Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I made my wheel, well front wheel for my penny, the home made one. I made it with little more than a mig welder, grinder, bench grinder and brute force.

I would love to now try and make some more refined wheels, spoked in a much more slender way, and with hubs made on the lathe. Still make them with angle, instead of the collapsed tube which makes hollow section, as I think the v section is more fun, being the original or early way and much less dangerous/difficult than the hollow rim type. I was thinking the spokes could be made from Bright, to retain a nice look, the rim would still be black, for ease of bending.

What are peoples thoughts, how would people go about making one, I have an idea I am going to try, but other ideas to think about would be great!

This time I think I would limit myself to just under a meter in diameter, just for ease, and material costs! You would be amazed how much material the spokes add up to!

Cheers

Dave

[Greeney in France]

Some great sage wrote;
"Our only limitations are our own perceptions of our own abilities"
_________________
www.OldFrenchCars.com

We do these things not to escape life but to prevent life escaping us

[ukdave2002]

I have no idea how they would have been made originally!!! could they have been spun? if so you would need a fair old swing over bed for a meter diameter

[the fly]

Hello Buzzy i know very little about PFs only work that i ever did on one was to restore a rudge front wheel the rim was ok apart from a small section about 7 inches long i made a replacement section from sheet metal and gas welded it in good enough for pedal power.would not fancy making a complete rim . The spokes were threaded into the hub and mostly needed driling out . I made a simple die to form the heads and cut the threads as i have no spoke thread rollers and retapped the hub . All in all about a month of evenings and weekends. Good luck with your project Regards The Fly

[buzzy bee]

The Fly

Hi

Very interesting! I am planning on making spokes in a similar way, as have no specialist tool, first job for me is to plan a simple hub, that won't cost the earth in steel and that won't be too heavy, but will be strong, then I can either turn it, or get one of my friends to turn it as a project for them.

This hub you say had threaded spokes, do you know if many cycles have them, the ones I have do not have threaded spokes bar the PF, but that has the cranks as one piece, so that is out of my capabilities! Be interesting to just see some pics, to help me in the design to make etc.

Have designed the tool to make to make the spoke heads, and that will also be used to hold the spokes for threading. What gauge were the spokes you did, I am planning on using similar to the PF, just easy to get hold of in bright, yet to be measured.

Cheers

Dave

[the fly]

Hello BB i dont remember if i bothered about spoke guage the metal that i used came via a friend who worked in the paper making industry as far as i can recall i threaded them 4ba and trashed 3 dies in so doing. If you are not to bothered about authentisety you could use normal spoke nipples at the rim end the spokes that i made tended to wind up like mini torsion bars and it was some trauma truing that lot up.As for the hub a suggestion turn up a pair of flanges a la boot polish tin lids but with flanges at an angle to face into rim centre drill to take spoke heads.Holes could be diveded using a lathe change wheel with the correct number of teeth. Then bronze weld onto the shaft.please excuse an old mans ramblings . Regards The Fly.

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I like your ramblings, keep them coming!

I can give you a young mans ramblings if you want, according to certain people I am quite good at it!

He he

I will give you my next set of ideas later, Just going ice skating

Cheers

Dave

[the fly]

Sounds good to me i have been walking on thin ice for most of my life T F .

[the fly]

B B A bit of gen from my brotherinlaw there is an article on a home made p.f in the model engineer magazine.

available from Argus publications
specialist publications
volume 168 no 3919
17 to 30th of april 1992
Ihope this of intrest as it covers making the wheel and more .Regards.TF

[buzzy bee]

Hi

Cheers I will look that up.

At work at the minute, will write more later.

Cheers

Dave

[buzzy bee]

Hi

Right back home now!

I did hear of a magazine on a PF build, but could not remember which it was, will now search for it, and keep my eye open.

Been deciding what to do first on the wheel front, hub or rim. I think I will try to make the rim first, I mean I may find something to cold bend the angle round, if not I will roll some flat, and weld it to the bench one weekend, cold bend 3 or 4 rims, then I have a good chance!

The hub will have to be designed, then see if I can get on the lathes.

I think this will have to go on hold for a week or two, as I have things on for the next couple of weekends, although I supose I could do an evening or two!

I will try to keep you updated, off to look for the magazine on the penny now!

Cheers

Dave