How to Cut Internal Keyways: Precision Manual Machining on a Vertical Slotter

[@TopperMachineLLC]

What’s your preferred machine for tight tolerance keyway cutting? Share your experiences and favorite setups in the comments below!

[@rexmyers991]

I hired a young kid out of HighSchool (in my shop) he told me it wasn’t a Crescent wrench it was an”All steenths” wrench. He explained,t,was a four steenths a five steenths a six steen…..Oh, boy. He became one of my best friends. I loved his warped sense of humor. He died of a brain aneurysm at age 60. I still miss him. Keep on using a Crescent wrench, Sir!

[@roliver64111]

well i have to say every machine in my shop has an adjustable 12" wrench on it right now i use them all the time!!!! really like your videos so keep them coming.

[@bcbloc02]

Good to see you finding lots of jobs for that slotter. 😊

[@user-oi8tg3dq7t]

Good morning from Nacogdoches. Adjustable wrenches make the world go round!! Keep it up!!

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Yes they do

[@cybermiester]

the world, and nuts, and bolt heads, machine screws, hehe!

[@jackgreen412]

Metric or SAE adjustable wrench?

[@cybermiester]

@@jackgreen412 ask an apprentice!

[@The_DuMont_Network]

@@jackgreen412 Depends upon which side is up.

[@bobhudson6659]

In Australia we call adjustable wrenches shifting spanners - or shifters for short. We also have left hand metric shifters here that only work if you screw your face up to the left, poke your tongue out and squint your eyes. A bit of butt clenching also helps mm accuracy in difficult situations. There are generally some indentations where the shifter has been used to "massage" a part into place.

[@mfc4591]

Adjustable wrenches are fantastic for brass fittings, pipe fittings and couplings with large surface areas as well as for taps, square headed bolts , well that's almost everything !

[@strokermaverick]

I, am a mechanic. I, build engines from time to time, also. Not, a machinist, by any stretch of the imagination. Love, watching machinists work! You, guys are such critical thinkers! Watching, just reinforces my thoughts, that everything needs to be as close to perfect, as humanly possible, to work correctly and last.

[@MatthewTinker-au-pont-blanc]

Adjustable wrenches were a real nineteenth century thing when bolt heads and nuts were square, they are also good for rounding of hex heads!

[@GaryBruner]

Some people are always trying to find something so they can criticize. They are perfect people. Keep up the great work.

[@kylefafnis]

That was excellent to see. I never knew how internal keyways were cut. I like adjustable wrenches in certain situations. You can keep tightening the jaws and rock it a bit until the jaws are perfectly laying on the flat. I find that you can then apply more torque than with a traditional wrench. Excellent for certain situations.

[@richardhester6877]

I worked in my grandfather's machine shop in the 50s and 60s. Almost all of our pants had holes in the back pockets from carrying adjustable wrenches.

[@mortenfyhnpetersen6130]

Hello Topper i couldent stop laughing when you said, now im ONLY yousing adjusteble spanner 👍🤣 Big thanks for all your amazing videos. Thanks from Denmark

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@thomasbonse]

​@@TopperMachineLLCYou could've gone all out with an even bigger adjustable crescent wrench to use with that 1/4 inch driver bit. Maybe a 16 or 24-inch? 😁 Or even use it with a nice big torque wrench, with a 1/2 inch drive and multiple adapters. That'd be hilarious for all the h8rs.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@thomasbonse I actually have a 30" crescent wrench. That would have been epic

[@chrissmith513]

I like the sound that makes as it goes up.and down 😊😊😊

[@mikeking7470]

Especially on that first pass, almost like a penny slide whistle. Great sound effects in this video.

[@peteengard9966]

That machine is awesome. It didn't even sound like it was struggling to make the cuts. Good job on the naysayers.

[@kehenabeach4418]

I love your take on ADJUSTABLE wrenches! You da’man!

[@nigelroberson8911]

Love your shop and the work you do. I have a 10” shaper, its old but it works. Shapers are underrated and that vertical one is awesome.

[@Rustinox]

I can totally understand you like that machine so much. It's a gem.

[@rodjava]

Great vid. My first time to see anybody use that slotter!

[@tomessary4099]

Great video. I love your love for the old machinery and you work them well. Marvelous shop made tools!!!!!!!

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Thanks 👍

[@anthonyrivers8395]

❤ definitely work them well.

