I'm trying to get my metalworking tools stocked up. I built this out of a bunch of plate, an I beam, and I dont know what the hell the base is from, but it works. Lot of cutting, lot of welding, but if you can do it yourself, its much freaking cheaper than buying one. The only thing that might hold people back, you pretty much have to have a lathe to make the upper and lower wheels. I think. They are expensive to buy too. Maybe this will give someone some inspiration to build one. Hell, if I can do it, anyone can. I guess a lathe isnt necessary, you just have to have a solid way to spin the wheels. I'm also working on a planishing hammer, and will finish that this weekend. Its even uglier. haha. And my picture skills ****, I'm sorry. trey
C is for cookie that's good enough for me.... *****in! how does it work? the depth of the throat looks more realistic than those you usally see. ( I don't plan on making any airplane wings any time soon....) is your planishing hammer going to be built like the eastwood types?
can you post some more detailed pictures? I would love to build one myself. I am currently hacking together a hydrolic press. I'll post pics when I complete it.
I can probably do that, what kind of details do you have in mind? My Plannishing hammer doesnt look like eastwoods, mine has more "style" to it. hahaa. Ill post pictures of that saturday. I still need to find a foot control for it. trey
That looks like good work, Trey. McMaster-Carr has some oil-hardening tool steel (air hardening, too, but no water hardening) that would make great upper or lower wheels. At some point, I'm going to try turning some in my lathe.
That is one good looking tool man, I think it has a lot of style. The base is way cool. You should take some time and finish it off real nice and custom paint it. The big question is, does it shape metal.
You know how forklifts have attachments that they use for picking up huge rolls of carpet? We got one of those attachments at an auction, its about 20 feet long. It works good for lower wheels. And with 20 feet, I can make a few of them. For my upper wheel, I dont know if I want to tell you guys what I used. Im not too sure how long it will hold up. Ill have to wait and see. I would say its the worlds largest C clamp, But I saw a really big one once... trey
My dad used a big industrial equipment wheel (Like a caster that doesn't swivel) for his upper wheel. He had a machinist friend turn the face of it on a lathe to true it up. Works real good. Make sure youmake at least one lower wheel with zero crown... you'd be surprised how handy that can be. If you get to shooting more pics, I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to see details of how the upper- and lower wheels are mounted, as well as the adjustment mechanism.
I know a couple of guys that had used either axle or wheel beerings off an aerostar van for the lower wheels but I can't remember what the uppers were.
Nice work Trey. Nice way to occupy your time when the wind is slicing through you in WY. Interesting base. It reminds me of the school zone signs around here. The local school district made up a bunch from s**** stuff. The shop guys got real inventive and used old discs from a farmers junked disc attachment for the bases. They are round, dished, steel and had a centered hole. The signs get rolled out to the middle of the street during school hours and the discs make a great base for rolling. They'd make great bases for tool stands in the garage. Make sure Elpolacko sees your planishing hammer frame. His "quickie" was hand held.
ok, first off, the welds are UGLY. I havent had the chance to clean it all up, but I will get around to that. Also, the wheels look mis-aligned, but they arent. they are lined up good, but for some reason, it looks odd. I uploaded them to my page, so I didnt have to resize them. And my garage is a freaking mess, Ill fix that today, I promise. so without further a doo doo, http://lewis.allen.home.bresnan.net/wheel2.jpg http://lewis.allen.home.bresnan.net/wheel3.jpg trey
For those building a wheel, consider putting the handwheel on TOP where you can reach it without bending over. Holding a big piece with one hand, getting under your work to adjust the wheel...hmmm. Same goes with the spike type wheel mounted under--you wanna balance on one leg while trying to kick the adjuster?
upper handwheels make no sense to me.... how are you gonna reach up to loosen the wheel while you're rollin??? I sit in a chair and use the footwheel. Its the way I was taught... tighten the wheel, loosen the wheel, tighten the wheel, loosen the wheel... I don't keep a constant pressure on the wheel till the walnuts are out of the metal....
sit in a chair?? How are you gonna do anything Sitting Down? All the english wheels I have seen are built for standing up. Reaching up and making adjustments is Great!
yep. sit in a chair... cause I'm lazy... kinda figured thats why they called it a footwheel (or kick wheel) in the first place... so how much for upper wheels and anvils from you????
i have an english wheel on my to do list..... give us the details on the wheels..... i think it looks really good and the stand "does it"...... welds are fine, the only thing i noticed is the porosity (small holes).....do you have your gas turned up enough...were you welding outside with a breeze... lookin' real good!!! i dont' know anything about using a metal lathe......i understand how to true a surface up on one, but i dont' understand how to put a taper on one side and make it EXACTLY the same on the other...
Most of the pinholes you see are build up of slag. Arc welding. Ill admit, I **** at arc, but i was able to get by without cleaning the metal first, and im lazy. The lower wheel doesnt have any bearings in it right now. I machined it for them, but they havent arrived yet. It actually works pretty good with no bearings, althought I dont intend to use it that way for long. Here is the deal with the upper wheel. Dont kill me, I plan on replacing it, unless it works good. I couldnt find one piece of steel that size, without buying something. I had a piece of aluminum almost that big, but it was aluminum, and we know that wouldnt work too good, its too soft. So the upper wheel is two pieces. Sooooo, the inner portion of the wheel is aluminum, and the outter is......uh, the outter ring of a harmonic balancer. I know, i know, its cast, and probably too soft. And if it doesnt work, like I said, Ill change it. Anyway, I just machined the aluminum down to the right size, heated up the outter ring, and pressed it on. There you have it, rat rod english wheel. haha. trey
ah, they'll dress down.....stick is much harder...... i don't know if it's too soft or not, but it is pretty resourceful!!! hahahaha rat rod english wheel!
Nice work man! Keep it up! Post the planishing hammer pics when done. Hey Bob, I used to live in BA- are you the guy who was running that 59 flamed wagon around town and had a 'vert Buick in your driveway? Scott
Hey, A caster, for the upper wheel, will work for the short term. Ya can buy them from Mcmaster Carr -5" to 6" dia. If ya go much bigger dia. on your top wheel, it will be tough to control on acount of the m***. You can use softer steels for making lower anvils(wheels) just be sure to not wheel over weld beads that haven't been planished. Planish welds over a post dolly (panel head) prior to wheeling. Gas welded beads will planish out well, but mig welded beads can be tough on the anvils if not well planished prior to wheeling. Again, check out the metalshapers.org site for a **** load of info on building a wheel, anvils & their use. S****ey Devils C.C.
Ok, I'm trying to set the record for asking THE most ignorant questions.......well on my way to 2k!! Anyway, how in the world do you shape the curved anvil in a lathe? I can see how to true the top one but not the bottome one.... I work with wood in lathes and it's no problem, but I know nothing about metal machining..... How do you make it precisely symetrical........am I over thiking this, do you just shape it with a file for flapper wheel while it's turning in the lathe?
I just used a flapper wheel while turning on the lathe, like you said. pretty much just eyeballed it. trey
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