Best metal for a chuck wrench?

NortonDommi said:
How hard are you wrenching on a key to twist it?
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Good question, right? I never saw mine twist. It came with twist and I thought the same. For sure it has gotten more sloppy fitting in the years of my ownership. Did someone crank it that hard or is it a process of time? Not only did I find the old (existing one since I have made no further progress) but I wanted a longer shaft to clear the headstock when changing chucks. With the trolly hook I'm often using it on a 45 degree angle loosening and tightening the 6 cam bolts. I can say that I have twisted pretty hard. I wish I was so strong as to be able to twist the square off my chuck handle.
anyhow, the O.P. asked what the "best materials" were for making a chuck key. I suppose a valid answer would be: "what ever is the right size in the scrap bin". That's not the way my brain works. I can over think stuff with the best of them. I like the concept of best, even if it's not actually achieved.
 
Played in the shop tonight, caught myself bedazzeling my chuck key. Before it got too crazy, I slapped myself and quit while I was ahead. No inlays, no knurl , not titanium :) Handle ends to prevent the annoying falling on the ground the original does and a ball-detent is a feature I originally planned and seems really super nice. I did the taper and radius because of you guys! I was thinking of this thread as I worked on it, laughing a bit. Oh well, it's a tool that gets used every day.
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very nice, though that's a lot of leverage for a small cross section like that. To be honest I'd rather have the chuck key twist than spring the jaws or crack a pinion in an expensive chuck. Buy and large from what I've seen chuck keys are about the same width or a bit less than chuck diameter.
 
mattthemuppet2 said:
very nice, though that's a lot of leverage for a small cross section like that. To be honest I'd rather have the chuck key twist than spring the jaws or crack a pinion in an expensive chuck. Buy and large from what I've seen chuck keys are about the same width or a bit less than chuck diameter.
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I copied the length of the old one but cut it a little generously and then added the balls on the end. I'm using it, not others so I'm not going to over crank it. Actually, it's going to just be used for the cam locks. After using it a bit, I may cut the handle a little shorter. thats less trouble than stretching it, right?
I didn't know the proportion guidance. As is, this handle it 12" which is the same as my 4 jaw chuck. 10" or just less would be about right. The cam locks take a little to pull the chuck up, particularly when it's coming of the trolly. The long handle are more likely to get in the way but will make me not have to work as hard :)
 
Winegrower said:
At some point, it may be better for your chuck key to fail than your chuck.
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That principle would guide my choice of steels. The tip could be long enough to cut back a few times if it twists from over torquing. Also, the closest fit in the socket would be the most durable. Only round the edges of the wrench enough to fit in the socket. OEM wrenches can have excessively rounded corners which puts a lot of stress on the socket.
 
main_cogg said:
Here's the one I just finished along with a piece of stock for another on.View attachment 342228
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Here's an update. I thought that I'd get years of service out of my Grade 8 chuck key, twisted it off a few days ago. No cheater bar or pipes were involved, just don't know my own strength sometimes.

16262051906543781474510533737915.jpg
 
All these twisted nubs on the ends of chuck keys would make me think that they might need to be hardened? No?

Not too hard, but hardened then tempered? With the nubs twisting off they look like they are just too soft???

Aren't Grade 8 bolts surface hardened?
 
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