What is KEA108?

[regoss]

Was described as a flavor of free machining drill rod (silver steel).

[ligito]

A 60's license plate number?

[regoss]

Just so it will NOT be confused with license plate numbers et al, the designation came from the book "Clockmaking for the Home Shop Machinist". Lautard footnoted that it wasn't available in the US. I was looking for some comparable
metal as I am not particularly fond of machining drill rod.

[Bguns]

Must be a British name for a form of alloy steel.
http://www.bisvalves.co.uk/products/...alve-hp-rl75c/
http://www.bisvalves.co.uk/contacts/

not much web search info....

[Tony]

for what its worth... I'm out here in Italy and one of the
tool steel "staples" is K100. Not really sure what the US
equivalent is but from experience it seems to be close to
an O1.

did some superficial searching and found this:
http://www.heat.com.au/docs/Common%20steels.pdf

it makes references to a "KEA180" -- could that be it?

-Tony

[Oldbrock]

According to Google it's a stainless steel used in ear rings, go figure. I've never heard of it before. Peter

[mmambro]

KEA108 is a British "silver steel" (drill rod) which contained selenium to make it free cutting. I was great stuff for cutting clock pinions. It is no longer made. I have a small stock of it, which I use only when necessary. It is very easy to machine.

Mike

[IOWOLF]

I thought Selenium was used to get rid of aliens.

Obscure movie reference.

[agrip]

It seems to me that O-6 would be a very good replacement alloy. It does machine rather well, though I have never been exposed to KEA108.

[Peter Neill]

I thought Selenium was used to get rid of aliens.

Obscure movie reference.

So maybe using "Head & Shoulders" as a cutting fluid would make drill rod easier to machine?

Peter