That is sweet... Have you thought of using clear casting resin? they've got different colored dyes for it to, to make transparent colors...And I'm guessing you could suspend some flake in it..if you see where I'm getting at...Make some cool centers...and TaDa!! Flaked Steering Wheel...you could also make, shifter knobs, heater knobs, choke knobs, glove box handles, radio control knobs, and so much more..Call now and we will also include this one of kind brand new amazing spatula/whisk all you have to do is call NOW! 19.95 plus shiping and handling...please call supplies are limited... (then you need to get Billy Mayes the Oxy Clean guy to sell them)
Fantastic! All the different types of materials and techniques used just proves that hot rodding is in good hands. Thanks, oj One question, is that a three jaw lathe chuck in your rotary table?
I cut down a banjo back in the 80's for the roadster. Maybe I will finish it one day, probably not though.
I love posts like this. Thank you! It's neat to see something where I know how to do all the individual steps, but hadn't ever thought to put it all together to make my own steering wheel. I feel like I've just walked into an art museum where somebody slapped a bunch of paint on the wall and calls it art. I'm thinking 'I can do that!", but the problem is he thought of it first, thus the glory and artist title.
I am curious how you got the steel to be centered up and down within the mold. Did it work because the banjos kept a bit of separation btween the mdf, thus centering the ring? How did you... oh holy geez I have a lot of questions about getting it right. I just have to go try my own, don't I.
That's what I did...bought a 1" tubular hoop [here on the HAMB] and used my old 40 Buick banjo wheel.....cut the old rim off, left the spokes long and just bent the ends of them up to meet the hoop...worked for me.
That's cool! I was thinking about making a solid metal hoop but I had a solid metal shift knob once and it's too cold around here for that.........I know , I know ....MEOW!
Great plan, great production. (I wondered how an ordinary guy could pour one of those things. Roy Richter had a guy pouring his Bell Auto Parts 4-spoke 17"s in the Forties! Thanks for turning the Idea Light on!) Truly brilliant, in its 'simplicity'...
Did you use stainless steel for the spokes? If not, then I assume you must plan on painting them. I don't think its necessary to make the outer ring from tubing--probably would work just as well with mild steel round rod 3/8" to 1/2" diameter.--Any comments???---Brian
Either tubing or rod work fine. You'll find either in steering wheels if you take them apart. Ford and others used stainless steel spokes in their banjo wheels for just that reason.
Ok I was wondering... would it be possible to cast a wheel with this stuff... http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=386 add some dye like this stuff... http://www.eagerplastics.com/7701.htm and add some flake like this stuff... http://www.rothmetalflake.com/trippin.html and make a bad ass steering wheel? the spoke options are infinite!
Yes! You're problem in making anything like this is going to be getting all the voids in your mold filled so that you don't have bubbles, and therefore chunks of your steering wheel missing. Not an issue if you're going to fill the mistakes and paint the wheel, but if showing the natural resin color and flakes, something to work out. I'm thinking perhaps cast 1 half, and jiggle out all bubbles, then pop it in the other half of the mold and do the same? You'd still have a seam to deal with, but you could ensure no bubbles or resin gaps.
I'm not sure you could flip one over until it almost hardens up. Maybe put the spokes in the first just halfway embedded, let it mostly cure and then flip the whole assembly over on top of the new 'wet' side? All depends on how new resin bonds to almost cured resin. How the heck did they do this in the '40s without all the high tech equipment? Edit: On a side note, does discussing how to do this differently qualify as a thread hijack?
Brian, the spokes are 3/16 stainless rod and the rim is 1/2 mild steel Crazyunclejack, I like the way you're thinking! One of the hurdles that I can see casting in clear resin is you see the center rim....I guess if you put in enough flake it wouldn't be an issue. I was thinking that there must be some way of injecting the catylized resin into the mould after it's bolted together. If you are able to slowly rotate the mould while the resin is curing it would keep the flakes suspended better so they don't settle out.
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