Method for replacing at least one tooth of a gear

A method of replacing at least one tooth of a gear, the gear including a plurality of fastening apertures extending longitudinally thereinto from a top gear surface, the top gear surface being perpendicular to an extension direction of the gear teeth, the method comprising:

• providing a tool jig including a mounting block with a plurality of laterally spaced indexing jig features, the tool jig also including a tool-supporting feature in laterally movable contact with a jig rail feature;
• placing the tool jig into a predetermined relationship with the top gear surface, guided by at least a selected indexing jig feature of the plurality of indexing jig features;
• with the selected at least one indexing jig feature, resisting relative motion of the tool jig relative to the gear;
• removably attaching a material-removal tool to the tool-supporting feature with the tool-supporting feature in a tooth-removal position;
• operating the material-removal tool, while attached to the tool-supporting feature in the tooth-removal position, to remove at least a portion of a working circumference of the gear including a native gear tooth to be replaced;
• guiding motion of the material-removal tool, while removing at least the portion of the working circumference of the gear, via interaction of the tool-supporting feature with the jig rail feature in the tooth-removal position, to generate a circumferential gear cut including a smooth first cut surface formed by removal of at least the native gear tooth to be replaced;
• removing the material-removal tool from the tool-supporting feature;
• manipulating the selected at least one indexing jig feature to release the tool jig from the gear;
• and
• removing the tool jig from the gear.