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Sho us yer homemade english wheel...

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Anchorboy46, Aug 29, 2008.

  1. Didja make an English wheel? Let's see dat bad boy...
     
  2. John_Kelly
    Joined: Feb 19, 2003
    Posts: 535

    John_Kelly
    Member

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  3. Stu D Baker
    Joined: Mar 4, 2005
    Posts: 2,755

    Stu D Baker
    Member
    from Illinois

  4. Hansa1100
    Joined: Jun 7, 2007
    Posts: 97

    Hansa1100
    Member
    from Norway

    This looks small and neat :)
    Does it limit the use much that it's closed on both sides? Or do you use it mainly for small patch panels?
     

  5. lehr
    Joined: May 13, 2004
    Posts: 602

    lehr
    Member

    I think John Kelly posted that e-wheel as a joke !
     
  6. Hansa1100
    Joined: Jun 7, 2007
    Posts: 97

    Hansa1100
    Member
    from Norway

    Not a very obvious joke then... ;)

    Looking to build a really small and really cheap benchtop wheel for my really, really tiny garage, like this in a tech from the RRT site... Just for small parts, obviously not a whole roof or such...

    http://www.roddingroundtable.com/tech/articles/12ewheel.html
     

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  7. sawzall
    Joined: Jul 15, 2002
    Posts: 4,721

    sawzall
    Member

    i dont think so.. I think that would be the perfect way to put a low crown in a very wide panel...
     
  8. John_Kelly
    Joined: Feb 19, 2003
    Posts: 535

    John_Kelly
    Member

    The rectangular e-wheel is no joke. It is much stiffer than any C shaped wheel that weighs twice as much. I can pick it up, yet it has full sized anvils and upper wheel. It has its limitations... I won't be doing any roof panels with it, but it is by far the easiest english wheel to make. I made it to take on a trip... a small metal shaping seminar that I put on in San Jose a few years ago. It is portable, but wheels like a full sized machine.

    John www.ghiaspecialties.com
     
    falcongeorge likes this.
  9. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,406

    alchemy
    Member

    John Kelly's example looks like a great new way of thinking around the flex problem, without using a ton of steel. Probably useful for at least 80% of the parts hot rodders make.
     
  10. mottsrods
    Joined: Jul 9, 2008
    Posts: 742

    mottsrods
    Member

    I think the one John Kelly built is trick. And to those who are new to "wheeling" and want to build one cheaply.... be aware of one like on the rodding round table... YES, it works, but you have to use lighter pressure and requires alot more passes or else it will "stripe" a piece of metal. The narrow gauge of the wheels themselves will leave runs in the metal, and will make you have to push and pull back down each side of the "stripe" until it is gone. And you will repeat this many times if you use too much pressure. Just to make it easier, build you a small one like that but adjust the size of it to accomodate the larger wheels. I have tried so many different types of wheels and have paid the piper..... and learned my lesson on what is best. Hope this helps....
    I have built one, sorry no pics, but it was perfect for what it was. It did start out with small wheels, and then went through many before it found a home with the Mitler Bros. wheels. I sold it to a buddy to buy a much larger one.... as they say, bigger is better......."that's what she said"
     
  11. Hansa1100
    Joined: Jun 7, 2007
    Posts: 97

    Hansa1100
    Member
    from Norway

    Nice tips there, the only problem is that the parts for building one yourself don't grow on trees over here. Saw a set of five lower wheels for the small price of US $ 2.000 once :eek:

    Guess I'll start searching for parts online :)
     
  12. beaulieu
    Joined: Mar 24, 2007
    Posts: 362

    beaulieu
    Member
    from So Cal

    John,
    did you use a machined wheel for the upper wheel or is it an industrial caster ?

    Beaulieu
     
  13. Bluto
    Joined: Feb 15, 2005
    Posts: 5,113

    Bluto
    Member Emeritus

    I made several wheels over the years. Then I found this and gave my old wheel to Jesse James

    Good wheel works faster. You have more control and can make bigger parts

    This cost $1800 I know that's too much money for a lot of you but honest it is best to use a good stout wheel.
     

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  14. atomickustom
    Joined: Aug 30, 2005
    Posts: 3,409

    atomickustom
    Member

    John's a genius at making tools that look funny but work great. Buy his DVD. I'm still smacking myself in the forehead and going "D'oh! A palm nailer!!" "Duh, a PURSE!!" etc.
     
  15. JESSEJAMES
    Joined: Aug 15, 2006
    Posts: 339

    JESSEJAMES
    Member

    Name Dropping Old fart!





    good times!!
    [​IMG]


     
  16. tinmann
    Joined: Nov 11, 2005
    Posts: 1,588

    tinmann
    Member

    Here's mine..... total $$ investment= $100
    [​IMG]
     
  17. unkamort
    Joined: Sep 8, 2006
    Posts: 1,014

    unkamort
    Member

    I wonder... would there be any advantage/disadvantage to mount the wheels on your unit to 'sliders' that could be moved to either side off center? It would give you the capability to run longer pieces on the edge. It's an interesting set up that looks like a lot of guys could manage.

