Help with a gear rack

[Sliverfoot]

I was wondering if someone could give me some advise on how to make a gear rack like this. I've been away from designing anything from scratch for quite a while and I've forgotten quite bit.
I'm trying to make a geared rack like this and I'm sure that there has to be a better way than what I've been trying to do. What I did was to make first couple of teeth and then do a copy and paste, but when I brought the copied section into what was already there I didn't get the "starred?" red dot telling me that I've connected. Hence I guess I don't have a closed region that I can work with.
I'd like to get it so that I can add texture and then cut it out.
I'd appreciate it if someone could give me some incite as to a better way to do this.