Do you media blast your gears?

[gkeeton]

I've media blasted gears in the past with glass bead/walnut shells/etc., to get a closer look at wear on teeth, or to see if wear on drive teeth is deeper than the surface. I've taken apart trans from other shops that have media blasted all the gears when doing a rebuild. Do you prefer to keep the gears, as is, taken straight from the trans, or do you clean them by media blasting? If you were buying a used gear set 1-4, or a r&p, would you want them as is, or would it matter if they were media blasted?

[Pablo2]

Even when I had a bead blaster, I learned to squirrel away gears with their original dirty oil, which kept them from rusting. When it was time to use them, I'd clean with solvent, blow dry, and then check closely under a 30X binocular microscope. I can see some value to media blasting if sending the gears to someone else (it probably looks more professional), but it can sometimes mask an imperfection (especially micro cracks on pinion teeth). I've even seen unscrupulous used Porsche parts guys REM worn out R&Ps and gears. VERY difficult to see imperfections on REM'd parts with the naked eye.

[Henryhoehandle]

I like the idea (REM) with NEW gears.

[gkeeton]

Even when I had a bead blaster, I learned to squirrel away gears with their original dirty oil, which kept them from rusting. When it was time to use them, I'd clean with solvent, blow dry, and then check closely under a 30X binocular microscope. I can see some value to media blasting if sending the gears to someone else (it probably looks more professional), but it can sometimes mask an imperfection (especially micro cracks on pinion teeth). I've even seen unscrupulous used Porsche parts guys REM worn out R&Ps and gears. VERY difficult to see imperfections on REM'd parts with the naked eye.

You know, the gears that get taken out of a core, then are thrown in a drawer with the left over gear oil on them because you were in a hurry to clean up, do tend to stay nice for a long time. I have found more cracks by bead blasting the teeth of a gear because it evens out the surface texture/color, and the cracks were easier for me to spot. Maybe I need a viewing device with more magnification! I do have some gear sets I was thinking of parting with, and was going to blast them for closer inspection, and presentation. So, is blasting the gears thought of as taking the time to thoroughly clean the gear for inspection, which is what I would be using it for. Or would you feel like someone is trying to hide something like your REM Polishing Crooked Porsche Guys?

If you were to media blast, what media would work the best? After a search here, I found one post mentioning to not Glass Bead gears. I have heard of instances where Glass Bead has embedded itself in Non Ferrous Metals like Aluminum, and Magnesium, only to emerge later destroying an engine/trans, even though I never really have come across this first hand. I don't blast syncro cones on 1-4 gears, or shafts of pinion gears where a bearing is to be pressed on, but what would be a drawback of using Glass Bead on a Steel Gear? I've used a media a local company, T P Tools, sells, called First Choice, that is a round media designed not to embed itself without any negative drawbacks/issues on gears, and completely stripped trans cases. I've also used Walnut Shells, but they tend to work slower, and aren't very abrasive on Steel. Soda Blasting is something I've never tried, but I have heard good things about it for cleaning carbs, or engine parts.

I like the idea (REM) with NEW gears.

I have never tried REM Polishing with a new/used gear, but a local shop that does it has had great success with some Road Racing Guys with Hewland Boxes. I'm still gathering info, but may try it on the next trans.

[Pablo2]

Bead blasting may help to see things with the naked eye, but binocular jewelers microscope trumps all other visual methods.

The issue with bead blasting is the bits of grit that can get stuck here & there, only to come loose much later, potentially damaging the bearings. I like the idea of walnut shells.

I used to be a huge proponent of REM'ing, as it actually does something positive (just as shot-peening does something positive). However, in our own testing, we saw no reduction in oil temperature, and no increased gear life .. in direct contrast to the hype. So for us, it wasn't worth the effort. (In Porsche racing, gear life is measured in hours, and oil temperature is well documented.)

[Henryhoehandle]

What about cryo?

[raygreenwood]

Bead blasting may help to see things with the naked eye, but binocular jewelers microscope trumps all other visual methods.

The issue with bead blasting is the bits of grit that can get stuck here & there, only to come loose much later, potentially damaging the bearings. I like the idea of walnut shells.

I used to be a huge proponent of REM'ing, as it actually does something positive (just as shot-peening does something positive). However, in our own testing, we saw no reduction in oil temperature, and no increased gear life .. in direct contrast to the hype. So for us, it wasn't worth the effort. (In Porsche racing, gear life is measured in hours, and oil temperature is well documented.)

If you like your 30x bino scope.....you would love the little USB scope I have. It goes 10-230X....has adjustable lighting, variable polarizer, fully adjustable color, contrast, detail sharpness.....takes 4mp pictures and video. Its about 3" long and 1" diameter.

Its not your cheapy $40 amazon scope.....but there is a lot in between what I have and what's available. Its one of my most used tools. Plugs into any laptop. Nice software.
If you want me to send you some sample shots crom difficult places just let me know. Ray

[Piledriver]

Link? There's a ton of different flavors out there.

