Project Wheelie

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OK this is not strictly model engineering but it's still quite small scale and the principles are the same so may be of interest to some here.

My machines are presently installed in my mate Denis's workshop as I had to move out of mine. - Quite a few people offered storage for me until I get a new place sorted in garages, steel containers etc. but I figured they would be kept in best condition in an oily working environment rather than a damp garage or a container full of condensation. ........... Plus I can still use them and have access to all his other machines. (90% of which I have no idea how to use)

Anyway. He has half a dozen static engines that he bought years ago and never done anything with. One of them is a Wolseley that a previous owner had put plastic wheels onto the trolley of. He had bought 4 cast iron billets years ago to make 4 new wheels with but never got around to making them. ........ I said I would.

On strip down it became evident that new axles would also be needed.

The cast iron stock. - Amazing that although they have been dumped on the floor or the workshop for years they show no signs of rust. I don't know where he got the stock from but they must have a very good saw as they were incredibly square and only varied in length 3 thou between the 4 of them.!

Into my little Boxford.

Faced off 8 sides.

Machined a recess into them - Well I have actually only done one so far.!

Drilled and reamed to 1"

The bored I will make a bearing for to take a 3/4" axle. Probably no bearing on the original but using one will not do any harm and is good practice for me to make. The originals would also probably have had a deeper recess and even possibly also have had holes. But these ones ain't going to do.!

Nick

to be continued ............

That iron looks like nice stuff to machine. Unlike some of the crap that's about nowadays.

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Yes it is nice stuff.

I like machining cast iron while others hate it as it can be such a dirty material to work with.

Others will know far more than me but I have found that a good sharp tool and getting stuck into it with a decent depth cut so that it makes chips and not dust gets rid of the mess issue considerably.

Nick

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Made a 1" mandrel so that I could remount the wheels and get a full pass on the outside. A 16mm thread was cut to hold the wheels secure.

All 4 wheels were turned to 5" diameter.

Edited By Nick_G on 26/07/2017 16:51:15

Drill a little hole into the centre shoulder so that you can oil the wheels, I restore and show Stationary Engines, because experience has shown that moisture gets between the axle and wheel and they seize with rust over winter making it difficult to move the engine.

Martin P