Australian Politics Forum - Broken plastic gears?

Bobby. Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 111745 Melbourne Gender:	Broken plastic gears? Apr 21^st, 2025 at 12:00pm This guy wastes his time trying to repair a broken plastic gear in a paper shredder. How would you have repaired it?
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Bobby. Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 111745 Melbourne Gender:	Re: Broken plastic gears? Reply #1 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 12:08pm Solutions? (1) Make a new gear out of aluminium by hand ? - a hell of a long job but possible. Easier with a lathe. (2) Make a mold of the broken gear and fill it with fiberglass resin to make a copy? Difficult because you would end up with one section that you'd have to file teeth into.
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Setanta Gold Member Offline \/ Peace man! Posts: 16963 Northern NSW Gender:	Re: Broken plastic gears? Reply #2 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 12:44pm How To Digitally Copy a Physical Part to 3D Print
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Bobby. Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 111745 Melbourne Gender:	Re: Broken plastic gears? Reply #3 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 3:50pm Setanta wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 12:44pm: How To Digitally Copy a Physical Part to 3D Print Thanks - that's interesting. People discuss 3D printing in the comments of the video. The problem is in obtaining strong enough material for a gear cog.
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Sprintcyclist Gold Member Online OzPolitic Posts: 40962 Gender:	Re: Broken plastic gears? Reply #4 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 3:51pm Bobby. wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 12:00pm: This guy wastes his time trying to repair a broken plastic gear in a paper shredder. How would you have repaired it? yes, was a waste of time. Either buy a new part from the manufacturer or buy a new shredder with a 3 year warranty. A new shredder is a good solution.
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Bobby.

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Re: Broken plastic gears?
Reply #5 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 4:08pm

Sprintcyclist wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 3:51pm:

yes, was a waste of time.
Either buy a new part from the manufacturer or buy a new shredder with a 3 year warranty.

A new shredder is a good solution.

Yes and apparently you can reduce the strain on gears to avoid breakage by:

(1) only putting through one sheet of paper at a time and

(2) oiling the cutters with a sheet of paper upon which you have spread some 3 in 1 oil.
Keep the cutters lubricated.

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Setanta

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Re: Broken plastic gears?
Reply #6 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 4:34pm

Bobby. wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 3:50pm:

Setanta wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 12:44pm:

How To Digitally Copy a Physical Part to 3D Print

Thanks - that's interesting.

People discuss 3D printing in the comments of the video.
The problem is in obtaining strong enough material for a gear cog.

Do away with the teeth altogether if you cannot find the right plastic. Edit the 3D to have a lip on each side of where the teeth are and fill the groove with rubber o-rings. Easy to replace if they wear out.

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Bobby.

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Re: Broken plastic gears?
Reply #7 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 4:52pm

Setanta wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 4:34pm:

Bobby. wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 3:50pm:

Setanta wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 12:44pm:

How To Digitally Copy a Physical Part to 3D Print

Thanks - that's interesting.

People discuss 3D printing in the comments of the video.
The problem is in obtaining strong enough material for a gear cog.

Do away with the teeth altogether if you cannot find the right plastic. Edit the 3D to have a lip on each side of where the teeth are and fill the groove with rubber o-rings. Easy to replace if they wear out.

Rubber O-rings could slip -
there is obviously a lot of force required to move such gears -
enough to shear strong plastic teeth right off.

I suppose nylon would be the most durable plastic?
What happened to the good old days when they used steel gears?

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Setanta

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Re: Broken plastic gears?
Reply #8 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 5:43pm

Bobby. wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 4:52pm:

Setanta wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 4:34pm:

Bobby. wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 3:50pm:

Setanta wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 12:44pm:

How To Digitally Copy a Physical Part to 3D Print

Thanks - that's interesting.

People discuss 3D printing in the comments of the video.
The problem is in obtaining strong enough material for a gear cog.

Do away with the teeth altogether if you cannot find the right plastic. Edit the 3D to have a lip on each side of where the teeth are and fill the groove with rubber o-rings. Easy to replace if they wear out.

Rubber O-rings could slip -
there is obviously a lot of force required to move such gears -
enough to shear strong plastic teeth right off.

I suppose nylon would be the most durable plastic?
What happened to the good old days when they used steel gears?

Best 3D printing Material/filament for Gears!

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Bobby.

