Need advice re making wooden wheels quickly. LOTS of them.

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 13th December 2011, 08:32 AM

So, a week or so ago I was asked "You can make wooden toys for the Chrissy presents, can't you?" and stupidly said yes... not realising I only had a fortnight window.

(I really should keep an eye on the calendar. Doesn't feel like Chrissy... it's snowing fer Chrissakes!)

As a consequence, I've been flat out trying to mass produce various items.

Primarily, pull-along toy trains. Only three or four... (or five or six.

)

The first prototype train engine & carriages came together nice 'n quickly, even with the limited hand tools I have.

Until I counted how many wheels/axles I need. 6 for each loco, 4 per carriage, 5 carriages per train. Something like 150 wheels needed all up.

Naturally, I looked at my hand tools - Japanese saws and chisels - and promptly ran down the street to the local Bunnies equivalent for a cheap 'leccy drill and hole-saw set.

Cheap being the operative word. Had to pre-drill a pilot hole for the hole-saw before it even began to look like cutting pine... and have to tighten the mandrel ever hole or two. Frustrating... but quicker than shaping squares with chisels, y'know?

Now I've come up to the next couple of problems.

Firstly, to avoid tear-out on the emergent side of the wheel/hole when the hole-saw breaks out, I've been cutting part-way from one side, then flipping the board and finishing the cuts. This leaves a small flange in the middle of the wheel, but I thought "that'll sand out!"

Ha! Turns out that because the mandrel keeps working loose, both sides don't quite match up and there'll be a LOT of sanding.

Secondly, the hole is undersized for the dowel I planned to use as an axle.

Hence, the reason for this post. I'm hoping to kill both birds with one stone...

...drill the existing holes oversize to match the dowel - hopefully a tight fit - and thread the wheels onto the dowel, to build up a big 'laminated cylinder' as it were. Then hand-sand this with my sanding block, using a very coarse grit to start off with, rather than each wheel individually.

Can anyone see any reason why this wouldn't work?

Or suggest something to do the same job more efficiently?

At this stage I'm concerned that if I redrill to snug-fit the axles, I may be burning a bridge that'll prevent me from going back a step if the above plan doesn't work. If you know what I mean?

I have enough work on my plate as it is, without making more for myself...

**clarence1** · 13th December 2011, 08:47 AM

I have done exactly the same thing. The scroll saw is just starting to get a major workout just short of Christmas. Others can comment on your specific question but I would consider buying wheels this time. Maybe at a place like this but I have not bought there myself Catalogue - Wooden Parts - Wooden Wheels

When you have more time get your own wheels going. That's what I would do.

Mike John

**sjm** · 13th December 2011, 09:36 AM

Clamp a piece of scrap to the rear side to avoid the breakout, then you'll only need to drill from one side, and won't have any alignment issues.

**crowie** · 13th December 2011, 09:51 AM

I have bi-metal holes saws from a tool supplier similar to this lot from Blackwoods.
Holesaw Sets
You can get similar in lots of brands.
This type of holesaw has worked well for me.
May I suggest the scrap you use underneath be hardwood as too the wheels.
The other thing is that 1/4" dowel seems to be 6mm and that means I normally glue the dowel into the pilot drill hole or you could buy a M6 drill bit for the pilot hole.

One more suggestion which I got from "colbra".
Buy a profile wheel cutter from McLings one of the sight sponsors.
http://www.mcjing.com.au/categorybro...ategoryid=1214
, but again your best to use hardwood for the wheels to avoid tear outs.
I hope that's some help.
Cheers, crowie

**Waldo** · 13th December 2011, 11:24 AM

Hey Skew, you got a drill press in the dungeon? Use a hole saw, the ones I've used have a 6mm bit in them

Then you could whack the right length dowel into one wheel, pop in into the chuck of the drill press and sand to you hearts content (or use a bolt, nuts etc.) or jam the drill in a vice

I can't see why your plan won't work. Once the wheels or laminates are on they won't come off. I've never glued my wheels on because they've always been tighter than (insert appropriate phrase) and only come off under extreme bashing with bashy implements which has only ever destroyed a wheel, axel or the lot.

The problem is doing the second wheel.

... or could you buy some cheap wooden knoby little door handles, you know the roughly turned things, drill them out to fit the axel and Bob's your uncle.

A bit like these http://www.leevalley.com/US/hardware...742,44010&ap=1 and then maybe whack them in the lathe (if you've sorted one out yet and turn off the bit behind the knob.

**Sturdee** · 13th December 2011, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Or suggest something to do the same job more efficiently?

Making them on a lathe would be better.

Oh yes, you're over there and your lathe is here.

Peter.

**Avery** · 13th December 2011, 01:44 PM

If you are really in a hurry...

Catalogue - Wooden Parts - Wooden Wheels

or

Toy Wheel Cutters : CARBA-TEC

**joe greiner** · 13th December 2011, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by Sturdee

Making them on a lathe would be better.

Oh yes, you're over there and your lathe is here.

Peter.

Not exactly. Your drill IS a lathe. In a vise, or attached to a plank with a couple U-bolts.

Hole saw with backing board to prevent tearout. Re-drill to axle diameter.

With some all-thread, you can mount about 5 of them in the drill for final sanding.

Cheers,
Joe

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 13th December 2011, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by joe greiner

Not exactly. Your drill IS a lathe. In a vise, or attached to a plank with a couple U-bolts.

With some all-thread, you can mount about 5 of them in the drill for final sanding.

Close! The drill's clamped down to my Timbermate.

But that's more or less what I was planning on if all went well.

**tea lady** · 13th December 2011, 05:59 PM

You shoulda made rockets!

No wheels then.

**Heilander** · 13th December 2011, 07:28 PM

Depending on size availabilty,why don't you get round logs and slice them off?
Bore your axel holes with a backing bit of scrap to prevent tearout as mentioned previously

**wolflrv** · 13th December 2011, 08:51 PM

Just one more suggestion...I had the same problem you're having with bad tear-out and such, when I tried to use my cheap set of holesaws. So I ordered this:

Heavy Duty Circle Cutter - Rockler Woodworking Tools

It works 10x better than regular holesaws and the added advantage is that I can make wheels to any size needed. It does have a bevel on one side of the cut, but it can be reversed and it leaves a very clean finished wheel edge, even in the cheap pine I was using. It took more time to clamp the board to the drill press table than to cut the wheels.

**munruben** · 13th December 2011, 11:26 PM

Time is ticking away, better get on with it.

Good luck.

**Prime mover** · 13th December 2011, 11:41 PM

150 wheels no problem. Cut them with a decent hole saw nearly through one side, flip timber finish last little bit. Put a washer on a scewdriver(so it wont melt the handle) put your wheel on it. Turn on the belt sander. Spin your wheel on belt sander. Round the edge take wheel off and turn it around other way on scewdriver do other edge take off scewdriver and drill the centre or center depending on where you are in the world to the size you want. You would hate to see my wheelmaker 200 at once.
Phil

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