[@transmitterguy478]

I keep my Metric and SAE adjustable wrenches in the same drawer! Sacrilege! Cool video Josh!😎

[@ellieprice363]

Watch out. They might get together and produce a crossbreed.

[@jangoofy]

10:25 - "lets go ahead and take that last 30" - I had completely forgotten about the DRO and thought "This guy know the movement of his machine without even looking at the wheel!"

[@TopperMachineLLC]

DRO was a great recent addition

[@donteeple6124]

Morning Josh, All week was hott n humid, now is cool and rainy. Can literally watch the grass growing...LOL One of the local loggers asked if I could look at a spicer joint on the driveshaft for his skidder and maybe fix or repair it.....or make a new one.....almost sounds like a job for ur slotter....Loved watching this last vid, slotters like that are as rare as hens teeth now a days...those chips looked absolutely perfect, that Anchor lube in the mister seems to help alot. Don

[@tomscorner3656]

What's nice about adjustable wrenches is that you only need one for both standard and metric.

[@Ar.maverick]

That's a very cool view from the top watching the the cutter go up & down with the Camera attached, Watch it too long you get dizzy.

[@ypaulbrown]

Josh, I love your Bi-Directional, Imperial, Metric, Right and Left Hand , Spanner/Adjustable Wrench.....

[@edsmachine93]

Nice work Josh. That Vertical Slotter is quite a machine indeed. Best machine for this type of job.👍 Thanks for sharing. Have a weekend.

[@TheJohndeere466]

I cut some large internal keys at work. Some we cut on a planer and if the bore is atleast 8" I use a right angle head on a boring mill. I cut one that was 6" wide

[@jackgreen412]

Excellent camera angles!

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Thank you very much!

[@stephenmeeks684]

Great camera work, and the video was very interesting to me. I am looking forward to the feed repair.

[@donkillam5445]

Always wondered why my hammer had an adjusting screw on it... 🤣 Adjustable wrench - the original Swiss Army knife. Go Josh!

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Absolutely

[@ПетрКурнев]

thank you fo sharing your experience. very qualfied, precise job and excrllent reasult !💥

[@nobuckle40]

I love your sense of humor! It's the nature of the beast for those of us that create content, we open ourselves up to all sorts of criticism. Some people are just petty!. Keep on doing what you do, the way you do it.

[@randydobson1863]

Hi Josh & it's is Randy and i like yours video is Cool & Thanks Josh & Friends Randy

[@scottywisely6180]

A lot of folks who don't like adjustable wrenches have never used a really good high quality one. Enjoy your videos keep up the good work.

[@richarde.plante3292]

I don't have a machine like that. But I do large and deep keyways on a Rockford shaper planer with a rig in the clapper box.

[@scpvrr]

This one is cool. I really liked the different camera angles. The one riding the tool head facing down was particularly neat.

[@mikep1085]

LOL! Love your approach to adjustable wrenches! Those people would really hate me... using a screwdriver as a pry bar or chisel. Or a ratchet to tap on things. 😛🤪😜

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I've used adjustable wrenches as hammers, pry bars, screwdrivers, snake killers, big squashers, paint scraper, wire twister, and the lost goes on. Lol

[@eyuptony]

Your vertical slotter is great to watch. It's so quiet as well. Nice one.

[@RobertRidgley]

I love adjustable wrenches I have a completes set of both metric and English.

[@BrucePierson]

My set is mixed, some inches and some millimetres.

[@davidm7568]

Liked the option of thinning the anchor lube with water, never thought it was a water soluble lube.

[@alandawson2813]

Hi just found your channel. Awesome work and thank you for sharing. From kiwi land

[@ypaulbrown]

Outstanding Josh, we had a vertical slotter where I used to work, it was a god send for certain jobs.......cheers forom Orlando,Paul

[@kimazbell460]

Great job Josh. I like seeing the more "unusual" machine work like using your slotter.. I was a little surprised that you just used two clamps to hold that part but it obviously worked for you.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I've tried 3-4, but it gives me trouble.

