I have a 1 Tonne arbor press and have no problems broaching metal of any size, You just need to remember to graduate the cut with bigger sizes, the same way a gun barrel was traditionally rifled by shimming the height of the cutter (albeit in a more complex mechanism).

Often times i use the arbor press to get it started square to the barrel with the appropriate collar, and if i run out of room i place the workpiece in a vice and finish the cut with a hammer, its pretty safe and it works so long as you don't hit like a madman but please dont take that as the gospel.

Ps. I see the image of the work piece you have kindly loaded, I can see why you would want to keyway that, may i recommend that you actually make that whole shaft square? You either file or broach the female part square and it would absolutely hold fast, it's a bit more difficult but the choice you go with will probably be the most sensible one and easier route of broaching a round shaft.

Michael W

Edited By Michael Walters on 27/03/2016 17:42:47

The problem with Michaels Option 2 is that I don’t have a way of drilling longitudinally down the shaft – other than with a hand drill, but I don’t think that would go well.

I still like pgk pgk’s idea ‘Could you get away with a semicircular top on your key and just mill down the handle?’. The only thing that’s putting me off is that it doesn’t seem to be gaining any momentum on this thread!

David

"How can you get started with a 300mm long broach on a press that only has half of that in workable hight. ?

Also broaches are precision ground HSS and by virtue of the way they are made with very deep open teeth on the front and two sides the last thing you want to be doing it hitting one with a hammer.

Rest assured these will not bend but shatter."

Oh well, it works for me.