A standard woodruff key is made out of plan 1035 carbon steel and not hardened. Standard straight keys or Keystock are 1018 plan carbon steel and not hardened either. There is high carbon keystock which is tougher and you should be able to get it from someplace like Grangers or MSC.
What are woodruff keys made of?
Woodruff keys are crafted in carbon, alloy, and stainless steel. Carbon and alloy steel are both durable, however they must be plated or coated to prevent corrosion. Stainless steel surpasses carbon and alloy steel in corrosion resistance, but it is not as strong.
Can you reuse a Woodruff key?
I’ve been reusing them forever on engines i assemble as long as there is no damage. Never once had a problem. There shouldn’t be any pressure on the key at any time, the taper should hold the flywheel if it’s torqued correctly and seated correctly.
Is Keystock hardened?
The tolerance on keystock gradually opened up to +/-.The hardness (through multi-pass cold drawing/strain hardening), tolerance, and cross-sectional accuracy are all doable.
How do you remove a tight Woodruff key?
You can try tapping a nail on one end of the key, drilling into the center of the key and removing it with a nail, or even heating the key up with a blowtorch and letting it cool repeatedly to loosen it. Remember that damaging the key is a far better alternative than damaging the shaft or other part around the key.
How tight should a Woodruff key be?
It is important for key to be somewhat snug and stable in the key seat. If key is not snug/stable then key can easily slide out of key seat due to the curved profile on the bottom. This is very inconvenient in cases where it is difficult to see as the pulley is installed.
What is the main use of Woodruff key?
Woodruff keys are semicircular shaped, such that, when installed, leave a protruding tab. The keyway in the shaft is a semi-circular pocket, the mating part, a longitudinal slot. They are used to improve the concentricity of the shaft and the mating part, which is critical for high speed operation.
Is key steel hardened?
The high carbon content of the key steel means that it can be hardened. As supplied however, the steel is machinable. On hardening and tempering a hardness of up to Rockwell C55 can be obtained.
What grade of steel is key stock?
Key stock (and machine keys) can be made from many types of materials. Typically, key stock is made from carbon steel or stainless steel, but can also be made from aluminum, brass, copper, monel, and even nylon, all with varying material grades. AISI 316 stainless is also available for marine applications.
What material is key made of?
Keys are typically made of brass or a nickel-brass mixture, and the pins in a lock are also made of brass. Over years of use, keys and pins do wear down.
What is feather key?
Definition of feather key
in machinery. : a sunk key without taper that is permanently fixed in one of the connected pieces and that is a sliding fit in a keyway in the other so as to permit relative longitudinal motion. called also spline.
How do I get rid of the feather key?
The normal way to remove the key is to use a small cold chisel to impact the edge of the key in order to force it from its slot in the shaft. The exposed end of the key can be ground with a die grinder so that a “v” grove is formed in the end of the key.
What size is my Woodruff key?
How are woodruff keys measured? Woodruff keys, identifiable by their half-moon shape, are measured two ways depending on if it is an imperial or metric key. Imperial woodruff keys are measured by their width and diameter, whereas metric woodruff keys are measured by their width and height.
What is the difference between keys and splines?
The main difference between splines and keys is that splines are integral with the shaft but keys are inserted between shaft and hub. As compared with one or two keys used for load transmission, there are usually four or more splines on a shaft.
What are Half Moon keys?
Woodruff keys work well near shaft shoulders, where a standard open keyway would create too much stress. They are also often used on tapered shafts.Use them to connect gears and other components to shafts. Also known as half moon keys.
What is Kennedy key?
The Kennedy key consists of two square keys. The hub is bored off the centre and the two keys force the hub and the shaft to a concentric position. Kennedy key is used for heavy duty applications.
Why is it called a woodruff key?
ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD WOODRUFF KEY
Named after the Woodruff Manufacturing Co, in Hartford, Connecticut, who first manufactured it in 1892.
What is saddle key?
Definition of saddle key
: a key for securing a member to a machine shaft that fits into a keyway in the secured member and is concave to grip the shaft by friction compare flat key, sunk key.
Is key steel magnetic?
Only car keys with nickel, steel, or iron in them will be magnetic.
Is key steel mild steel?
A bright drawn steel in square and rectangular bar, key steel is an unalloyed medium carbon steel with reasonable tensile strength.Imperial sizes of key steel bar are bright drawn to plus tolerances conforming to BS46 keys and keyways.
What grade of steel is Keysteel?
Key steels are available in Zinc plated steel or in 303/304 grade stainless steel.
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