Key-Way for Gates Sprockets

[arizonafoxx]

To the teams that have an arbor press what rating do you recommend. Can a 1/2 ton arbor press get you by or do you need a 1 ton or better? Is there certain brands to stay away from?

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by arizonafoxx

To the teams that have an arbor press what rating do you recommend. Can a 1/2 ton arbor press get you by or do you need a 1 ton or better? Is there certain brands to stay away from?

The first year we broached keyways, we tapped them through with a rubber mallet. It worked great as far as creating the keyway, though it's hard on the broach and is not something I would recommend. (We were both time-desperate and had no idea what we were doing.)

So that said, I think a small press would be fine. The 12-ton bottle jack press we now have is massive overkill.

[arizonafoxx]

It seems like most places have a 1/2 ton for around $50 and a 1 ton for around $100 I am wondering if the extra $50 in necessary when mostly we would want to make 1/8" keyways. Or am i not even in the ball park when it comes to the press? I figure maybe to extra $50 is better spent on a good quality broach.

[MrForbes]

Yesterday we took apart something on our 2009 robot, a steel sprocket that sat on a keyed shaft. The keyway in the sprocket looked funny...and slowly I remembered why...we made it using the saber saw! Just clamp the pulley in a vise, and saw the slot in it.

Scary, but it worked well enough on that one to win the AZ regional and it survived Championships.

[sanddrag]

I would recommend a 2-ton press, or if you wish to do hex somewhere down the line, a 3-ton press.

[ToddF]

Saber saw keyways are scary, but not as scary as relying on setscrews for power transmission. I'm a firm believer that setscrews are evil for anything other than potentiometer knobs, sensor couplings, and holding keys firmly in their slots. You may think using a setscrew for power transmission will be quick and easy, but I guarantee you will pay the price down the line.