Forming Wire Wheel Rims

[GaspodeParticipant @gaspode]

I’m thinking of making some 72-spoke wire wheels for a model car, they will be in 1/4 scale. The prototypes are 15″ dia with 5″ rims, so the model rims will be 1.25 wide.

 

I’m thinkng that I ned to make some kind of rolling device that will form the necessary profile into a strip of brass sheet and put a curl into it so I can solder the ends together, but beyond a vague notion of sets of shaped rollers I haven’t got much of an idea how this should be done.

 

All advice gratefully received…

[GaspodeParticipant @gaspode]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I think I would be temted to turn them from solid, something like the hollow cast bearing bronze as you won’t be paying for the waste in the middle.

 

Another option may be spinning use a piece of brass tube and spin it over a former shaped like the rim

 

Making shaped bending rolls and trying to get a good joint on something 3 3/4″ dia will not be easy as you can seldom roll right to the ends of the hoop

 

J

[Sean CullenParticipant @seancullen60833]

The best source of inspriation for this type of job is Gerald Wingrove, if you do not have his boooks then they are well worth betting, especially The Complete Car Modeller. Borrow it from the library at the very least. I have checked my copy and his method is to turn rims from thick brass tube, the book gives a good diagram of his method of tuning the rims and hubs. He also gives clear advice on threading wire wheels

 

Sean

Edited By Sean Cullen on 28/06/2011 19:51:23

[Keith Wardill 1Participant @keithwardill1]

Hi, Tim,

 

I posted a picture of some spoked wheels I made for a model (bottom of home page – sorry they are not in this post – I never could be bothered to work out how to do it in this forum).

They have turned stainless rims (using thickwalled tube) and hubs. The spokes are ‘laced’ using stainless steel wire (hard work!).

 

I have also made some other spoked wheels using a cast aluminium rim, subsequently turned to shape. These were somewhat easier to turn than the ones in the photo.

 

There is an exhaustive description of making spoked wheels in ME vol 4249 10-23 June 2005) by Stephen Atkinson, as part of his series on building a scale model 1946 MG TC.

 

In my opinion, you will have your work cut out to make rolled metal rims.

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

Try googling Gerald.

He has a good website.

If you get stuck I can probably find the URL.

regards david

 

[GaspodeParticipant @gaspode]

Thanks all. Yes, I am familiar with Gerald Wingrove and his method of making wheels, but I was hoping to use the same technique as the originals. I guess it’s a bit ambitious to think it might be practical.

 

So, does anyone know a good source of thick-wall Aluminium tube, say 4″OD with a wall thickness of 1/2 inch or so? The prototype rims are quite deep, but I suppose I could make them from 2 concentric rings glued together?

 

Tim

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

If you stayed with teh brass you were originally thinking of then as I said 4″ OD x 3″ ID bronze is readily available from several of the me suppliers, or do as I recently dis when I wanted a 3 1/8″ ring, I bent a bit of square stock over a former (scrap bar) and then silversoldered it into a ring and machined that to the required profile.

 

J

 

Edit, M Machine do 3/8″ wall alloy tube

 

http://www.m-machine-metals.co.uk/New%20Catalogue%20May2011.pdf

Edited By JasonB on 30/06/2011 21:05:54

[GaspodeParticipant @gaspode]

Thanks Jason, very helpful.

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