Well last year I decided I needed an english wheel. I tube frame would not do, and I hate buying overseas stuff. I think I like using tools more when they look cool too, so a design was dreamed up. My buddy Wally wanted one too, so we both ended up having the bodies laser cut out of 3/8" cold rolled. They are a 48" diam. circle, with a 37" diam. circle offset in the center. There was four cuts programmed that designate the centerline. This made it easire to line up the two sides. I wanted my machine to be 6" thick. Might be overkill, but I really wanted it to look like an old cast machine. I had a guy plate roll some 3/8" x6" to the inside and outside diameter. Then I got it all tacked up and started welding. Im not sure how many feet of weld this is, but it was way to many for me to TIG weld, so I Mig welded it all, and then sanded the weld down to a rounded corner. I didnt take any pics from when I put the legs on, but they are heavy. It sat like this for awhile, while I waited on the anvils, and upper wheel I ordered from Hossier Profile. The lower adjuster is a copy of the Metal Ace design. Its a 5000lb trailer jack. The saddle for the anvil is attached to a 1x1" solid that slided up and down on a cam. This was made by Da Bomb here on the HAMB. This guy is great. He machined all the parts of a drawing I sent him, and I had them in a week!!! Finished product. I got motivated yeaterday, cut the opening, and mounted everthing up. I built an extension to the jack, and a kick wheel this morning, and snapped these pics. This thing is HEAVY....but it works great. No flex, and no movement. The upper wheel can unbolt and index 90 degrees, and the lower saddle can be turned 90 degrees since it slides in a 1x1" hole. This allows me the option the work metal the other direction if its a bigger piece.
Looks good, that's a unique frame design. You'll love your Hoosier upper wheel and anvils too, I've got a few sets of them over here and I've been very happy with them. We're all looking forward to seeing what you make with it. Ken
that looks like a well thought out and made unit, is there anything (in hindsight) that you'd have done different if you made another? Again, congrats, on my list of things to build... Cheers, Drewfus
Read about the english wheel in the newspaper rob...and nice work on the 'A' too. Was over I think a year or so ago at a HAMB/Vegabond get together there... and just thanks again for the hospitality and good time!