miriam

Elna used nylon gears back in the 60s - maybe earlier - worry more about the plastic than the nylon

J Miller

Here is what bothers me as much as disliking plastic gears, how to tell the difference between plastic and nylon gears.
To me they look the same.

I can tell Bakelite at a glance, but not the plastic / nylon difference. I tend to lump them both into the junk category.

Joe

makitmama

I have a morse from the mid 50's that has one plastic piece in it. And it is impossible to see unless you know where to look.

Foxflower

Is there a strength difference between the nylon and plastic gears? I've been thinking of them as being the same junk as well.

Makitmama, I love your little comment at the bottom of your screen.

Candace

"Nylon is a type of plastic popular in a wide variety of applications due to its flexibility and strength. The difference between nylon and other similar plastics is a result of its molecular structure."

Nylon to plastic would be comparing two different grades or types of metal in my thinking.

makitmama

I agree with Joe on this... If it isn't metal, I don't really care whether it is nylon or plastic.

Glad ya'll like my tag line. I do change it around though....

Foxflower

That's interesting Candace, thank you. So, are the nylon gears pretty strong? If we were to compare nylon and other plastic gears to similar strength/durability metals, what would they be do you think? or if the don't compare in actuality, how would they compare to each other, i.e..... nylon gears are to plastic gears as tin is to aluminum?

SteveH

"The plastics industry was revolutionized in the 1930s with the announcement of polyamide (PA), far better known by its trade name nylon. Nylon was the first purely synthetic fiber, introduced by DuPont Corporation at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City."

"It took DuPont twelve years and US$27 million to refine nylon, and to synthesize and develop the industrial processes for bulk manufacture. With such a major investment, it was no surprise that Du Pont spared little expense to promote nylon after its introduction, creating a public sensation, or "nylon mania"."

"Nylon still remains important in the world of plastics, and not just for use in fabrics. In its bulk form it is very wear resistant, particularly if oil-impregnated, and so is used to build gears, plain bearings, valve seats, seals and because of good heat-resistance, increasingly for under-the-hood applications in cars, and other mechanical parts."

J Miller

And don't forget the Remington Nylon 66 series of .22 Rim Fire Rifles. The stock which also held the metal parts of the action was made from Nylon. The rifle was virtually immune to wear, rust, corrosion and other ailments common to all steel rifles.

I suppose Nylon as used in gears and other sewing machine parts is far superior to regular plastic. ~~ BUT ~~ how to tell the difference in a used machine? That is still my quandary.

Joe

SteveH

I know this is next to useless for that purpose, but nylon has "fibers" and whereas regular plastic is cast and has a "grain" structure like clay or cast iron.