Searching for 125mmish cast iron handweels with 1″ bore

[pgrbffParticipant @pgrbff]

I have been trying to find a cast iron handwheel with a 1″ bore, approximately 5″ and no handle.

Looking online all the companies seem to offer the same list of handwheels and a 125mm usually has a 14 or 16mm bore.

It doesn’t have to be square finish.

[pgrbffParticipant @pgrbff]

I’ll probably need a bigger one too, 8″ ish.

[Martin of WickParticipant @martinofwick]

There are plenty of hand wheels available, but you will likely not find anything with an Imperial bore in the size you want. Why cant you drill or bore it out yourself? FE, AIM tools do a 5 in wheel for £7 and a 8 in for £11, but pilot bored only.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Most seem to be metric rather than imperial; if you have turning/boring facilities, maybe a sewing machine handwheel off an old Singer or similar.

Bill

[pgrbffParticipant @pgrbff]

The problem is that the centre hub of all the 5″ handwheels I have found is not wide enough to take a 1″ diameter hole.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

can the shaft/screw be reduced in dia at the end?

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

The ratio of bore-size to rim-size you are looking for won’t meet any kind of normal ‘standard’ handwheel dimensions – Are you in a position to fabricate something yourself – i.e. weld /shrink / epoxy a ‘rim’ onto a turned-down pulley hub or something?

Are you in the UK?

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

If you squint a bit, a lathe backplate looks a bit like a solid handwheel.

You might find a 125mm backplate with a 3/4″-16 thread in it, that would have enough meat on the boss to enlarge it to 1″.

Drill some holes and saw between them to form the spokes.

This one is an example, but if the thread on it is 1″, the register exceeds that value, so might not suit (but the register could be sleeved):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/372726165353

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I guess much will depend upon how much you can afford.
Provision for a handle, but not drilled
https://www.wdscomponents.com/en-gb/cast-iron-handwheel-dished-inch-130-12

 

Bill

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I did see some with a 34mm “large hub” but may still be a bit thin by the time you put a 25mm hole through it

[Grizzly bearParticipant @grizzlybear]

@pgrbff,

All you require is some imagination.

Good luck………..

[pgrbffParticipant @pgrbff]

Thank you all.

I’m a woodworker rather than a metalworker. The wheels are for two vises on a workbench I am building. The vise mechanics were purchased in the US but would have been too heavy for my wife and son to bring back in a suitcase if the 2 handwheels were included. It’s not easy to find a reliable accurate workshop to do small turning or milling jobs here. Back in Ireland, I had a neighbour with a mill and lathe. The cost of shipping and importing from the US would be far too high. As I will be visiting the UK in April I was hoping to find some and bring them back.

The only job I have had done here was to lap the back of some HSS planar knives to remove pitting, the sharpener left them damp and wrapped in newspaper, and that was appalling and expensive.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

What make is the US bench vice?
Are there any importers of US machinery to your country, as they might have a spare from a different machine which will fit

Not sure what size the bore is on these

DRECHSELMEISTER Volantino 125mm

Bill

[pgrbffParticipant @pgrbff]

It’s Hovarter, and there are no European suppliers as far as I know.  Benchcrafted, also American, do similar hardware, available in the UK and Germany, but to give you an idea of cost, if it were available, look here

[peak4Participant @peak4]

The Benchcrafted ones are internally threaded for an Acme screw by the looks of it, hence the price.
https://www.core77.com/posts/66117/Benchcrafteds-Moxon-Vise-A-17th-Century-Design-with-21st-Century-Design-Upgrades

By the looks of the design, they use cast iron and a thick rim because of the weight to allow for fast smooth tightening.

These seem to be the Hovarter large ones, which presumably have a plain blind bore, or at least a plain bore with a cap.
https://hovartercustomvise.com/product/large-hand-wheel-with-quick-release-pin-for-use-with-vx-20-leg-and-vx20f-face-vises

This brings me back to my original suggestion of a sewing machine handwheel, but with an inserted step up bush to provide the socket to go on the end of the screw thread, and also provide more finger clearance.
I measured my own Singer last night, the through hole is about 0.812″ and the outer diameter of the boss is 1.1″ The wheel is 4 ½” diameter.
Other machines may vary.
OK that’s not enough material to bore out, but plenty to allow a bush to be fitted with Loctite, which would also provide for the stand-off for a drive pin; it might even be pleasing to the eye.

e.g.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176812330894

Failing that, since weight is a requirement, rather than a disadvantage, maybe attach a drive flange/boss to a cast iron gym weight, some of which fit a standard 1″ bar.
Alternatively, bore them larger, and bond in some 1″ bore tubing.

There is an interesting Facebook page
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176812330894

Bill

[pgrbffParticipant @pgrbff]

The weight is a great advantage with traditional screw threads as it does speed up the operation.

The Hovarter works in a different way, so I’m not sure if weight is strictly necessary.

There is an awful lot of work that goes into building a woodworkers bench, the top alone is 4″ thick solid ash, so ultimately I would like something that looks the part.

If I was confident getting the shaft turned down to a smaller diameter here in Italy, WDS components have handwheels that should look the part.

I may just rig up a temporary handle until I can get the Hovarter parts at a reasonable cost.

[rjenkinsgbParticipant @rjenkinsgb]

These are 5″ with a 16mm thread – but the hub looks plenty big enough to stand being bored to 1″?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001211574091.html

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Question:  While 125mm is quoted, would 150mm items present a problem?  A few mm could be shaved off the rim, maybe?

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