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How would you cut these keyways?

David Carlisi

Stainless
Joined
Nov 12, 2007
Location
Alpharetta, Ga USA
I recently had to cut 12 keyways, 1" wide with a keyway broach and a hydraulic press, there were six of these;

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg109/dcarlisi/IB13to48inchGateValve-1.jpg


It worked, but there are surely far better ways to do this. In fact, the same customer will require even larger sizes in the future, and a 1" keyway broach is the largest available (that I have found) without special ordering one from Dumont.
Recently, I found out that more floor space is going to be available to me, (By Feb.2012) and it will soon be time to add more machines. I know that a shaper will cut these, and it would probably be the least expensive way to do this, but other ideas have crossed my mind such as wire EDM, or possibly a large CNC machining center. The CNC would probably open other doors but would be the most costly of the three options. Also, wouldn't broaching keyways shaper style be hard on the ways?

Is there anyone else out there that cuts a lot of large keyways? How do you cut them?
 
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I recently had to cut 12 keyways, 1" wide with a keyway broach and a hydraulic press, there were six of these;


Is there anyone else out there that cuts a lot of large keyways? How do you cut them?

The area my shop was in had a lot of gear makers.... and they all have broaches...
Every one of them would gladly do the job in about 15 seconds per part... and for the 25 or so parts I needed broached would charge me ONE Ben Franklin... $100...

There is NO machine I could buy, and ther's NO machine you could GIVE ME that would intice me to do that job myself...
 
Is there anyone else out there that cuts a lot of large keyways? How do you cut them?

Enpro Systems Channelview, TX, prior to being bought out by Curtiss Wright, had keyseaters to 4" capacity. This is basically a machine with a table. You clamp the part on the table, install the correct tooling and the machine works the tool up and down and cuts the key way. The 4" job was in a pit foundation at least 9 feet deep.

J.O.
 
You could probably find an old Mitts & Merrill keyseater that would do the job, according to my book, a #30 will do up to 1" keyways, a #38 can handle 1 1/4". It would probably be about the least expensive option, next to farming it out to someone who already has the equipment.
 
Those parts would also work well on a slotter or vertical shaper. A keyseater will be faster but will require more expensive tooling if there are multiple bores or keyway widths.
 
For only a quantity of 12, I'd still be broaching, but I don't have room for more machines. With wider keyways, start out with the 1", then shim as necessary.

With that said, 1 job should pay off a shaper.

If you want to do wide ones really cheap, look back through my recent for sale posts, I've got some wide broaches that you could cut down with a surface grinder and a cutoff wheel...make your own custom width broaches cheap.
 
If it's a production item - a keyseater as described.

If you're a job shop - a vertical slotter due to its versatility and much lower tooling costs.
 
oops. it was already said.
But yeah, if $ allows and part length fits, seems a Wire EDM would be the most versatile tool, surely there's other work you could use it for.
 
I would have to suggest either a keyseater, or vertical slotting machine. I would think that a job like your describing would be easily done with a slotter and the part clamped to a rotary table.
 
Vertical Slotter.

You can do so much with it. Splines and keys are no problem.

Ratchets, Square Keyways and all sorts of weird stuff as well.

All you need is a few homemade arbors and high speed steel.

I work at a gear shop and when I was first apprenticing I did a lot of that stuff.
 
I recently had to cut 12 keyways, 1" wide with a keyway broach and a hydraulic press, there were six of these;

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg109/dcarlisi/IB13to48inchGateValve.jpg


It worked, but there are surely far better ways to do this. In fact, the same customer will require even larger sizes in the future, and a 1" keyway broach is the largest available (that I have found) without special ordering one from Dumont.
Recently, I found out that more floor space is going to be available to me, (By Feb.2012) and it will soon be time to add more machines. I know that a shaper will cut these, and it would probably be the least expensive way to do this, but other ideas have crossed my mind such as wire EDM, or possibly a large CNC machining center. The CNC would probably open other doors but would be the most costly of the three options. Also, wouldn't broaching keyways shaper style be hard on the ways?

Is there anyone else out there that cuts a lot of large keyways? How do you cut them?
PM member is offering this: PRATT & WHITNEY USA 6" VERTICAL METAL SHAPER or SLOTTER keyway & gear cutter | eBay

Bob
 
The area my shop was in had a lot of gear makers.... and they all have broaches...
Every one of them would gladly do the job in about 15 seconds per part... and for the 25 or so parts I needed broached would charge me ONE Ben Franklin... $100...

There is NO machine I could buy, and ther's NO machine you could GIVE ME that would intice me to do that job myself...

The problem this time is that we only had a couple of days or the sister company was going to be fined due to a contract that they signed.

When I lived in Houston, (1988-1996), we used Kreiter Gear Tech for this type of keyway. We also did some work for them, machining gear blanks. They were good guys. It seems that the gear shops here in the Atlanta area have this attitude that I don't understand, as if they are doing me a favor by merely existing, even though I am a potential customer.

I do sub these out occasionally to a friend of mine up the road who has a big shaper. He is usually very busy, and I have to wait several days. He's not cheap either.
 
The problem this time is that we only had a couple of days or the sister company was going to be fined due to a contract that they signed.

When I lived in Houston, (1988-1996), we used.....................

Spose I should remove that ref to Houston...I only live here, never worked here....
My shop was in the Philly area... City of brotherly love :)
 
I do sub these out occasionally to a friend of mine up the road who has a big shaper. He is usually very busy, and I have to wait several days. He's not cheap either.

This is intriguing.

Friend- makes wait several days
Friend- not cheap


all of my 'friends' like this are no longer (friend) ;)
 
Our Broaching machine we use is shop made. A hydraulic pump with motor, valve,2 cylinders. Made a stand and hooked it all up and we broach, keyways,splines,square. The broaches yes can be exspensive. Broach Master is also who we use besides Dumont
 








 
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