, 'involute gears' and 'cycloid gears', based on the difference in tooth shape. Both types have their own advantages, but technology blogger lcamtuf explains the ...

Invention of the gear-hobbing process about 150 years ago revolutionized not only gear fabrication, but also gear design. Basically, a hob or shaper cutter traverses the gear blank to generate teeth.

Ordinarily, when we need gears, we pop open a McMaster catalog or head to the KHK website. Some of the more adventurous may even laser cut or 3D print them. But what about machining them yourself?