gbw,
While in general, dfariswheel is right on the money, there are a select few who can do an excellent job with simple hand tools - you seem to be one of them.
I am a collector of vintage electric fans (mostly GE) from the early teens up to the 1940's and for the most part there are parts still available if you look very very hard. When my parents died, I inherited a Manning Bowman 10" fan that back in the day was a less expensive brand than GE and parts for them are very difficult (or impossible) to find. There is one Nylon drive gear that has a helical cut to it and deep pitch that broke and after looking all over for a year or so I decided to MAKE one by hand! I do not have a lathe or milling machine so the part was made 100% by hand using a Dremel, hand saws, a drill press, files, and sandpaper. I was amazed that when I finished and installed it, it actually works pretty well. The fan now oscillates (not quite as smoothly as when new) but it does work. All my friends told me I was nuts and I should just leave it as a "non-oscillating" fan - but not me! I suppose I did it as a "dare" as well, but I am glad I tried and was successful.
For one that is determined, has adequate skills, proper tools and most importantly UNDERSTANDS how it has to be, then nothing is impossible - even if it is sort of a crude method as compared to a Professional Gunsmith.
Good for you gbw!