[@BLECHHAUS]

11:42 "so somebody once recently made a comment . . start using adustable wrechnches for absolutely everything" :-) ya done right. You are the machinist. You have to do it as you like it most :-=

[@fricknjeep]

hi there nice tool . good job john

[@BrucePierson]

The vertical slotter would be the best and possibly the only machine for doing this particular job. It really suits the job well.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Exactly

[@kawazukisoddbits2717]

Beg to differ - you could use a keyway broach. Obviously you'd have to make a backing plug to go inside the tube and you'd need a good sized press but for small production runs a broach would be easier, more affordable and accessible for most shops - without a vertical slotter. A lot of these type of machines (that I class as 'brute force' ) are disappearing from job shops ie. shapers, slotters etc.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@kawazukisoddbits2717 a broach can not hold the tolerance required of this part. My customer tried that. Slotting is the only way they found to do this.

[@rogerhutchings5811]

Wire Edm would be the best machine

[@TopperMachineLLC]

EDM Failed at this job also. That is why I get it.

[@mr.jimmyjohnsr.ohyeah7835]

VERY COOL JOSH !!!!

[@TheUncleRuckus]

Hey as long as you're not using Pliers on the fasteners I'm cool with whatever. 😂👍👍 No need for the correction the way I see it all adjustable wrenches are Crescent Wrenches just like all locking pliers are Vise Grips, all groove joint pliers are Channel Locks and all hex wrenches are Allen Wrenches regardless of the manufacturer.

[@skwerlz]

Who doesn't like adjustable hammers? They're the most versatile hammers around! Any time I'm going out to a site I've got 3 sizes in my bag, beats hauling around a hundred pounds of box wrenches, and far less time spent hunting down the right size. Now if there's something I actually need to torque down I'm grabbing a box wrench, but for most stuff the adjustable is perfectly fine.

[@thomaschandler8036]

Love your videos. Real learning experience.

[@erichill5208]

As a heavy duty mechanic of 35 plus years. I do use my adjustable metric/sae wrench quite often. They are very handy when dealing with multiple size fittings. Use maybe 2 wrenches rather than 6 sizes when possible

[@swanvalleymachineshop]

Good one Josh . 👍

[@brian_2040]

Good morning Mr Josh, good way to start the weekend out with a video. The crescent wrench is a great tool as long as they aren't the cheap ones.

[@cschwad559]

You know, Josh, I liked you before, but now I like you even more about how you deal with criticism.

[@kd5byb]

Oh how I love the comments from the "armchair quarterbacks" who likely have NO experience using tools what-so-ever. The truth is that a good quality, properly-adjusted adjustable wrench can fit tighter and be a better solution than any fixed-width wrench. Key is knowing what tool to use when! Adjustable wrench on Josh! BTW - those chips from the first cutter! Oh so amazing looking. I could see a pound or two of them cast into a clear resin puck making the coolest paperweight ever! 😀

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Man, what a great idea. I may have to cast some chips into resin to sell.

[@kd5byb]

@@TopperMachineLLC I'd buy one!!!

[@tetedur377]

When the hammer won't get the job done, but the left-handed Spooner, Wisconsin speed wrench* will. *(H/t to Puddin's Fab Shop for the Pott(awatomie)** County, Oklahoma speed wrench reference) **Note that many states in the Midwest have a Pottawatomie something - state parks, casinos, reservations, counties, and so on. I know at least Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, and Wisconsin all have stuff that's labeled Pottawatomie. The spellings are different, but the general rule of thumb is: the further north you go, the fewer consonants they use. Or something.

[@RalfyCustoms]

Keep at it buddy, great work, great video as always, my only criticism is that you listen to and act on comments that are seemingly critical on purpose, if that makes sense, you know your trade exceptionally well my friend Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for sharing

[@joewhitney4097]

Great video using the slotter

[@satguy]

People can make comments. What they need to ask themselves should they. In this application, there is absolutely nothing wrong using adjustable wrenches.

[@mauricekeithjohnson2598]

The "Anality" of the "Anti-adjustable" cadre is ponderous in it's "excessive verbosity" lol

[@richarde.plante3292]

What the,,,🤔

[@hankcrockett1980]

Absolutely enjoyed this one.

[@advil000]

Start replacing all your misters with fogbuster type systems. You'll never go back to regular misters. No more breathing coolant fog all over the shop, all the droplets go to the workpiece. You've pretty much got two commercial choices: actual Fogbuster which is the original and expensive as heck. And SST Lube Cube which makes a similar product that does exactly the same thing for a fraction of the price. Both work extremely well.