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Re: Broken plastic gears?
Reply #9 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 7:58pm

Setanta wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 5:43pm:

Bobby. wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 4:52pm:

Rubber O-rings could slip -
there is obviously a lot of force required to move such gears -
enough to shear strong plastic teeth right off.

I suppose nylon would be the most durable plastic?
What happened to the good old days when they used steel gears?

Best 3D printing Material/filament for Gears!

Wow - so you can print tough Nylon and other tough plastics.

Best 3D printing Material/filament for Gears
1. Nylon
2. PLA
3. ABS
4. PETG

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Setanta

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Re: Broken plastic gears?
Reply #10 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 8:22pm

Bobby. wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 7:58pm:

Setanta wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 5:43pm:

Bobby. wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 4:52pm:

Rubber O-rings could slip -
there is obviously a lot of force required to move such gears -
enough to shear strong plastic teeth right off.

I suppose nylon would be the most durable plastic?
What happened to the good old days when they used steel gears?

Best 3D printing Material/filament for Gears!

Wow - so you can print tough Nylon and other tough plastics.

Best 3D printing Material/filament for Gears
1. Nylon
2. PLA
3. ABS
4. PETG

Slipping rubber is better than broken gears if you look at my other option. You are not likely to break the gear unless you over feed it or feed it a staple/paperclip.. Slipping rubber is better than broken gears. If you feel the slip will be on the spool rather than the other gear, you can use silicon antislip as we used to use on conveyor belts.

I'm only answering your question, "How would you have repaired it?" If I was to bother, I'm telling you what I would think are the ways I would attempt it.

What would you do?

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Bobby.

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Re: Broken plastic gears?
Reply #11 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 8:27pm

Setanta wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 8:22pm:

Slipping rubber is better than broken gears if you look at my other option. You are not likely to break the gear unless you over feed it or feed it a staple/paperclip.. Slipping rubber is better than broken gears. If you feel the slip will be on the spool rather than the other gear, you can use silicon antislip as we used to use on conveyor belts.

If the cutters got jammed the motor electric current would rise to a high level.

Any properly designed shredder would switch off the motor before any gears broke.

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Bobby.

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Re: Broken plastic gears?
Reply #12 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 8:29pm

Setanta wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 8:22pm:

Slipping rubber is better than broken gears if you look at my other option. You are not likely to break the gear unless you over feed it or feed it a staple/paperclip.. Slipping rubber is better than broken gears. If you feel the slip will be on the spool rather than the other gear, you can use silicon antislip as we used to use on conveyor belts.

I'm only answering your question, "How would you have repaired it?" If I was to bother, I'm telling you what I would think are the ways I would attempt it.

What would you do?

I gave my solutions but yours is better if you have access to a 3D printer.

My Solutions?

(1) Make a new gear out of aluminium by hand ? -
a hell of a long job but possible. Easier with a lathe.

(2) Make a mold of the broken gear and fill it with fiberglass resin to make a copy?
Difficult because you would end up with one section that you'd have to file teeth into.

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Setanta

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Re: Broken plastic gears?
Reply #13 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 8:32pm

Bobby. wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 8:27pm:

Setanta wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 8:22pm:

Slipping rubber is better than broken gears if you look at my other option. You are not likely to break the gear unless you over feed it or feed it a staple/paperclip.. Slipping rubber is better than broken gears. If you feel the slip will be on the spool rather than the other gear, you can use silicon antislip as we used to use on conveyor belts.

If the cutters got jammed the motor electric current would rise to a high level.

Any properly designed shredder would switch off the motor before any gears broke.

It's cheap shyte made only for one page of paper and the gear is the safety valve. That doesn't negate your question which I think I answered pretty well.

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Bobby.

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Re: Broken plastic gears?
Reply #14 - Apr 21^st, 2025 at 8:35pm

Setanta wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 8:32pm:

Bobby. wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 8:27pm:

Setanta wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 8:22pm:

Slipping rubber is better than broken gears if you look at my other option. You are not likely to break the gear unless you over feed it or feed it a staple/paperclip.. Slipping rubber is better than broken gears. If you feel the slip will be on the spool rather than the other gear, you can use silicon antislip as we used to use on conveyor belts.

If the cutters got jammed the motor electric current would rise to a high level.

Any properly designed shredder would switch off the motor before any gears broke.

It's cheap shyte made only for one page of paper and the gear is the safety valve. That doesn't negate your question which I think I answered pretty well.

But even a cheap slow blow fuse worth one dollar in series with the motor
would be enough to save the gears from breaking.
How cheap can you get?

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