which thread

[Harry II]

Not sure where I should have posted this so it's also on the metal working forum.

I want to thread 3-4mm copper wire into a copper sleeve. Would anyone know how to get it done?

Explaination below:

Believe it or not I am attempting to make a tricycle out of Coastal Tea Tree
(Leptospermum laevigatum), it grows along the foreshore here and when a storm and hightide combine it gets dragged to the shore where it gets scoured by the sea and sand making for some great material to work with. I have made each wheel by forming a circle with segments from curved bits (tea tree roots) that more or less follow the circumference. The big wheels segments but-up at an angle of 72 degrees ( 5 segs.) and the smaller 2 at 90 degrees (4 segs.), they are joined by 4mm copper wire that was inserted into a hole drilled into the ends of each segment. After the "dry run" make up I was surprised how strong the wheel was, exceeding expectations and giving some confidence to proceed.

This is the crucial bit. Now for the spokes, hub and axels.

I have made the hubs by cutting out wedges from curved bits, joining like above and gluing with epoxy. The hubs are good and strong, so far so good. I reckon I've got the axel bit worked out but the spokes will rely on how well I can fit them from rim to hub.

[Slow6]

bloody hell Harry :eek:

I have absolutely no advice for you.. but let me be the first to request some pics of the finished trike and a good old "blow by blow" of how you did it.

sounds great man.

[Harry II]

thanks for your interest slow6, this could be a blood bath, this is a real nail biting white knuckle ride to nowhere, but it keeps me off the streets

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

It has me intrigued... I think I follow what you've done. Any chances of some pix?

It could make for an unusual WIP (Work In Progress) thread... and they'd also gives us a better idea of what you're trying to do, so any advice (or ribbing ) would be more to the point.

[Harry II]

It has me intrigued... I think I follow what you've done. Any chances of some pix?

It could make for an unusual WIP (Work In Progress) thread... and they'd also gives us a better idea of what you're trying to do, so any advice (or ribbing ) would be more to the point.

It's definately going to be a SlowWork in progress, I'll try and gets some pics up soon, would have tonight but my daughter pinched it and its now holidaying in Ballarat.

[AlexS]

Sounds like a great project Harry, looking forward to seeing a pic of the trike with you riding it.

[macca2]

Sounds facinating. Can you expand on the copper wire bit.
How long is the sleeve and what size.
Where does it fit into the trike.
Can't wait to see the end result.

Cheers macca

[Slow6]

Harry.. I just remembered perving at tools in a blacksmiths shop a while ago.. he explained how he makes the wagon wheels by heating up a the metal tire so it expands and slipping (or bashing) the hot tire over the wooden wheel, effectively clamping the whole thing together as it cools.

might be completely out of left field but a similar method might work for your trike if you are not against adding a bit of weight to the finished article.

The way you describe your wheels as segmented seems to me to be just like that of an old wagon wheel. and you might be able to get it together without the wire which might appeal.

just flinging it out there mate

[Al B]

Harry Not sure if this is going to be any help to you but have you tried going to a bike shop, They may be able to help.

[jmk89]

If you are at all interested in the old-fashioned way of putting a metal tyre on a wooden wheel (as described above), there is a really good description in the recent novel by Jill Paton Walsh Presumption of Death

[eddie the eagle]

Or, if you've got a digital settop box, channel 45 (the NSW gov't channel) has footage on a Saturday night about 7:15pm of the Sovereign hill wheelwright making a wheel. It changes time slot every few weeks, eventually, I'll set teh video at the right time - I keep forgetting

Cheers,

eddie

[rodm]

Harry
I don't think copper is the right material for spokes. Copper will stretch under tension so when you lace up the spokes I think you will find you will be continually tightening them until they run out of thread or snap.
Might be worth re-designing the hub to rim connection with a more suitable material. Sorry but I can't think of anything suitable at the moment except for a four spoke timber or pipe connection like a mag wheel.

[Harry II]

yeah I got the camera. This is just a pet project I got going, it's not meant to be ridden, you have to use some imagination, then you may remember your first bike, and the feeling of travel, then hurtling down the hill, legs spread, when you had the guts to just see if you could. That being said, I would think a child would be disappointed to find out they couldn't ride this bike, and wonder what would be the purpose of making such a thing. Any way I'm going ahead with it, not for sentimental or nostelgic reasons but as a memento to that stage in life.

The wood will be soaked in linseed/mineral turps and let dry then oil painted and "wet and dryed" back several times but will prodominatley be dark blue (but red is making a fight of it). I hope I can get/make all fitting from brass or copper then oxidise them to green. All above to make the tricycle look used.

First pic is the three rims, second of the front wheel, third of the copper wire join (yet to be epoxy glued), fourth of the front wheel hub (without hole foe axel), fith is of a flat view of some of the components to give some idea of forme, and sixth showing a rough idea of the wheels in place, the forks are not cut to length neither is the back "stem" which will be joined to a horizonal component that carries the axel for the two back wheels, no seat yet but imagine a small version of a tractor seat. vrom vromm.

I think I'll forget the threading of the spokes idea and just glue them in.
My metal working ability is close to non-exsitent, should have stayed at "Tech school".

Thanks to all of your replies, this is a great outlet, I'll keep you posted with pic updates.

Kind regards
Harry
Attachment 21563 opps buggered this one (1)
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[Harry II]

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hope this makes thing a little clearer?

[Harry II]

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I gotta go, that took some time.