Tires for my Tanker Truck

**htl** · 12th June 2016, 12:15 PM

Going to experiment with some cheap new hole saws and see if I can make some truck tires for my latest project.
This is an 18 hole saw set for $16 so way cheap and light duty.
The main thing I'm after here is the large choice of hole sizes for making tires.
3/4 In - 5 In Carbon Steel Hole Saw Set 18 Pc
I'm sure they come from china so can probable be found else where.

When I showed the truck in my tanker truck tread I had stolen the wheels off my 1932 Lincoln kb project so I'm in need of some truck wheels.
When i made the Lincoln I built some spoke wheels for the first time, made 8 of them and the first two didn't come out just right so they can be used on the truck
but would really like some wheels that look like they came with the truck. lol
Here's the lincoln and it's tires.

IMG_2555.JPG
IMG_2681.jpg
and then a look at the tires I want to make but thinner to match the truck.

IMG_1905.jpg

I'm wanting to make some 2 7/8 tires so put the 3" hole saw in my drill press [Shop Smith] ,
and on the lowest speed setting tried to drill a wheel well my saw is way to fast and just didn't like the feel of it so went and using my 18v Ryobi and drilled out 8 3/4 thick oak blanks for the tires in no time.

So that tells me the cheap thin metal isn't putting that much of a load on the power drill, the drill did get hot but don't need to do them all at once any way..

OK so got the main tires drilled out.
It really did a pretty smooth job for a 3" hole saw.

IMG_2697.jpg

Now need to start on what will be the centers.

I'm going to be using a hole pattern with 10 points, this will give us 5 lag bolt holes and 5 spokes.

IMG_2685.jpg
I could drill out some centers but I've got a bunch a 1 1/2 tires i bought and will never use plus they have a really nice shape to them so.

IMG_2684.jpg

Now the pattern need to be put on the wheel so glued the pattern on a thin chunk a wood and drilled out the center now with the drill bit in place you can hold the tire and pattern and mark them.
IMG_2689.jpg

Now we need a jig to hold the tire while we drill out for the spokes.
As you can see in the picture above the hole is half on the tire so need to use a 3/8 forstner drill bit so it drills it and doesn't slide off.
To make this much easier build a jig with a dowel that fits tight in the tire and clamp the jig down so the dowel stays put and the drill always hits the same spot on the tire..
I just happened to have the old pattern I used to line up the drill bit and that's what you see in the second picture.
Now the tire can turn to drill every other mark but it will always hit the same place on the tire.

IMG_2690.jpg IMG_2691.jpg IMG_2692.jpg IMG_2693.jpg IMG_2694.jpg

Now all the spokes are drilled need to make a better mark for the lag bolt hole and I hit it with a all to be sure the small drill bit goes where it should.

IMG_2695.jpg
IMG_2696.jpg

Now we need to drill out the center of the 3' tire.

I used a wore out 1 1/2" hole saw and when I was done with the first one I couldn't believe it but the center fit just right.
The last time I made tires I drilled out the centers bigger and had to sand them down to fit in.

IMG_2698.jpg IMG_2699.jpg
Come Monday I'll glue up the tire and centers after I shape them up a bit.
IMG_2700.jpg IMG_2701.jpg

Will finish this up next time.
I hope this will be of use to some and please remember I went to school way back in the 1960's and english class was the last place I wanted to be.

I should add that non of this is mine I watch a lot a videos and read a ton a posts and I believe the main idea for this project came from someone on this site.

**oneye** · 12th June 2016, 01:29 PM

Nice write up.
Looks kinda like some wheels i make.

**htl** · 13th June 2016, 12:49 AM

Oneye thanks for the encouragement I really have as much fun writing about building as I do modding things.
I try to post about what i've done the evening of the work so I don't forget what and how I did it so a year or so down the road I won't have to reinvent the same process.[I have a very short memory.]

**Repliconics** · 13th June 2016, 05:26 AM

Great stuff mate!.
A whole lot of good information in there.
Keep it coming.

Cheers
Trev.

**Dalboy** · 13th June 2016, 06:50 AM

There is no shame in borrowing and modifying what others may have started as long as it suits your truck.

Did you notice what is in the background of photo 15 Trev

**Repliconics** · 13th June 2016, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by Dalboy

Did you notice what is in the background of photo 15 Trev

Sure did mate.
It looks like a really nice hunk of thump!.

Cheers mate
Trev.

**htl** · 13th June 2016, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by Repliconics

Sure did mate.
It looks like a really nice hunk of thump!.

