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  1. #1
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    Default Wheels and Axles

    Hey, how does everyone make wheels and axles?
    Personally I just use a cheap hole saw and sand the edges then glue to a dowel axle that goes right through.
    They are pretty plain like this.

    I have bought wheels and matching wooden pegs to glue in for individual axles but I didnt feel right buying them. Might have to get a little lathe.
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    you get a warm feeling for a while but nobody notices.

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  3. #2
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    Melbourne, Victoria
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    Default

    I have used the wheel cutter bits from Carb-i-tool which (depending on the bit) can produce a 40, 50 or 60mm diameter wheel. Apparently the latest version of the wheel cutter now has a modified hub - I haven't seen what it looks like, but it sounded interesting.

    I've also turned some on the lathe, turning all 4 wheels simultaneously so they all had the same diameter.
    "Clear, Ease Springs"
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  4. #3
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    Default

    The only wheels I've needed so far have been about 75mm across and I bought them from Reverse Garbage in Brisbane. They're mdf offcuts from some sort of industrial process so they're cheap - about 50c each. I"ll take from photos later to post.
    Cheers, Richard

    "... work to a standard rather than a deadline ..." Ticky, forum member.

  5. #4
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    Default

    Hi All
    I have just tried to att pdf att for making wheels hope it works
    regards colbra

  6. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by colbra View Post
    Hi All
    I have just tried to att pdf att for making wheels hope it works
    regards colbra
    Now I hope the rest of my day goes just as well!

  7. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by colbra View Post
    Now I hope the rest of my day goes just as well!
    This att does not belong to me I just coped it off the web hope its ok to put out there.

  8. #7
    Yonnee's Avatar
    Yonnee is offline Trailer Bloke & Mild Mannered Moderator
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    Default

    I have a relative who make fairly detailed toy vehicles, and the way he makes his wheels is use one size hole saw to make a shallow groove for the rim, then a larger hole saw for the outside of the tyre. He then has the labourios task of sanding/rounding the outer edges off. He then attaches them to the vehicle with a Hex-headed wood screw and a washer sandwiched between the wheel and the body, allowing each wheel to spin independently.

    In my opinion, this technique would give you more variety in your wheel sizes both in diameter and width, as well as the ability to vary your tyre profile from low profile sports cars to larger profile trucks and tractors. But then again, I love attention to detail. If you were to make a large quantity of toys, then the Carb-i-tool bit would be much quicker.
    Too many projects, so little time, even less money!
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  9. #8
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    Yonnee is offline Trailer Bloke & Mild Mannered Moderator
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    Quote Originally Posted by colbra View Post
    Hi All
    I have just tried to att pdf att for making wheels hope it works
    regards colbra
    Link says PDF file is damaged...
    Too many projects, so little time, even less money!
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  10. #9
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    Default

    They way that the wheels are turned in the drill jig looks good.But I haven't done any turning on a lathe so my question 'what about the speed'
    les

  11. #10
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    Victoria
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stuart View Post
    I have used the wheel cutter bits from Carb-i-tool which (depending on the bit) can produce a 40, 50 or 60mm diameter wheel. Apparently the latest version of the wheel cutter now has a modified hub - I haven't seen what it looks like, but it sounded interesting.

    I've also turned some on the lathe, turning all 4 wheels simultaneously so they all had the same diameter.
    The carbitool bits Stuart is talking about are very good. its really important to keep them sharp and the best results come from hard and pretty timbers. Pine tends to tear out a fair bit and the wheels being a rather basic (boring) shape using a striking wood gets a far better result.
    Some people throw all their exotic off cuts into the pen blank bin.. Mine get piled up next to the drill press for wheels.

    love em.

  12. #11
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    Hi Les
    I am not sure what speed to run your drill at. To make the wheels try a couple of different speeds and see which one works the best, sorry I can't help, I use a carbi tool wheel maker in the drill press and finish of on high speed in the lathe.
    Les, Yonnee said he had some problems with the PDF file, said file was damaged... how did you go, any problems I will try to find out something about the drill speeds let me know how things go. Regards colbra

  13. #12
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    Default

    It really depends on the timber. Like anything, some require more care than others. I tend to go for higher speeds on the principle that you go as fast as the machine can cope with easily, but not so fast that the wood burns. That way, the finish is the smoothest it is going to be.

    However, it is also a case of suck and see.
    "Clear, Ease Springs"
    www.Stu's Shed.com


  14. #13
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    Default Making wheels

    I use three different ways...

    Quickest way is to use a carbitool wheel cutter....very important to use a hard dense wood eg jarrah redgum etc. Tear out in pine is really bad

    To finish them off, I mount them on a 1/4 bolt with the head cut off and mount them in the drill press and sand them up. To paint them or varnish them, I mount them on some scrap dowel.

    One thing I do a little differently is to put a steel tube through them to act as a bearing...as I usually screw them on. This makes doing dual wheels really easy.
    When screwing them on, I usually use a 1/4 inch nut and a washer as a spacer behind the wheel and a washer under the head of the screw (self tappers)


    Next way is using a hole saw. FIRST use a forstner bit to bore out the rim area, Next using the centre mark to help you centre the hole saw to cut the wheel out. Drill press is the best tool for this. The wheels are finished the same way as above. Note by pushing the sandpaper with your finger in the centre rim area, you end up with a curved tyre shape. 35 mm pine makes nice wide "fats" or racing slicks. I still use the steel sleeve which ensures the wheels spin really well and the screws won't chop out the wooden centres. There is a product called "Dry Lube" that comes in a stick form...putting a bit of this on the screw really helps to keep things spinning well without leaking oil and grease everywhere.

    Third way is to turn them on the lathe. I usually us a hole saw to cut out jarrah or redgum blanks and then mount them in the chuck...turn the outside to a profile like the carbitool wheel then turn it over and on the other side I leave the centre out past the tyre so it acts as a spacer from the body of the car. I still mount it in the drill press to sand them and use a steel sleeve. Note that to increase safety when using the chuck, use a suitable sized piece of pvc tubing to hold the wheel blank in the chuck (protects it from the jaws too) Also turn a loose blank or piece of broom handle to put inside the tube so that the wheel blank will stand up square to the chuck.

    I have used wooden axles...see "Where are the toymakers" post and look at the monster truck. I used redgum axle blocks/bearings and tassie oak dowel. It is important to drill the hole about a 1 mm bigger than the axle and the "dry lube" works wonders.

    I have never attempted to cut treads into tyres apart from simple grooves...


    Regards,

    Chipman

  15. #14
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    Yonnee is offline Trailer Bloke & Mild Mannered Moderator
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yonnee View Post
    Link says PDF file is damaged...
    OK, opened it at home and worked fine.

    Nice if you have a wood lathe.


    And a huge thank you to all for replies so far. After I've built a forum member's dusty enclosure frame, I'll look at my first toy... maybe something simple first.


    Yonnee.
    Too many projects, so little time, even less money!
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  16. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yonnee View Post
    OK, opened it at home and worked fine.

    Nice if you have a wood lathe.

    Yonnee.
    You can still do some pretty acceptable work on a $99 GMC lathe. May not be the highest quality lathe, but for the occasional turning job for toymaking, it may be all that you need, and isn't a large outlay.

    If you find that the bug then really grabs, no real loss if you upgrade.
    "Clear, Ease Springs"
    www.Stu's Shed.com


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