  If you want to make your own gears, why not decide for yourself what is right for you?  They only have to mesh with each other, after all. I would recommend your tooth counts match those available from B&S or Cincinnati, because their Treatise books go into detail on figuring what setup to use for a given purpose.

B&S Gears by tooth count:
24, 24, 28, 32, 40, 44, 48, 56, 64, 72, 86, 100.

VN doesn't use the 44 & their charts make up for it.
24, 24, 28, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 72, 86, 100.

I think we all tend to become brand specific in our hunts; but all brands do provide useful info.


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## benmychree (Nov 11, 2018)

The only important thing is that the gears be of such a DP that their diameters work to mesh with the conditions that exist on the dividing head and the machine that they are being used on, the larger the dividing head and machine that it is used on, likely the coarser pitch would be; My #2 B&S uses 14DP gears.  One thing about the B&S is that you see more info as to dividing and spiral tables in handbooks than of other manufacturers.


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