How to build a cart wheel?

[Graham w]

hi everyone. I fancy building a showmans wagon but how would you make wooden wheels?

i gather there is more than one type of wood used and will need metal bands to hold her together.

how would you go about it??

thanks in advance

[agg221]

hi everyone. I fancy building a showmans wagon but how would you make wooden wheels?

i gather there is more than one type of wood used and will need metal bands to hold her together.

how would you go about it??

thanks in advance

 

My recollection is that the hub is turned in elm, to stop it splitting, the turned spokes and fellows are in ash. I think the spokes are bored into the hub at a slight angle (ie the wheel is not made dead flat) and I think the fellowes are open morticed and pegged together.

 

The iron tyre is made as a hoop by measuring round the circumference of the fellowes and then there is a formula for how much shorter than this it should be (I have this in a book and can look it up if of interest). Traditionally, the tyre is fire-welded but you can obviously arc weld it. You then make a ring fire (burning wood) on the ground and heat the tyre in it until a dry stick smokes and feels greasy when rubbed on it. At this point, two people together pick up the tyre with a pair of tongs each on opposite sides and drop it over the wheel, knocking it level if necessary. The wheel will then creak a lot as the tyre shrinks, forming a dish and holding the fellowes tight together. You need the dish to go the right way, hence why the wheel isn't made dead flat as above.

 

Alec

[chris hennelly]

...look at George Sturt The Wheelwrights shop......wonderful book,i remember reading at school circa 1974!........been reprinted and on amazon for £15.......

[JLA Arborists]

Sounds like a good project. Good luck and hope there will be pics

[Goaty]

A chap near me in his 70s is doing this all the time for his enjoyment! I supply him with Ash for spokes and elm when I get it for hubs, he gets the oak for the outer circle wherever he can get from. He has Fred Dibnah style self made equipment for making spokes and the parts. Impressive, its a bygone era.

[ArthurBottlesworth]

There was fiirm in Oldham I think still doing this in late80's, certainly N Manchestet

Had to inspect vehicle there

Fascinating

[difflock]

PS

 

I recollect the need to rapidly quench the tyre iron after it is fitted!

[se7enthdevil]

spokes are often oak for it's compresive strength but the other timbers are right elm for the hub (but i've heard of hornbeam being used) and ash for the wheel rim.

 

 

i've always wanted to make one but never had an excuse.

[ArthurBottlesworth]

i've always wanted to make one but never had an excuse.

 

More useful if you make two!

[se7enthdevil]

i've always wanted to make one but never had an excuse.

 

More useful if you make two!

 

true