    Edit... this was in responce to John Kellys square frame unit
     
  18. LOWLIDX50
    Joined: Oct 27, 2005
    Posts: 214

    LOWLIDX50
    Member

    This is what I built a few years ago for less than 100 dollars.First I picked up a couple wheels I saw at the local scrap yard (about $7).I then bought a heavy duty trailer jack (about $40). The 4x4 steel was a freebee and the lower anvils are floor jack wheels a couple I shaped with a grinder and the others Pool turned on his lathe for me.It does pretty good for me building patches or anything with a compound curve....Lowlidx50


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]
     
  19. gahi
    Joined: Jun 29, 2005
    Posts: 731

    gahi
    Member
    from Moab, UT


    Where do you come across something like this? All I ever see are the kind made of tube. Or did you make it?
     
  20. punkabilly1306
    Joined: Aug 22, 2005
    Posts: 2,655

    punkabilly1306
    Member
    from ohio

    how do you get the lower portion to raise and lower?
     
  21. John_Kelly
    Joined: Feb 19, 2003
    Posts: 535

    John_Kelly
    Member

    Hi Beaulieu,

    I bought the bargain upper wheel (a very hard cast iron) from Kerry Pinkerton at:

    www.wheelingmachines.com

    I have since replaced it with another machined wheel I got second hand which is a little harder so it resists marking under heavier pressure.

    The anvils came from www.metalcrafttools.com about 15 years ago.

    John www.ghiaspecialties.com
     
  22. Bluto
    Joined: Feb 15, 2005
    Posts: 5,113

    Bluto
    Member Emeritus

    I bought it in Holland

    That's an old shot there is a screw in the bottom now
     
  23. Dyce
    Joined: Sep 12, 2006
    Posts: 1,973

    Dyce
    Member

    This is the girst one I made. It's a lower adjuster. I wasn't happy with the design of the lower adjuster (had slop) so I made anouther one and just use this with a rubber top wheel for forming.
    [​IMG]
    The second wheel I built is bigger. It has a 36" throat. It's a heavy sucker. I used a truck yoke (dumpster at work, like new warranty item) for the adjuster.
    [​IMG]
    Shop was a mess:eek:
    [​IMG]
    Stiffer the frame the better. Unless you use full raduis anvils. Then you can get away with flex. Mine have contact flats so you want no flex.
    Jeff
     
  24. beatamax
    Joined: Jan 31, 2009
    Posts: 1

    beatamax
    Member

    <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5Csteve%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> Hi all sorry if this is a dumb question but is the hardness of the anvils a real necessity surely they just need to be harder than the metal your working!
     
  25. tdoty
    Joined: Jun 21, 2006
    Posts: 821

    tdoty
    Member

    I have anvils made from good old 1018 cold rolled steel. It isn't a problem. I think a lot of the hype about anvils needing to be hardened is to try to get you to spend twice the price for hardened wheels. Now, if you are going to be rolling over welds, then, yeah, you need hardened anvils to keep from tearing them up.

    Same works for the upper wheel. However, a hard 4140 upper will hold a better finish (and transfer that smooth finish to your panel) better than a soft one.

    I don't have a pic of my wheel handy, but it's definitely an oddball; 20" throat, frame made from 1x3" 16ga tubing laminated into a 3x5" section, lower adjuster, HF 8x2" upper wheel and a $300 set of Hoosier Pattern 3x2" anvils. Total investment? About $350. Without the wheels, I got about 10 bucks in it.

    Tim D.
     
  26. 48stude
    Joined: Jul 31, 2004
    Posts: 1,314

    48stude
    Member

    Here is a pic of my homemade wheel. Bill
     

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  27. John_Kelly
    Joined: Feb 19, 2003
    Posts: 535

    John_Kelly
    Member

    Here is the first e-wheel I made. I used the overhead glu-lam beam in my old shop to act as the frame. Steel tube sprouted from the concrete floor for a very deep throat e-wheel. You could hear the place creaking a little bit under high pressure as I used the weight of the house to stretch metal.

    John www.ghiaspecialties.com
     

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  28. blazerlow
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 3

    blazerlow
    Member

    I'm gonna give this thread a bump. This is the wheel my Dad and I just finished. He is a retired machinist so he made a few of the pieces like the lower anvil yoke, it was made of stainless and is adjustable.

    [​IMG]



    I decided to make a box for the extra 3x3 anvil wheels. I lined it with tool box rubber mat material. I used my bead roller to give the lid some character.
    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]



    Here is the lower anvil yoke made out of stainless.
    [​IMG]

    *edit* It has a 46" throat from the center of the wheels, stands 7' 9" and weighs aprox. 400lbs.
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2009
  29. BarryA
    Joined: Apr 22, 2007
    Posts: 643

    BarryA
    Member

    Here's one of mine. Made from flame cut plate, all the edges welded & filed to radius. I have since modified it to accept a 6" wide upper wheel.
    [​IMG]
     

    Attached Files:

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