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Thread: Brass Handwheel?
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23rd February 2014, 06:33 PM #1Banned
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Brass Handwheel?
Looking to source a small hand wheel for this little project, (A saw blade rise and fall precision height adjuster) similar to the one on the photos above and have been searching online everywhere I can think of, to locate such. (Overall heights an issue - as it can't protrude above saw table height without affecting / interfering with the timber material being sawn).
There are any number of lathe tail stock and milling machine hand wheels on the internet... such as the above on ebay etc.
I thought that purely for aesthetics reasons - it might be nice to have a small hand wheel in say Brass (bronze) polished around the outside edge...
BUT,
I can't seem to locate anything like this in brass (or bronze) on line.
Maybe it's not a suitable metal for making such a device? (Not hard enough?)...or too expensive?
I'm guessing there's a good reason they aren't readily available...
What am I missing - why aren't they readily available?.
This is about the only one I've been able to locate a pic of online.
Its a little large for this job but shows similar to what I was thinking of roughly.
Assuming one WOULD work OK and look good.... how would be the best way to go about having one made?
Do you cast one for e.g. or turn one on a lathe out of a block of solid brass (bronze?)
I seem to recall somewhere I have a 2 liter ice cream bucket with a dozen or so old brass keyed alike padlocks floating around in the shed somewhere... do I melt these down to obtain my brass?
Is this something anyone here would be keen to make?
I know squat about metal work so figured it best to ask those who do...
Many thanks in advance for any advice.
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23rd February 2014 06:33 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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23rd February 2014, 06:50 PM #2Philomath in training
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TIG welding brass is tricky because the zinc comes out of the mix first and mucks everything up. I couldn't say definitively but melting down old brass locks may be the same if you are not careful.
What size wheel are you looking for?
Michael
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23rd February 2014, 07:20 PM #3
Brass is commonly cast in home foundries. I have done it myself. My first attempt. Not totally successful due to lack of heat, but I did make a small ingot. I have just been watching a video from Doubleboost about casting brass, called "Casting Brass". A quick search on YouTube should find it.
That is a very nice handwheel.
Dean
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23rd February 2014, 08:01 PM #4Banned
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Best I can tell
Best I can tell this hand wheel needs to be about 100mm dia (or less ~ 75mm+).
I'm not sure where tig welding the brass would be required in making such a hand wheel?.
Again I know zilch about this topic - I'm just trying to nut it out is all.
Yes you can see that the brass does look nice.
Theres any number of brass gate valve type wheels in plumbing applications yet they seem not to be used anywhere in machinery like lathe tailstock hand wheels or milling machine hand wheels.
I find that really surprising - I'm sure there must be a logical reason for it... like cost of the material or difficulty working it, or it's not hard enough for the application?.
I'm off to watch Youtube about casting brass.
You'd think you could just buy one off the shelf out of China or something?
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23rd February 2014, 08:50 PM #5SENIOR MEMBER
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Why not just turn up a plain disc type hand wheel out of some 75 mm diam brass round stock.
You don't need spokes.
Be dead easy and look OK.
RobThe worst that can happen is you will fail.
But at least you tried.
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23rd February 2014, 08:57 PM #6GOLD MEMBER
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You'll probably find it's the cost of brass Vs cost of plastics, as to why they're not easily available. Put an advert on market place to see if anyone has something similar, failing that ask in the foundry section of metal work for an approx costing.
Kryn
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23rd February 2014, 09:11 PM #7Philomath in training
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TIG welding is not required. I was just trying to make the point that casting brass is not just throwing a bunch of scrap in a pot and pouring out a finished article. There are going to be traps in there (like getting the stuff too hot) that will catch out the unwary.
Michael
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23rd February 2014, 09:42 PM #8Banned
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in
In my minds eye....
I had been "imagining" something like this... (Which apparently is off an old fire truck).
I'm wondering about say 3d printing one in plastic... and then loss sand casting...
I know a group of guys interesting in having about 8 or so of these height adjusters made up, and was thinking it might be something that the plastic 3D mockup... could be used to make say 10 or 12 lost sand molds from - then do one pour...
But it's a lot easier to say it, than do it, I am sure... and I'm guessing, not cheap to do?
The cast Brass / Bronze youtube vids are totally fascinating.....
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24th February 2014, 03:09 AM #9Banned
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Whereabouts
Whereabouts would you buy 4 inch dia Brass or Phosphor Bronze Barstock in a short length/s - to spin up a hand wheel on a lathe?
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24th February 2014, 03:43 AM #10GOLD MEMBER
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Would this be an option?
Couldn't you locate a steel wheel you like and have the chrome stripped and re-plated in brass? Tell the plater you want the brass plating nice and thick.
Pete
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24th February 2014, 04:42 AM #11Banned
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Sure,
Sure thing - what a terrific suggestion - I hadn't even thought of that!
Thank you very much indeed.
There are any number of suitable hand wheels available online in steel and stainless steel etc.
Brass Plating it, never occurred to me.
I can't think of a reason not too.
I'm in the middle of bidding on and shipping a 2 inch long piece of phosphor bronze 4 inch round bar stock from the UK to Oz - to have a couple of them spun up on a lathe as my only option... but plating opens up a whole new realm of possibly much cheaper possibilities.
Thank you indeed for such a creative work around type suggestion.
I owe you one for that!
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24th February 2014, 08:20 AM #12Senior Member
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You could try model engineering suppliers.
Example in the UK: http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalo...achine-Handles
They have 80 mm chrome handles.
There are also suppliers in Australia.
There could be forum members with an old machine tool fitted with chrome handles (like my Sheraton 9A).
John
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24th February 2014, 09:21 AM #13Senior Member
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A wheel from a large gate valve might do the job. It may be worth looking at gate valve suppliers. They may sell replacement handles.
Christian
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24th February 2014, 01:15 PM #14
I think I've seen large fire hose connections (valves/taps) with brass hand wheels about that size. Have a look in a scrap metal yard or tip shop.
Cheers,
Joe
9"thicknesser/planer, 12" bench saw, 2Hp Dusty, 5/8" Drill press, 10" Makita drop saw, 2Hp Makita outer, the usual power tools and carpentry hand tools...
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24th February 2014, 09:03 PM #15SENIOR MEMBER
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I have never tried plating anything but have read a few stories from home electroplaters. Is brass plating doable as a diy project? Just curious...it could open up a few more possibilities. Could be fraught with issues though....
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