Setting Gear Mesh

[T Bredehoft]

The manual on my Model 3950 Atlas Cushing Mk2 says
1. place a strip of thick wrapping paper between the teeth of two meshing gears.
2. Tighten gears in position.
3. Remove paper

I use brown paper bag cut into 3/8 wide strips.

 

[MSD0]

Thanks guys. I'll take some measurements next time and see what thickness of paper/plastic works best.

 

[Tozguy]

Agreed gear mesh setting on my lathe is not terribly critical. But gears work best when set with the clearances they are designed for. Properly meshed gears is important to me and to the lathe.

The cereal bag strips allow a quick and easy way to get it in the ball park. At the least this method should prevent us from getting it too tight. I always check gear mesh by hand after removing the strip and by looking at the gears. Then I run the lathe briefly just to listen for gear noise.
The more I do it the easier it becomes.

 

[Uglydog]

View attachment 129512
Re the paper, after having a difficult time of tearing the bag from a box of Raisin Bran cereal, I started to use it for setting gear mesh as described above. It doesn't tear like paper does and is the right thickness(.002''). Precut strips are kept handy as Savarin mentionned.

Tozguy,
That is a great suggestion!
Thank you.
Daryl
MN