[@patk1284]

I like adjustable wrenches, saves me from trying the whole set before I find the correct size! that is why I don't go to Vegas because I would lose all day long on 50-50 odds. thanks for your videos, I was going to mention a camera angle that was making me dizzy but I think I'll wait now!

[@roth427]

They had a Morrison keyseater machine at the last shop I worked at and it definitely has way more limitations than your vertical shaper, very nice machine you have, I probably would hold off on rebuilding the feed box as long as possible also, that doesn’t sound like a fun repair

[@BubbasDad]

Use what ever wrench you like!

[@steveg4iwr]

Morning. I love the video and you can't beat adjustable spanner's

[@scottzink3455]

Keep calling them Crescent wrenches. That too will probably trigger them. Got to love the experts.

[@BrucePierson]

It will be interesting to see what you do with reconditioning the feed box on this machine.

[@willgallatin2802]

A hillbilly socket set is a must in every shop. I worner how hard this job would be on a shaper with a custom tool holder...

[@dutchgray86]

The vertical shaper is a nice machine, they seem to sell well at machinery auctions I have been at (though they are pretty rare) which tells me for a manual machine they get put to work still.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

They are rare, but worth having. It has made so much money for me.

[@BrucePierson]

Being a single operator shop has it's limitations, but you do a great job with the recording and editing to show us what you do. The biggest issue is the time it takes to do the recording and editing. If only we could add more hours to the day. Now that it's winter here in Australia, the days are really short, but they will get longer from now on until mid-December..

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I could use at least 48 hour days, maybe even 60 hour days. Lol

[@pricedlx]

I have to say your use of adjustable wrenches is decent. Decent

[@Just1GuyMetalworks]

That machine (and yourself of course 😉) did a really great job. I've only broached a few keyways but I haven't had much luck with broaches lol. I think really nice surfaces on your press might be really important. Anyways, thanks for the share! Keep on with the gratuitous use of adjustable wrenches! 😁 Cheers!

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I hate broaching. The slotter is great.

[@frankerceg4349]

Thank you Josh!

[@mikeking7470]

I'm just a garage bench duffer, I have a lot of adjustable wrenches and my only problem with the breed is finding good cheap adjustable wrenches, I would think that with as many old and "oddball" (but in a GOOD way) machines that you have adjustable wrenches are a God send. I needed a set of cheap metric combination wrenches (for a battery hold down in the Toyota) the other day and tried Harbor Freight first and their low end wrench set was a pathetic set of knuckle busters, open end jaws not close to parallel (so bad I could see the variation by eye) so I tried Walmart and found a better, bigger set for less money. (I needed the metric wrench since I could not get the combination wrench [sorry I meant to say adjustable wrench-left side of Mike's Brain] on the nut.)

[@ColHeat]

Sorry josh - my coment on your 3/4" keyway milled in shaft - I suggested upcut forbfinal .003" cut - meant to say downcut (getting old - 68)

[@johnwilleford7715]

I too use adjustable wrenches. I need to get some metric ones though. 😂.

[@dc5723]

LOL, I love adjustable wrenches.😁

[@mudnducs]

“I’m gonna go outta my way to start using them for just about everything.” ……..why Josh: you’re pissy! 🤣 I like that.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Lol. I just hate whiners, so why not annoy them more. Lol

[@nschelling6420]

Shucks. I guess I’ll have to quit watching your videos as I ain’t much of an adjustable wrench guy! LOL! It’s all good! Since Anchor lube is water soluble, how much rust do you see with it? I would like the option of flood cooling (or any cooling for that matter) but I need coolant so infrequently that I am very reluctant to try a water based product. For now I use WD-40 which is helps but is certainly not the best nor is it really a coolant, just sort of a lube. Pretty sure your it was on your videos that I first became aware that vertical slotters existed. I can see why you like it so much.

[@davegower123]

Josh Topper, Master Adjustable Wrench Technician and Advocate! Sounds like a great idea for a new merch line. I love the shot with the wrench out of focus in the foreground. Very artsy! Keep up the great work… and humor! Cheers! 🍻👍👊😊

[@lukebuholzer5064]

That machine will be even more awesome with the oil flood coolant.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Yes it will

[@haroldchoate7497]

Could you use your DRO to find center a little faster with the Dial Indicator? That seemed to be one of the more significant time consumers of this job. I’m a wood worker. A fellow I buy tooling from says there ought to be a law against woodworkers having a dial indicator. LOL I enjoyed the video and look forward to your repair of the “feed box”.