Cheers mate
Trev.

I take it your talking about my Yamaha 1300 but have no idea what a thump is.

I'll try o get a better picture of it but with some wood working in it too.

I love the way this site shows the smaler pictures but just click on them and get all the details.

**htl** · 14th June 2016, 09:04 AM

Worked on the wheels so more today.
Shaped the inside edges then sanded and buffed the parts.
IMG_2702.jpg IMG_2703.jpg IMG_2704.jpg

Then glue up the parts.
Have the centers that will be the front tires flush with the front of the tire and the back rims will be glued toward the back of the tire.
Once the tires are set used the sanding jig to sand them round and to a uniform size.

IMG_2705.jpg IMG_2706.jpg IMG_2707.jpg
I have my sander hooked up to the cyclone to keep the dust down and the fan to keep the heat down it's getting hot up in our neck of the woods.

IMG_2708.jpg
Now used the table saw with a skill saw blade [very thin] to cut three grooves and had planned to cut cross ways and make treads but this oak came from a platform bed I built 35 years ago and the wood was way old then so seems to be chipping quite badly so not going with the full treads this time.

IMG_2709.jpg IMG_2710.jpg IMG_2711.jpg

Now glue in the tooth picks for the lag bolts and call it a day way to hot to go on today.
IMG_2712.jpg IMG_2713.jpg
These wheels are fun to make but really enjoyed the spoked wheels I made last time
I made parts for 9 tires one came out really buggered up out of the hole saw, 5 are just right and 3 have a chip out of them but can be hide in the back for some simple project.
I think the heat has something to to with the fun factor getting sucked out of it.

.
Their all sanded and buffed out so once I cut off the tooth picks their ready for some hand rubbed finish and put on the truck..

**crowie** · 14th June 2016, 09:25 AM

THANK YOU for a top wheel making tutorial Bruce....

Hopefully the moderator's and admin folk add it to the Best of the Best list in toymaking and model making for easy reference for others in the years to come....
Cheers, Peter

**Dalboy** · 14th June 2016, 09:46 AM

Wheels are looking great, thank you for running through how you make them. As for the treads you could always say they are cross ply tyres instead of radials

**Keith_1** · 14th June 2016, 10:06 AM

Great detail in your work - excellent write up. Congratulations - Top Stuff

Regards

Keith

**htl** · 14th June 2016, 11:04 AM

Dalboy I knew that!!! Not
That's what they are cross ply tyres.

You all should a knew better they didn't even have them there radial tires back in them days.

**Dalboy** · 14th June 2016, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by htl

Dalboy I knew that!!! Not
That's what they are cross ply tyres.

You all should a knew better they didn't even have them there radial tires back in them days.

That was my tyre fitting days coming out of me to have remembered that

**htl** · 15th June 2016, 10:23 AM

"That was my tyre fitting days coming out of me to have remembered that"
Dalboy ya!!! and your right eye was twitching when you typed it I'll bet, those tires had some stiff side wall for sure.

**htl** · 15th June 2016, 10:48 AM

Well I cut and sanded down the tooth picks and what a pain!
First I nipped all the tooth picks off with some wire pliers then the front tires I could just sand with the disk sander till I touched the rim and they were fine, but the back are set deeper in so needed to trim them some more but how with out buggering every thing up?
I ended up finding a bolt that would fit in between the spokes and could sand to the bolt head to get them all even, but it took some brain storming before a solution made it self know to this feeble brain.

IMG_2712.jpg IMG_2713.jpg IMG_2714.jpg IMG_2715.jpg

IMG_2716.jpg IMG_2717.jpg

So here's some pictures of the new wheels on the truck.

IMG_2718.jpg IMG_2719.jpg IMG_2720.jpg IMG_2721.jpg IMG_2722.jpg IMG_2723.jpg IMG_2724.jpg IMG_2725.jpg

I really didn't think the new wheels would make that much of a difference till you see the spoke ones again.

IMG_2680.jpg IMG_2681.jpg IMG_2682.jpg

I usually try to do a little research before a build but didn't on this one.
But here's a picture of this truck for real and a picture of how far back to see one with spokes.

I was surprised how close they are to being right.
2c58347a665cb66bdd3f77b0d43ccaa4.jpg FossilFuel1920.jpg

Thread: Tires for my Tanker Truck

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Tires for my Tanker Truck

THANK YOU for a top wheel making tutorial

Got er done

Similar Threads

T&J tanker truck just finished today

bandsaw tires

Petrol tanker for my nephew

band saw tires

Sign on a septic tanker

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions