Chuck Key

Actually turns out this piece of steel is pretty hard. A file on its edge bites a bit but flat it skates over. No idea what this steel is...
Ehh, ikl grind it, heat treat it like described here. If it works, great.
 
I made one using a piece of O-1 drill rod, didn't harden it, no need in my opinion.
Here is a couple of photos:

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I subsequently added ball ends to the handle, no pics though...
 
Don't wast your time trying to heat treat the material. Especially if you don't know what you have. Get a piece of 4130-4142 steel that is already Q & T to 28 36 HRC. That's a common grade and hardness for heat treated steel out that you can buy. OR use a piece of drill rod that is not rock hard. Like a piece of W1 or O1, in the soft condition it is in the 25-36 HRC range. It has enough toughness to last a long time. Ken
 
No idea what this steel is... it was some kind if a shaft. Had threads on one end, and this on the other... it ground like tool steel. But was soft enough to smooth over with the wire wheel.
Pretty happy with this... I think I may leave it and see how long it lasts. There's enough left on the cut off to make another if this one breaks. And, I don't have to unnecessary run the oven for an hour.

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I made one using a piece of O-1 drill rod, didn't harden it, no need in my opinion.
Here is a couple of photos:

View attachment 143057View attachment 143058
I subsequently added ball ends to the handle, no pics though...
How do you like that little dividing head? There's one at a local machining store for not a huge amount of money. How versatile do you find them? I ask cause they seem small and limited... doesn't really look like you could do a whole range of gears or something like that.
 
How do you like that little dividing head? There's one at a local machining store for not a huge amount of money. How versatile do you find them? I ask cause they seem small and limited... doesn't really look like you could do a whole range of gears or something like that.
It's called a spindexer, yeah, not the best for gears but great for basic dividing in 1 degree increments, so 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 24, 30, 36, 40, 45, 60, 72, 90, 120, 180 & 360 divisions. I like it especially since I only paid $40 for it.
 
yes sorry I saw the size after I posted a reply my bad you can take a 3/8" extension and grind or mill it to 5/16 grind down the ball if required then use a sliding t handle type breaker bar quick to get you running again bill
 
http://www.sears.com/grey-pneumatic...=JB Tool Sales&prdNo=4&blockNo=4&blockType=G4

I have two spark plug T handle wrenches I use for electrical services. this wrench is for my 4 jaw. I had just used the 3 jaw till I made this up. And, there was just enough meat on the old one to turn the jaws still. But still, broken won't do.

And I'm looking for all the little lathe projects i can do to hone my skill. I still have ideas for an er32 collect chuck and making a milling attachment for my cross slide.
 
I bought my lathe at an auction & the chuck key was missing. I had an "old" T handled wrench laying around that I cut the socket off the end & forged the end into the square.......2 day later I was visiting the model T ford club website & found out that I had just destroyed a lug wrench for the '26 / '27 cars that had wire wheels.....it was worth more as an antique wrench than what a new chuck key would have cost......what a dope.....
 
On closer inspection, it's cast...
That's not cast, it's hardenable steel from China, where they seldom bother to draw the temper after hardening a tool. You'll find that the broken end is not fileable and is too hard to machine. You could grind a new square lug onto the end of it, if that doesn't result in it being too short. Once ground to size, it will be bare metal bright. Draw the temper yourself by heating about halfway up the shank and watching the color change at the square lug as the heat soaks down to it. It will start straw colored, then brownish and then blue. Don't let the blue reach the lug, quench the key in water the moment the brownish color reaches the lug. Try the file test again. It should be fileable now, but if not, apply more hear the same way 'til the lug is just a bit darker and quench again. When it just becomes fileable you've reached the ideal compromise between hard and strong. Many Chinese junk tools are as brittle as glass, but they don't care because they're being sold in the US.
 
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