More questions about gear lightening

[Antti Sukuvaara <antti.sukuvaara@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Alfisti,

Henrik Johansen and Biba informed us about the Larry Dickman Jr's fine
article about gear lightening. Couple very important questions are still
without answer though. Those are:

1. How much gears can be cut and drilled? Has anyone drawings or
measurements that he would like to share with us? 

2. I wonder also, is there any need to heat treatment after machining? That
thought came into my mind by the fact, that the material of those gears are
hardest at their surface after original hardening process. Also after
hardening, micro structure of the surface has slightly larger crystals as
material inside of the part. It means that the surface is actually under
compression and it helps a against part cracking in many critical cases.
Especially if the part is under vibrating stress as in case in every gear.

I have now fine working gearbox in my 1750, but when time comes, I am
probably going to do this lightening work.