Thread: 1930 Ford Model A Roadster - Extra Slow WIP

Peter this is epic. I don't think there have been two builds at the same time of the same model.

The wheels in your pic are the tires rubber or painted black couldn't tell? The bank truck looks awesome. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Bret

Hi Brett,
The tyres are wood. I had some printer refill ink left over from a printer I don't use anymore.
I just painted them with that ink.
I did a test that WOP and spray gloss didn't make it run on another piece or wood.
I still have the red, cyan and yellow ink and tested them as well. Although water based it was ok.
Was tempted to do the rims in red, but I know I'm leaving the rest of the car natural so who knows,
Maybe I'll try it on some of the other wheels I made.
Working on the hubs, drill a 1/4 hole down the centre of 1/2 inch dowel then slice 1/8 thick. What a bugger thing to do.
I did them tonight, not happy with them. I may just turn up the hubs complete in something nice or get those wooden button plugs and drill them half way thru, at least already domed nicely.
Haven't looked at the next page yet but I hope its the body parts, not keen on little fiddly pieces anymore.
Thanks for looking
Pete

Peter, needless to say, I've pulled up a chair.
Looking good so far. I like the printer ink idea.

This is great. As I mentioned in my PM, we can lean on each other a little and build together.

Keep up the good work.

Dunno about extra-slow, either, you're in front of me by a few days. (I can relax and copy.)

PS. I like the money-box truck, too. The wheels look good. Can you get similar for the Roadster, or is the scale wrong?

I do have 12 wheels here but they are 2 3/4, the mail truck was 2 1/4 but they are used.
They are totally round wheels so could turn outside face down a bit to make it flat.
Or make a circle cutter jig for the bandsaw and take a bit of the edge.

Another thought I had was to get wooden curtain rings. lathe a slot in the back for the skewers to glue onto (thats how the ones you buy look).

Cheapest place I found was Wood Toy Wheels - Spoked and they have 2 1/4.
This place have them as well Wood Spoked Toy Wheels | Spoked Wood Wheels | Wood Toy Wagon Wheel

But if your thinking about it let me know I would go in on getting them from somewhere that ships here.

I've got a friend is US if they won't ship outside US and he can forward them on for me.
Peter

Originally Posted by _fly_

I do have 12 wheels here but they are 2 3/4, the mail truck was 2 1/4 but they are used.
They are totally round wheels so could turn outside face down a bit to make it flat.
Or make a circle cutter jig for the bandsaw and take a bit of the edge.

Another thought I had was to get wooden curtain rings. lathe a slot in the back for the skewers to glue onto (thats how the ones you buy look).

Cheapest place I found was Wood Toy Wheels - Spoked and they have 2 1/4.
This place have them as well Wood Spoked Toy Wheels | Spoked Wood Wheels | Wood Toy Wagon Wheel

But if your thinking about it let me know I would go in on getting them from somewhere that ships here.

I've got a friend is US if they won't ship outside US and he can forward them on for me.
Peter

I'll almost certainly make them. Buying would be a very last resort.
There's a good explanation here: -
Making toy wooden spoked wheels - WoodworkersZone WoodWiki

For buying them, have you looked here: -
Parts

Originally Posted by Hermit

I'll almost certainly make them. Buying would be a very last resort.
There's a good explanation here: -
Making toy wooden spoked wheels - WoodworkersZone WoodWiki

For buying them, have you looked here: -
Parts

Got to try that in the morning.
I just got a new hole saw set and forstner bits, now I got a reason to use them.
Yes I buy stuff even when I don't have a use for it.
I will either get a use for it or it will be sold in 30 years as new, unopened.....

Originally Posted by _fly_

Yes I buy stuff even when I don't have a use for it.
I will either get a use for it or it will be sold in 30 years as new, unopened.....

Me too - way too often. That's why I'm a pauper.

OK Time for an update.
Wheels, what a horrible thing to put at the early stages of the project.
Wheel02 is a wheel I tried to see if I'd go with the easy method of making them.
Wheel05 was a smaller tyre so I had more spoke showing.