I'm looking for a tiny head (5-7mm) USB borescope that doesn't crap out forever after 10 minutes use.
The cheap USB one I had was great... for about 10 minutes.

[Steve Arndt]

Link? There's a ton of different flavors out there.

I'm looking for a tiny head (5-7mm) USB borescope that doesn't crap out forever after 10 minutes use.
The cheap USB one I had was great... for about 10 minutes.

http://www.adafruit.com/product/636

[raygreenwood]

Link? There's a ton of different flavors out there.

I'm looking for a tiny head (5-7mm) USB borescope that doesn't crap out forever after 10 minutes use.
The cheap USB one I had was great... for about 10 minutes.

The USB scope I have....ran me about $750 with a couple of small mounting attachments. It has been in about 200 plants in several different companies as of now. Its worlds away different and better than the $40-100 varieties that look very similar.
Much better optics, much better electronics, professional level polarizing. To get several features....I had to limit myself a bit in certain areas. Extremely rugged.
They have borescope varieties, interchangeable snouts on some models and their mounting fixtures are superb for the cost.

Dino-lite are the absolute best.

This company (Microscopes.com) is their largest dealer on the continent and service was superb http://www.microscope.com/digital-micro ... aQoddzIApw

NOTICE: Dino-lite makes so many microscopes (about 100 all told) many that look identical...that it literally took me a month to shop and ask questions to get exactly which model I needed. I would be happy to help if need be.

You need to ask yourself these questions because the variety is vast:

1. Magnification (and focal length)
2. polarizing (built in or by adapter, variable or on/off)
3. megapixel file size
4. Measuring software ability
5. Interchangeable snouts (which may limit your polarizer type on some models)
6. Variable lighting of fixed/on-off
7. Armored/aluminum body or not (mine is not armored....but I have had no problems. I'm careful with it around chemicals)
8. Microtouch photo trigger....a must have....which is a small stud on the microscope body that is electrostatic sensitive so the very slightest brush from a finger can trigger a photograph or video start. or you can turn microtouch off and trigger from the laptop.
9. Greater than 230x (they have 400 and 500 x scopes as well)
10. UV lighting versions in a range of UV spectra

Also the software on these is nice. It has 50/60 hz flicker settings, back light compensation, hue, gamut, sharpness, MP size, contrast and exposure adjustments, measures in microns and mils and a range of other settings.

This is the current version of the one I have http://www.microscope.com/dino-lite-am7 ... tegory=227

Mine is three years old now and has only 4mp and the unarmored case and my software is probably not tablet and windows RT compatible but works killer with everything else. The new ones also have WiFi download capability.

Yes....its $969...and if you use yours virtually every other day like I do for a living...its worth every penny

You need to READ the spec sheets very carefully and take notes....because for example the AM7013MZTS....the one above....is the same scope as the AM7013MZT.....the "S" in the part #...denotes that the MZTS has a shorter nozzle and an adjusted lens package to allow focus down to 5mm from contact instead of about 13mm....which can make a difference at 230X in certain critical applications like circuit board inspection.........but it also limits your field of view at maximum magnification.

Since focus is fully variable....you very quickly learn that you can make or buy simple optical spacer rings to carry in your kit to pop on the end to get the wider field of view without issue. In this way...choosing the closer focusing MZTS over the MZT makes sense.

Also just like photography of any kind....you learn the tricks you can do with angles, mounts, external lighting (I carry several small LED flashlights with clips and clamps to get side lighting for superb textural study).
AWESOME tool.

I will take some mechanical gear close up pics and post in the next day or so. Ray

[raygreenwood]

Link? There's a ton of different flavors out there.

I'm looking for a tiny head (5-7mm) USB borescope that doesn't crap out forever after 10 minutes use.
The cheap USB one I had was great... for about 10 minutes.

http://www.adafruit.com/product/636

These are....OK....for what they are and how cheap they are. They are actually fairly clear and they do work and have most of the controls....but the optical quality is nowhere near the Dino-lite scopes i listed. If I were on budget and had to have something...I would not hesitate to buy one.

However, the medical device plant I left in March bought handfuls of this exact scope and several other nearly identical brands up to 500x. Only a few of them are still working. Most end up with LED or focus helicoid problems (poorly damped)...vibration prone...and wont stay in focus.

The big deal is the sensor quality...just like any camera.

While shopping I read dozens of on-line "reviews" just like that one. The problem is that those writing these reviews...are only reviewing "cheap" scopes...or those in their price range. The people wanting to know what USB scope is best....usually think that any USB tool should be cheap so anything over a certain dollar amount is not reviewed.

The medical device plant saw my scope and said..."we gotta have some of those in QC and out on the line"....when they saw the price...they only balked a little....but one quick engineer pulls up a cheap USB scope on some china site on his tablet and says..."hey I can get one just like yours for $100".....deal is done at that point.
And...when the scopes come in...they find out its nowhere near mine in output and focus quality (but is better than nothing). You get what you pay for.

Mine also resides in a cloth bag inside of a Pelikan storm case with a lot of equipment and flys alot.....and is bulletproof. Ray