Unexpected use of FR2 of the week: Phenolic gears

Submitted ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨WaterWaiver@aussie.zone⁩ to ⁨electronics@discuss.tchncs.de⁩

https://aussie.zone/pictrs/image/b86f9156-185d-4283-ae1c-4fca9bfc3bfd.jpeg

FR2 is the brownish material that many cheap circuit boards are made of. It’s a mixture of phenolic resin and paper. Apparently it’s quite useful to make gears out of:

Phenolic Gears exhibits superior shear force, help reduce machinery noise, absorbs destructive vibration unlike metal gears, phenolic is non-conductive, protects the mating metal gear train, and are known to outlast metal gears under severe continuous service. (source: www.knowbirs.com/phenolic-gears )

(Main pic stolen from here) (Many more pics)

Has anyone seen these used anywhere? I’ve read a hint regarding pool equipment, but I have never seen them there. I assume the fibres allow them to last longer than plastic/resin only gears.

source

Comments

Sort:hotnew top

genuineparts@infosec.pub ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Old big EMCO lathes had phenolic gears in their gearbox. I know because I got to rebuild one and that was one urprise I came actross and that day I learned about phenolic gears.

Also I will never forget the smell of the gear oil.

source
Gronk@aussie.zone ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Woah those are some cool properties, I wonder how hard these gears would be to manufacture at home? I’m looking at implementing my own custom gear reductions in servos but I don’t think my 3d prints will mesh well enough or withstand long usage

source
- liquefy4931@lemmy.world ⁨11⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
  I replaced the original gears for my pools in-ground cleaning system with 3d-printed versions and they lasted several seasons. I had originally intended to simply keep the system running while I waited for replacement parts to arrive.
  
  source
- WaterWaiver@aussie.zone ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  There are some youtube videos of people machining them (sadly no phenolic smell is communicated though). Looks like you treat it like any other solid material: hobb or mill the teeth.
  
  source
dgriffith@aussie.zone ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Older engines had them in their timing gears - they were in 6 cylinder Holdens, for example.

They give an amount of cushioning/vibration dampening that you can’t get with steel gear sets.

source