[@alexmclennan3011]

We call it a carolina speed wrench. in the south

[@rionstretton8133]

Awesome ❤

[@davidbackman4442]

I've never understood the hard core tool purpose purists. To me, it's a three-stage analysis before there's a valid reason to comment: 1) did it get the job done in a timely fashion? 2) did it or was it very likely to damage the piece worked on? 3) did it or was it very likely to damage the tool? The majority of screwdrivers will hold up to light tapping at the handle. As they will hold up for some gentle prying. Anything that'll survive being dropped on the floor will also hold up for some minor hammer action. Now, sure, there can be a sense of pride and satisfaction in using the exactly right tool for each job. But sometimes it's just more expedient to fish out the keys from your pocket to rip a taped parcel open instead of going to get the box cutter. The main drawback IMO is that the more generally useful a tool is, the more likely it is to get loaned for some other purpose and not replaced. Thereby not being where it's needed later. I've got a work station that holds some really common size wrenches, Allen keys and a vernier caliper. And I swear, those things must have very adventurous lives of their own judging by how often I find those tool slots empty.

[@tomeyssen9674]

Nice! Enjoyed!

[@mikedyson7330]

Do you grind your own tool bits for that machine.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I buy these, but do hand grind any changes I need.

[@ericsandberg3167]

That slotter is such a unique machine....does it use the same mechanism as a shaper...ie. a large bull gear with a sliding arm.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Exactly the same but vertical.

[@theessexhunter1305]

Very Nice, surprised you have not turned a clamp ring to rest on the shoulder then clamp off it as it is a repeat job. Love the mist coolant

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Thanks. I considered making fixtures for these, but there are at least 6 different styles and sizes of these I do. This particular one I see about 5/year. It's just not cost effective to make that many specialized fixtures. If I see 20/yr, then I would definitely be making something.

[@gofastwclass]

The adjustable wrench bit is hilarious. I enjoyed the sped up version of your indicating in the part. It gives people who haven't done it a sense of the time investment.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Lots of time on setup.

[@wendell454]

Just curious but could you mount up a 12" 3 jaw chuck on your table for all your small parts like these

[@dcraft1234]

Where would we be without the "All Sixteenths" wrench? Walking back and forth to the tool box, that's where!

[@DonMedford-vl2yt]

Personally, I hate using Cresent wrenches but if you like them, more power to you. BTW, you forgot to use your Cresent wrench when you took the clamps off at the end. lol

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I thought it was ridiculous enough to use it on the 1/4 screw holding the cutter. Lol.

[@alfredsamperi9776]

😂

[@anthonyrivers8395]

😂😂

[@ypaulbrown]

19:50 Heaven Forbid, you used a ratcheting box open end wrench to loosen the hold down bolts.....YT is going to censor you

[@enriquemendoza8650]

Sooooo? What's wrong with using adjustable wrenches??? I like to carry at least an 8-inch and a 12 inch in my vehicles. Great videos sir.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Nothing wrong with them at all.

[@BrucePierson]

I was wondering why you were using an adjustable wrench with the Torx key. That should annoy the critic. I have a good range of adjustable wrenches myself.

[@garyramsey4275]

Great work as always, Josh. I’m not a machinist, so I’m not really familiar with this machine. It sure makes some beautiful chips. I’m wondering about some details about how it works. Is there some kind of spring-loaded mechanism or something, like the clapper box on a horizontal shaper, to keep the cutter from dragging across the work on the return stroke?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

The other tool holder is a clapper, but I don't use it as one. It really doesn't work well on the vertical for long cuts.

[@jbfabrocks]

Hey Josh, as always, love your videos. Keep up the great work! I'm curious, with such a small web of material between the holes and the top and bottom of the part (as oriented in the slotter) is there any danger of deforming that web with the tool pressure generated by the slotter? I've never ran one, but I have to imagine there is a fair amount of pressure generated.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I have questioned these parts also. They hold up very well and are engineered with this jn mind.

[@jbfabrocks]

@@TopperMachineLLC and by the way, since you're being passive aggressive with the adjustable wrenches (love it!) I HATE when youtubers use slotted fasteners in everything! 😂

[@kurtisgagnon7896]

Can u talk about that big ass blue angle plate on the ground sometime? I love big workholding equipment. Maybe you already have I'm fairly new to this channel