Making a Woodruff key

Making a Woodruff key

This topic has 5 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 8 November 2013 at 17:30 by jonathan heppel.

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

Author

Posts
8 November 2013 at 13:34 #134917
Danny M2Z
Participant
@dannym2z
G'day.

I have been asked to make a Woodruff key for an electric motor driving an aluminium gear (mates rates, payment in stubbies).

So what is the best way to approach such a simple job?

I thought of using plasticene to get the diameter, turning and parting off a disc and then milling it to fit. Might paint it dayglo to help find this one. Any pointers?

Regards from the land of the kangaroo

* Danny M *
Advert

8 November 2013 at 13:34 #22938
Danny M2Z
Participant
@dannym2z
8 November 2013 at 13:59 #134919
Tony Pratt 1
Participant
@tonypratt1
Turn to the reqd diameter, mill the flat & then part off to get the key, well that in theory should be the best way

Tony
8 November 2013 at 14:08 #134920
Gordon W
Participant
@gordonw
I've made a couple of keys in the past. Just saw of a slice from a high-tensile bolt of the right diameter ,file to thickness and cut of to correct hight. Keys are made to standards, see mHand book.
8 November 2013 at 15:52 #134925
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Plent on e-bay and they are not expemsive and likely to be a better fit and the correct hardness.

J
8 November 2013 at 17:30 #134938
jonathan heppel
Participant
@jonathanheppel43280
A woodruff in an aluminium pulley might as well be mild steel- no point in using anything fancier. They shouldn't really be used for transmitting much torque anyway. The keyways are usually cut quite closely to nominal size. so I've parted off a disc a thou or so over, fitted with a file etc, then milled or more often sawn and filed to fit the pulley,

If a close fit isn't necessary, eg if you're loctiting it, just aim for nominal size and it'll be fine,
Author

Posts

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

Please log in to reply to this topic. Registering is free and easy using the links on the menu at the top of this page.

Code of Conduct

Latest Replies

Viewing 25 topics - 1 through 25 (of 25 total)

- Topic
- Voices
- Posts
- Last Post
- Rotary table question.
  Started by: larry phelan 1 in: Beginners questions
- 7
- 13
- 18 June 2025 at 17:43
  larry phelan 1
- 2″ DNY Compensating Gears
  Started by: grahamp in: Traction engines
- 2
- 2
- 18 June 2025 at 17:40
  bernard towers
- Bench vice
  Started by: Chris12 in: Workshop Tools and Tooling
- 9
- 9
- 18 June 2025 at 17:33
  John Purdy
- A new benchmark for cheap tat ?
  Started by: Michael Gilligan in: The Tea Room
- 1
- 1
- 18 June 2025 at 17:24
  Michael Gilligan
- How many spokes do I really need?
  Started by: Fulmen in: Related Hobbies including Vehicle Restoration
- 4
- 7
- 18 June 2025 at 16:37
  Fulmen
- Number series drills – history and origins 1 2
  Started by: clivel in: General Questions
- 29
- 47
- 18 June 2025 at 15:45
  JasonB
- Setting the top slide to turn a Morse taper
  Started by: John Purdy in: Workshop Tools and Tooling
- 12
- 14
- 18 June 2025 at 14:28
  jamesp1
- Motorcycle starter motors – any general workshop uses?
  Started by: Robin Graham in: Beginners questions
- 10
- 13
- 18 June 2025 at 14:23
  jamesp1
- VERY SAD NEWS
  Started by: Howard Lewis in: The Tea Room
- 6
- 6
- 18 June 2025 at 14:15
  jamesp1
- First cuts with the lathe
  Started by: Chris12 in: Beginners questions
- 12
- 19
- 18 June 2025 at 14:09
  jamesp1
- How do they do that
  Started by: Speedy Builder5 in: The Tea Room
- 2
- 2
- 18 June 2025 at 14:06
  jamesp1
- Twin Engineering’s heavy mill/drill quill removal
  Started by: Martin of Wick in: Manual machine tools
- 4
- 5
- 18 June 2025 at 12:50
  Martin of Wick
- Rotary valve engine
  Started by: AStroud in: Work In Progress and completed items
- 2
- 2
- 18 June 2025 at 12:25
  John Haine
- Help Please: IT Not Engineering
  Started by: Nigel Graham 2 in: The Tea Room
- 5
- 8
- 18 June 2025 at 12:16
  Nigel Graham 2
- Small cutter feeds
  Started by: Dave S in: CNC machines, Home builds, Conversions, ELS, automation, software, etc tools
- 4
- 10
- 18 June 2025 at 10:20
  Dave S
- Milling in the lathe – Vertical slide
  Started by: Chris12 in: Beginners questions
- 10
- 24
- 18 June 2025 at 10:17
  JasonB
- Meddings MF4 Manual
  Started by: Richard Kirkman 1 in: Help and Assistance! (Offered or Wanted)
- 5
- 8
- 18 June 2025 at 09:17
  JohnF
- Forum search
  Started by: John Purdy in: Help and Assistance! (Offered or Wanted)
- 2
- 3
- 18 June 2025 at 03:21
  John Purdy
- Dead flies on the front of the car
  Started by: Plasma in: The Tea Room
- 19
- 20
- 17 June 2025 at 18:53
  Mike Poole
- Stuart? MTB 1M 1 2
  Started by: JasonB in: Stationary engines
- 9
- 28
- 17 June 2025 at 18:13
  JasonB
- Micrometer ratchet springs
  Started by: Grindstone Cowboy in: General Questions
- 9
- 15
- 17 June 2025 at 16:46
  jaCK Hobson
- Anybody with a Meddings Driltru bench drill or similar?
  Started by: Craig Brown in: Manual machine tools
- 4
- 4
- 17 June 2025 at 15:55
  John Hinkley
- How many rings per piston? 1 2
  Started by: Arthur Jones 2 in: Locomotives
- 14
- 38
- 17 June 2025 at 09:12
  bernard towers
- Steve 2250, new forum member
  Started by: steve2250 in: Introduce Yourself – New members start here!
- 3
- 3
- 17 June 2025 at 06:27
  Howard Lewis
- Farm Boy 1 2 3 4
  Started by: Dalboy in: I/C Engines
- 15
- 99
- 16 June 2025 at 17:09
  Dalboy

Viewing 25 topics - 1 through 25 (of 25 total)

View full reply list.

Latest Issue

June 2025

Buy Latest/Back Issues

Newsletter Sign-up

Latest Replies