Wheel Cutting

The picture above shows a wheel (gear) being cut on the milling machine which has been adapted for the cutting of wheels and pinions.

The wheel being cut is 80 teeth.  Indexing to achieve the correct number of teeth is computerised (C.N.C) which is incredibly accurate.  The disc/blank is first turned in the lathe to the exact diameter for the number of teeth to be cut and remains on the same spindle so that when the teeth are cut the wheel remains concentric.

When cutting is complete wheels are then marked out for the spokes to be cut (crossing out).  This is done by hand with a piercing saw before being filed and polished as can be seen on the escape wheel in the centre photograph.  This wheel although looking finished still requires final polishing.

Wheels are eventually mounted onto the arbor with a brass collet. This collet is first mounted onto the arbor and will then be turned to the same diameter as the wheel centre to maintain concentricity with the arbor and pinion.

Spring Barrels

The above spring barrel has been removed from it's barrel wheel.  The new wheel requires a brass blank to be turned with matching recess and centre boss prior to having teeth cut using the same procedure as normal wheels.  The picture below shows the finished job.

Pinion Cutting

Pinions are cut on the milling machine but the steel is held directly in the collet system on the rotary table which has  to accommodate different steel stock sizes.  The arbor blank will stay in the collet system until all jobs except pivot turning are complete.  The steel is turned to the required pinion and arbor diameter to enable cutting of the pinion leaves in the milling machine in a similar manner to wheel cutting.  The above picture shows the tapers being turned, this is followed by polishing prior to parting off and pivots being turned.  The picture below shows the finished longcase centre arbor with the old wheel having been mounted onto the new arbor.