Prop Shaft Material Source

[Ken Webb]

Anyone know of a source for .187 hardened steel shaft material?

 

[lohring]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#steel-drill-rods/=rv26bt

Lohring Miller

 

[John Beardslee]

Hi Ken,

What length do you need?

John

 

[Ken Webb]

Thanks guys. I need about 4 1/2 ". I found on Mcmaster carr a miniature shaft .1875 dia x 5" with a brinnell hardness of 167. I might give that a try.

 

[Ken Webb]

What about using 3/16 spring steel music wire. ASTM A228 hardness Rockwell C41-60.

 

[Rudy Formanek]

http://www.wthutch.com/catalog/

 

[John Beardslee]

Hi Ken,

I have 440C stainless steel that is .187 dia. and is Rockwell C 60-65 but it is only 18 inches long. It is Boston Shafting and was ground after heat treating. It has no threads.

Thanks, John

 

[Patrick M]

Found this supplier a few weeks ago....

www.alexandriaprecision.com

 

[Kez]

The very old 5 1/4" floppy drive had two 0.187" ground and polished shafts that were very hard. The head rides on the shafts with two linear bearings. I do not know the hardness of the shafts but they are hard enough for the linear bearing to ride on. The length is over 4". When I threw out the old computers years ago, I discovered the shafts and have used them in my boats. Those are the best stub shafts I have ever used.

 

[glenng]

Ken, The stuff with the Brinell hardness of 167 is not very hard- it only amounts to about 10 on the Rockwell C scale. Some of the materials folks have mentioned in the Rockwell 60 neighborhood are too ignorant (hard) to thread with a high speed die. You would have to single point the threads with a carbide threading tool in a lathe. Why not make it easy on yourself and BUY a flex shaft with a hard stub?

 

[Tom Foley]

Many years ago I used oil hardening drill rod (1980 ) and followed the hardening instructions , used Octura needle bearing parts and had great results . Very cheap to do . Heat cherry red while spinning in a drill pres slow , then dip into oil , I used reg motor oil , then let air cool after it has quenched in the oil for a while .

 

[Lennard Cuenco]

whopping $3.79 ace hardware 12" 3/16 stainless rod

cut it to length, add threads, flat spots for setscrews

thx for teachin me that Roy

 

[glenng]

Len, I'll guarantee that SS shaft from Ace is not heat treated- probably soft 303SS And yours do not run inside needle bearings.

Tom, I'll agree to a point on the O-1 oil hardening drill rod. thread it before heat treating and remember- the oil can and will catch on fire sometimes. I dodged a bullet once after dropping some red hot O-1 parts in oil and had it flare up- The shop helper thought he would do me a favor and turned on a hose and started coming my way.

I screamed at him to stop and covered the can and fire went out. I never assume everyone has common sense or the skill for heat treating.

 

[Lennard Cuenco]

not sure Glenn...

its 6" stubshaft running inside brass tube bushings, lasted all preseason testing and race season...

spins super free, just keep it lubed up all day...works great

 

[Hydro Junkie]

But it's not running on bearings, that's a whole different animal. Bushings don't fit as tightly around the shaft as needle bearings normally do. Needle bearings also generate heat due to constant contact with the shaft, bushings wear away instead. If you look at a shaft that was run inside bearings, you can normally see where the bearings have been, the shaft can actually show heating. You won't find that on a shaft that was run inside bushings

 

[Ken Webb]

Thanks everyone. I've decided to go old school and use K&S 3/16 music wire with a C41-60 Rockwell hardness. I used this back in the late 70's with good results. Per K&S this is spring tempered phosphate coated carbon steel wire, ASTM A228 which is listed as C41-60 hardness. I polished it with 800grit wet dry sandpaper and it fits the bearings (needle) perfectly. I'll see how it holds up.