Posted by John Haine on 23/09/2020 17:53:09:
Well, that was an interesting read Michael! Not entirely clear, but it seems that they produce the cutters using in effect the "button" method to impart the required profile to the teeth, the "buttons" (or their equivalent) being made from carbide, ground to shape using diamond wheels. The "soft" 12-tooth HSS blank is turned on a form-relieving lathe after gashing, then vacuum heat treated to harden. Doesn't sound easy to reproduce at home!
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Not forgetting the pantograph reduction, and the inspection work
…. suddenly, it makes the price look very reasonable
MichaelG.