2 mm key stock
 

For those of you who are worried about losing those tiny little 2mm keys at competition, McMaster Carr (www.mcmaster.com) sells 2 mm key stock.

Neither SPI or MSC carry it.

Andrew, Team 356

Thank you
 

Andrew,

Thanks for posting this time saving info.

Andy B.

what package did the 2mm come in, and what did it look like?
No one on my team can remember seeing it.

It came it a late shipment from FIRST with the green pneumatic tubing and stuff. They were in a clear sandwich bag with a blue and yellow zip-lok zipper.

Green Tubing?! green tubing?!!?? - we got red tubing - I guess we're in big trouble now!!

We got white tubing... Seems like we're having some colored bots this year! :D

2 mm keystock
 

Don't sem to recall if we got any, but if I needed it, I think I'd pound down a piece of annealed spring wire into a square shape and file it to fit. The work-hardening would be just about right. I had to file/stone every other piece of keystock I've used from the kit, so what else is new? Don't discount the value of a blacksmith, despite the high-tech.

Re: 2 mm keystock
 

If you chuck it in a mill, taking off about 2-3 thousandths in each horizontal dimension will do the trick. If your good on the grinder that's a lot quicker than filing but it's not as flat.

Does anyone know how strong that 2mm keystock is? Seemed pretty soft when I cut it with a pair of bolt cutters.

Shear strength
 

Depends on the shear strength and the bearing area, I'd expect.