Keyway steel

[Garry ColesParticipant @garrycoles69390]

Hi, I'm trying find a supplier of key steel 3/16 rectangular and 5/32 square. Can anyone help please.

Thanks

Garry

[Garry ColesParticipant @garrycoles69390]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

What is the other rectangular dimension? I get 1/4 x 3/16 from MSC Direct

You will probably have to skim down 4mm square for the 5/32"

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

If you're going to skim it down anyway, just start with ordinary steel bar? Apart from the dimension I don't thing there's anything special about the steel.

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

I get mine from my local bearing supplier .

Edited By XD 351 on 18/04/2019 09:44:19

[Garry ColesParticipant @garrycoles69390]

I thought key steel was harder than ordinary steel. Otherwise I can make all my keys from my own stock.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

It's about the same as EN3 so nothing special.

I quite often use gauge plate as the width is always a good fit and as most of my keys are Gib Head anyway I need more in the other direction.

[Anonymous]

Posted by JasonB on 18/04/2019 09:49:12:

It's about the same as EN3 so nothing special.

Depends where you get it from. Keysteel from industrial suppliers is normally EN8, an unalloyed medium (~0.4%) carbon steel.

**LINK**

Keysteel is also supplied slightly over nominal size so it can be filed to be a snug fit in the keyway. I use keysteel on my machine tools and traction engines for simple keys. For gib head keys I use gauge plate, like Jason.

Andrew

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Posted by Andrew Johnston on 18/04/2019 10:08:48:

Posted by JasonB on 18/04/2019 09:49:12:

It's about the same as EN3 so nothing special.

Depends where you get it from. Keysteel from industrial suppliers is normally EN8, an unalloyed medium (~0.4%) carbon steel.

**LINK**

Keysteel is also supplied slightly over nominal size so it can be filed to be a snug fit in the keyway. I use keysteel on my machine tools and traction engines for simple keys. For gib head keys I use gauge plate, like Jason.

Andrew

And here i was thinking there was something wrong with my keyway broaches 😁

[Garry ColesParticipant @garrycoles69390]

Thanks all, I think I will use ordinary steel.

[HOWARDTParticipant @howardt]

According to Macreadys orange book, EN6A – 080M30, is key steel. It is as supplied finished to British Standard, both imperial and metric key tolerances. Key steel can be bought in 12 inch lengths as a minimum, I think we always bought 36 inch, from most bearing suppliers. But do as most people do and use what is to hand.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, commercial key steel comes in various grades of steel, but as Andrew says, commonly it is EN8 but you can get alloyed steel as well. It depends on the usage and the loads that are going to be applied to it, as to the choice of the material because keys can also be made from S/S, Brass, Aluminium, plastic or anything else that may be relevant.

A lot of people regard keys to be a passive component, but they do transmit quit heavy loads, so the material used should suite what is being applied to it. In most cases EN8 should be about the toughest Model Engineers would need. Toughness is more important than hardness as that will resist deformation better. In industry I've seen keys that have been sheared in half and even the top half deformed over the bottom half making it look like a stepped key.

Regards Nick.

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