Source of Maxon/Faulhaber 4:1 Gearheads

[narrowminded]

Not a big report but got the hardest part set up and ran one while some stuff was printing.  It's the short thread to pull the end caps, M5.5 x .5mm pitch, shouldered to insert to a full depth of .130".   I'm making a few sets so have a few more of these to do and then the rest will be pretty easy.  Just need the time!

What makes this a bugger is using a lathe with an inch lead screw running metric threads.  It works but you can't use the thread dial.  Once the half nuts are engaged you can't release them and the relief groove for the pointed thread tool is only .040" wide.    It would be nice to have a bigger clearance but with a .130" or so full length there wouldn't be any thread left.  Doesn't leave much room for an oops hitting your stop.

[boBQ]

Inspired by this thread I found some 10 mm 16:1 motors on the Bay and bought them to (hopefully) modify into 4:1.  I took a cut off the gearhead housing and the housing/threaded insert fell off.  Cleaning up the remaining ridge deformed the gear teeth just like in the article photo, a little work with an Xacto cleaned them up ok.

A small boring tool opened the housing to 8.5 mm for the threaded insert.  Then I had to clean up the gear teeth (again).  A couple rounds of flushing with alcohol cleaned it up to work smoothly.

Mine had a thin washer between the two stages and one at the final stage so I put both washers in the final assembly as someone wrote.  It seems to work well, going down to a crawl without stalling.  It will go into a Bachmann On30 Porter and should run nicely.
I am looking into using a low melting point alloy to pour into the housing to help support the gear teeth while machining.  It may work or it may be a total disaster, either way it will be enlightening!   

Thanks to mmagliaro, metalworkertom and others for leading the way

[Kentuckian]

I don’t know if anyone is still interested, but there is a place in CA with 4:1 Maxon gear. Search eBay for 4:1 gearhead at
svcstore.

[SkipGear]

Thanks,
 Ordered just ordered 2 to tinker with.

[reinhardtjh]

I don’t know if anyone is still interested, but there is a place in CA with 4:1 Maxon gear. Search eBay for 4:1 gearhead at
svcstore.

I can never find them.  Do you have a link for the listing or the store?

[Kentuckian]

Sure.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/114699594836

[reinhardtjh]

That made it easy.  Thank you!

[peteski]

Sure.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/114699594836

Wasn't the URL to the listing in your original post?  I seem to recall seeing it there.  Thanks either way.

[Kentuckian]

I edited it out, I’m didn’t want Jeff Bezos ordering something on my eBay account. I know that probably isn’t really how it works, but I’m becoming more paranoid online all the time.

[peteski]

I edited it out, I’m didn’t want Jeff Bezos ordering something on my eBay account. I know that probably isn’t really how it works, but I’m becoming more paranoid online all the time.

LOL!  I usually just trim the tracking info from the URL (just as you did).

[reinhardtjh]

For what it's worth, I ordered some of the .2mm 12t brass pinions from here https://www.ebay.com/itm/153924992745
5PCS 0.2M 12T 12 Teeth Brass Gear T=12 Aperture 1mm Tight Fit Spur

I got the last but there had been quite a few. Hopefully they will restock.  I'm going to keep watching that store.

[mmagliaro]

Kentuckian: An important, and handy, thing that your photo shows us about those svcstore gear heads is that they
have the correct threading to mount on the 1017 motors.  Not all Maxons have the same thread mount style.

[Kentuckian]

I have learned the hard way to “trust but verify”. This vendor is domestic and appeared to have several units in stock so I ordered one and tried it before posting the link.

[peteski]

I have learned the hard way to “trust but verify”. This vendor is domestic and appeared to have several units in stock so I ordered one and tried it before posting the link.

@Kentuckian

Those are really nice 4:1 gearhead motors, and and a bargain price (the seller also entertains best offers), but the shipping charges are strange, and rather high.  I bought 5 for $8.50ea.  The motor appears to be very nice 10 x 25 12V motors, and they have a double shaft (although the rear shaft has no bearing supporting it).

How did you remove the sun (spur) gear from the motor shaft?  It seems to be welded to the shaft.

[Kentuckian]

I didn’t. Earlier in the year (and earlier in this thread) @mmagliaro posted a link to a place in China that had loose spur gears of the correct size and pitch. I installed those spur gears on other motors that I already had. I have no plans to use the motors that came with the gearheads. IIRC Max tried to remove the welded on spur gear put destroyed the motor in the process.