gear cutting, button method modified for cnc

[Sparky_NY]

Been reading on cutting gears using the button method. In short, the method used two round buttons of the same diameter spaced a fixed distance apart as a form tool to cut a gear. The method has been described a LOT of times all over the place.

What I have been pondering is why couldn't you use the same theory BUT instead of making a form tool with buttons, why not do it on a cnc mill with a 4th axis using a tiny ball endmill and fine stepover? I would think you could accomplish the same gear cutter blank but without having to make custom buttons and holders for the lathe form cutting tool. You should be able to cut any desired radius on the cutter blank instead of having to make custom buttons and holders every time.

Look forward to hearing comments.

[Dan Dubeau]

I've cut HSS form tools in the CNC before, so no reason it won't work. I've got a spline job coming up that I was thinking about doing that way, but will probably just hand grind the tool and keep cad out of it. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

When I did it, I just simply 2d cut the form, and hand ground the relief. You "could" ball cut it from the backside, only need 3 axis.