"whit3rd" wrote in message
...

On Oct 25, 11:09 am, Alex Fine wrote:

I want to make some door spindles for some old fashioned door knobs.

That's it,I just ordered 6 pieces,I didn't know it is called "key
stock".What does
key stock mean? Again thank you very much.

A gear or wheel can be fitted to a round shaft by cutting a slot
(keyway)
in the shaft and fitting a strip of mild steel, usually square. The
wheel axial hole gets a matching slot, and the key transmits the
torque.
The square-section strips are a standard hardware item, 'key stock'.
The logic, presumably, is that removing the key would unlock the
wheel from the shaft. It's not a door-hardware reference.

Modern designs usually use Woodruff "D" keys (semicircular cut into
the shaft, slot in wheel), though.


Modern designs also use straight keys. Depends on how much power needs to
be transferred. My Jet pump in the riverboat has 4" long keys. But those 3
impellers will absorb more than the 330 hp I can provide.