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Gear Toy

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Rapid Roger:
OK guys and gals,
I posted a picture of a gear toy that I made several years ago and "A" request was made for me to show greater detail of it.  :o
I wasn't sure where to post it (patterns?) (tutorials?) (general?) but, IT IS A TOY so what better place to show it than here?  ;)
First, let me say that this ISN'T my pattern but, I did find out where I found it!  :) (your not going to believe this) It is a free pattern so, I feel OK with posting it (or where for you can find it.)  ;)
It is in a WOOD magazine from November 2012 issue 215! (I told you it had been a few years)  ;D
You may have to do some research to find the magazine though. Try friends that have been in woodworking for awhile or, the library or, write or call the magazine to see if you can get a back issue from November 2012.
Anyway, here goes another long winded "How I Did It" from Rog with pictures of course!
You are suppose to use 1/2" MDF according to the mag but, I used plywood of course. I also made more gears than you need to but, I over do everything (and I was making two of them)









Each gear needs a "gear base" but, only one "crank handle" per set.

And of course some peg board for the backer. Use peg board with 1/4"holes and 1" spacing and a frame is not required but, it makes things nicer, more finished and easier to handle especially if you make the frame tall enough to cover with the gears in place.



A bit of finish on the gears (I recommend shellac for food safety reasons. Smaller people like to put things in their mouth you know.)
and you are good to go!  ;D

I notice by the pictures that it took me 8 days from start to finish  :P but, as I said, I was making two of them and I made a few more gears than necessary.
You just install the crank handle on top of one of the gears (your choice), make sure the cogs are interlocked with each gear and turn it and watch "SPINNING JOY" as each one turns in the opposite direction. And be sure to look at the face of the kid when he turns it!  ;D ;D ;D

Hope that helped. Now get started by finding the Wood magazine, copy the full sized patterns and make some saw dust and a kid happy!



Rog

PS I gave my grandsons theirs on Christmas 2012 and they are now 8 and 13 and still have the "Gear Set" in their play rooms and mess with them now and then.  8)

KarlB:
Thanks Roger for the post.  That would be such a neat toy for children (as you know).

I found my issue of Wood magazine and the article is on page 26 with the patterns in the center (pp 42 - 43).  The link they published for gear template is no longer active, but a link for the pattern is here:

http://www.woodstore.net/plans/toys/346-Scrollsawn-Gears.html

For other patterns in the issue the link is here:

http://www.woodstore.net/wood0215.htm

I think plywood would be the better choice - has it held up?

Karl

Rapid Roger:
That is cool that you still have the same magazine! You are right about the page numbers.  :)
As far as the full size patterns goes, mine are still in the magazine. I have a copier and just copied them right from the pages of the magazine several times and went from there.
If anyone is in serious need of the patterns, give me a PM and I will 'snail mail" them to you. Or, if Karl can scan the patterns into his computer, I'm sure he would email them. I don't have the computer smarts to do that.  ::)
Yes Karl the plywood holds up quite well. In fact, I would say probably better than MDF would as dampness and humidity can effect MDF more than plywood at times.

Rog

PS I went back and looked at your link and saw that maybe I shouldn't offer the patterns for free!  :-[  :-X  :'( I didn't know that Wood magazine was still selling them!  :o Very sorry about that folks!  :-[

Also maybe I should mention that the 1/4" dowel does not fit into the 1/4" holes in the pegboard very well. I had to ream all the holes in the pegboard a bit (1/32") larger to get free turning, smooth operation from the gears.

Rog

CMHN:
You can always design your own with this template maker.  Matthias also has a downloadable version he made on this same page.   

http://woodgears.ca/gear_cutting/template.html

Great looking gears by the way.  I love anything mechanical. 

WigWag Workshop:
So much fun to be had, I absolutely love gear and marble toys.

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