Hello Rebekah
I wonder If instead of cutting the teeth one by one it would be easier to make a broach/former and form them all at once?
The tool would need to be hardened. I would be tempted to leave it full hard and not temper it
With one mm teeth the depth of cut is very small I would be tempted to try a toothless broach/former; mill the teeth along a length of bar the correct diameter say 200mm long plus a 50mm undersize section at the large driven end. A small fly cutter ground to the correct tooth profile would do, together with the rotary table for indexing.
Then grind the bar to a taper You could use fine emery strip in the lathe if you do not have a grinder, to enable the broach/former to start in the hole of the Ring gear blank. As it is pushed through the teeth will be progressively formed.
Commercial broaches have teeth, Maybe you can cut a series of rings to form teeth with a very sharp tool, although it might muck up the teeth form on the broach.
You would need a small press to force it through and plenty of oil on the tool, pork fat is great for this type of job.
If it the ring gear is thin you may have to press it in a larger supporting collar. to stop it stretching, it can be removed later.
Many commercial ring gears are broached.
Cheers
John
Edited By John McNamara on 22/06/2012 16:41:21
Edited By John McNamara on 22/06/2012 16:58:49