Then after messaging with hermit (the other roadster in WIP) I've gone with with the plans version of a tyre and a rim.
Thats wheel06, it has a pine rim but redgum tyre.
OK The last picture are the redgum tyres with tassie oak rims (not finished yet).
I also tried the ebonise in steel wool/vinegar mix. You can see underneath the redgum blackened and tassie oak blackened. Both about the same levels.

Not sure if I'm going to blacken the nice redgum yet, You peoples can all have a vote on that.

Next is to try and do these spokes, aligning the holes at the right angles from rim to a hub and getting the toothpicks lined up is a time consuming thing, haven't worked out a good method yet. Hermit and myself are trying to come up with a jig to do it.
Peter

Getting lots of practice, Peter. You'll be the forum wheel expert soon.

Update;
I've gone with the 2 spares I have done. They don't have the pegs, just a solid hub.

I've made the 4 other hubs and have drilled two holes thru so I can align them up in the rim and keep them centered (thats what those toothpicks are for) when I put the half toothpick in.
I also turned up the pegs for these hubs.
Last one is the 4 wheels that need the rims drilled. I find my 2mm bit wanders with tas oak (steve doesn't seen to have this issue) even when I start each hole with the awl.

And I haven't had any recommedations of if I leave the tyres as plain redgum or to blacken them (the centre piece is ebonised redgum).
I'm not colouring any other parts of the car.
Peter

Originally Posted by _fly_

Update;
I've gone with the 2 spares I have done. They don't have the pegs, just a solid hub.

I've made the 4 other hubs and have drilled two holes thru so I can align them up in the rim and keep them centered (thats what those toothpicks are for) when I put the half toothpick in.
I also turned up the pegs for these hubs.
Last one is the 4 wheels that need the rims drilled. I find my 2mm bit wanders with tas oak (steve doesn't seen to have this issue) even when I start each hole with the awl.

And I haven't had any recommedations of if I leave the tyres as plain redgum or to blacken them (the centre piece is ebonised redgum).
I'm not colouring any other parts of the car.
Peter

Looking good. Following your method closely, in case mine stuffs up.

My vote - blacken the tyres. Although nothing else is black, that's how it is in the real world. Often a car will have no visible black anywhere on the body, but the tyres are still black.
A point to keep in mind, having said that, is that the majority of real-life A Model Roadsters had whitewall tyres. Only some were black.
Really, this is up to your taste. You could have a look at a few other finished ones and see how they look. Another option is a poll thread.

Wheels look good Peter. Another vote for ebonizing them. Similar to Jim's Cadillac tires. Although he painted his.

I have a question about your toothpicks. The train plans call for 3/32" holes to be drilled for toothpicks I am using in various parts. However only "Diamond" brand toothpicks are close to this size. Any toothpicks made in China are 10/1000ths under. Do you guys have the same problem?

Bret

Bret:
We went with the ones from woollies, the essential branded ones. They seem to be close to 2mm.
Thinner than those ones in the plastic container you shake out thru a hole in the top.


Ebonise:
I tested a piece of redgum and it did come out black. Now my question. If they don't get black enough can I do them again to get them blacker? I'm guessing I can but better to check. I'd hate to do them and get a yucky grey colour.


Update:
I've drilled all the rims and put the toothpicks in, still to be glued. I'll do that tonight.
And then sand them down a bit.
I'll be glad when they are finished as I did not enjoy making them. Be happy when I can get onto some actual car body.

Peter

Bret, the toothpicks I found, as mentioned by Peter, were 2mm.
Bamboo skewers, however, are 3/32", (2.4mm).
(Both the cheap Asian type. As Peter said, they're generic ones from Woolworths supermarket.)

Toothpicks are a good choice for the car wheels. Being thinner, they're closer to scale.
(Easier to fit, too, in my opinion.)

Toothpick: -
Attachment 210752

Skewer: -
Attachment 210753

Peter, it's fine to re-dip. Even if the timber looks grey, it blackens with the finish coat.
There is a limit to how dark a piece of timber will go, though. Some refuses to go very dark. Camphor Laurel, Celery Top and NG Rosewood are examples. Jarrah and Blackbutt work the best out of my tests.

Those wheels look pretty good, by the way.

I'm enjoying making my car wheels. (Must be sick.)
My jig is almost ready. 2.46am and I'm still at it. Just one last bit to do and I can test it. Another hour.