# Honey extractor- Dadant 20 Frame- Stripped Gears



## txbeeco (Aug 4, 2015)

The Worm gear on my Dadant 20 Frame extractor finally gave out. My extractor has the horizontal motor with a right angle gear box...Dadant stopped using the Jones motors and could not locate a replacement gear. The only suggestion was to upgrade to the new vertical style motor $460.

it is a 38 tooth wormwheel gear (2" dia- 0.5 bore) I have not been able to source a replacement... 

I still have a few frames to extract so I am fixing up the manual unit... until I find a solution

any Idea where I might find the gear in question?


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

http://us.misumi-ec.com/
http://www.mcmaster.com/

If anyone knows of other parts places, please tell me. I don't have any need to extract yet. I would like to eventually have an automated apiary, and I don't know how much machining I want to do. There's one place that begins with "z" or "y" and is 4 letters.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

I converted my Dadant to the new vertical engine 3-4 years ago when I refurbished one just like yours. The lower reel bearing and motor had seized up and mice had taken it over for what appeared decades. I yanked all the pulleys, gears, belts, bearings, and motor. Cleaned it thoroughly. I cut the reel shaft 3-4" inches shorter (as required to convert) Installed a new lower reel bearing, lovejoy coupler on the reel shaft and the new motor. It's been a champ ever since. A single custom wormgear is going to run you as much as the electric motor and take a few weeks at least. Short term I'm not sure what to tell you other than try to borrow an extractor from another Beekeeper. Long term, convert it and you'll never look back.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Welcome to Beesource!


I think you will have better success replacing _both_ gears (the one on the motor as well as the stripped one) as a matching set.

For instance, for worms with a 1/2" bore and a 20:1 ratio, see this page: http://www.amazon.com/Boston-Gear-G..._6?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1448376555&sr=1-6
There are a variety of mating gears linked lower down on that page, here is a direct link to one of them:
http://www.amazon.com/Boston-Gear-G..._UL160_SR144,160_&refRID=1P97FWSFW7ZH7R3TPDS5

Not cheap, but $75-$80 is quite a bit less than an entire new drive.


Note: I have no experience replacing gears on a Dadant extractor. The above product pages are simply examples of matching gear sets available. Note that other combinations produce differing reduction speeds/ratios. Make sure you measure your motor shaft diameter before making a choice, and consider whether a keyway is needed for the motor shaft gear and if so, keyway size.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Local tool and die shop should be able to bust one out in about an hour.


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## 5LimaBeans (Jan 4, 2015)

Other possible sources: http://www.grainger.com/ or http://www.sdp-si.com/


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## Terry C (Sep 6, 2013)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> Welcome to Beesource!
> 
> 
> I think you will have better success replacing _both_ gears (the one on the motor as well as the stripped one) as a matching set.
> ...


 Rader is right , they need to be replaced as a set . I was also going to suggest Boston Gear ...


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## zhiv9 (Aug 3, 2012)

The spun gear looks like it was made of phenolic. It is the weak link by design. Make sure the replacement gears are similar in case of a jam.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

Boston Gear has just about anything you need. Another option is to convert it to the old Dadant belt drive with slip clutch. Pretty sure all the parts are still available. 
http://www.bostongear.com/products/open/wg.html#


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## RichardsonTX (Jul 3, 2011)

txbeeco said:


> The Worm gear on my Dadant 20 Frame extractor finally gave out. My extractor has the horizontal motor with a right angle gear box...Dadant stopped using the Jones motors and could not locate a replacement gear. The only suggestion was to upgrade to the new vertical style motor $460.
> 
> it is a 38 tooth wormwheel gear (2" dia- 0.5 bore) I have not been able to source a replacement...
> 
> ...


A machine shop can probably make you another one but it won't be cheap.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

Some of the OWWM guys had a set made for Delta wedge bed planers. They were about $600 a set.


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## PerryBee (Dec 3, 2007)

txbeeco said:


> The Worm gear on my Dadant 20 Frame extractor finally gave out. My extractor has the horizontal motor with a right angle gear box...Dadant stopped using the Jones motors and could not locate a replacement gear. The only suggestion was to upgrade to the new vertical style motor $460.
> 
> it is a 38 tooth wormwheel gear (2" dia- 0.5 bore) I have not been able to source a replacement...
> 
> ...


I realize this thread is 5 years old, but......
I have the same issue as the original post, but *now* they have 3D printers. I have a good rear drive as well as a broken one. Could one not take the worm wheel that is stripped in the original post and simply have it replicated? It would not be made of metal thereby still remaining the weak link in the set up as was probably the design.


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## elmer_fud (Apr 21, 2018)

Most 3d printer parts are nowhere nears as strong as machined/molded/cast parts. I would be surprised if a printed gear in this application lasted more than a few batches of frames.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Most quotes from the local gear shop, Butler Gear, start at 500 dollars.

All you need to make your own is a blank, a Horizontal mill, a dividing head, and the gear train to spin the dividing head from the spindle at the PROPER speed. 

I did so to make a new bronze worm for my Rototiller brand Rototiller.

Not the easiest route, but some of us Germans are very cheap.

Crazy Roland


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

elmer_fud said:


> Most 3d printer parts are nowhere nears as strong as machined/molded/cast parts. I would be surprised if a printed gear in this application lasted more than a few batches of frames.


I dont have a lot of faith in even the monolithic or solid nylon or whatever they are called, gears. I kind of lump them all together as "plastic"! The first 3D printed _stuff_ was even more sketchy but I think I saw some discussion that the latest technology was producing items with a lot better mechanical properties. 

I came across a machining forum that had a lot of info on retrofittting lathes with stepper motors and controls. There is lots of surplus items if you know how to spec. what you need.


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