50. Making Heavy Wheels.—In turning heavier wheels that are to be used for coasters, kiddie cars, etc., the work is done with the head stock only, the wood being supported by the screw-center chuck or face plate.
In turning the wheel the first step is the scraping cut as shown in Fig. 24. This cut is properly made with the concave chisel held in such a position as to give a light scraping cut. Care should be exercised not to allow the chisel to extend too deeply, otherwise the material will chip with the grain.
After the desired circumference has been obtained the surface should be worked to the desired form as shown in Fig. 25. This is accomplished by using the lathe rest, set at right angles with the bed or parallel with the face plate. The illustration in Fig. 26 shows the use of the dividers in marking off the position of the various corrugations in the wheel that is being turned. The sanding should be done while the wheel is in the lathe. Use first a fairly course grade of sand paper and afterwards a fine grade, No. O or OO.
51. Designs for Wheels.—Suggestions for wooden toy wheels are shown in Fig. 27. Those numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are plain wooden wheels varying in design only. No. 8 and 9 are re-enforced with zinc and large iron washers. No. 10 shows a segment of an iron pipe fitted in the center of the wheel to prevent wearing away of material. No. 11 shows a spoke wheel. The spokes are made of dowel rods; these fitting into a hub that can easily be turned out on the lathe. No. 13 shows a wheel built in segments which is then cut out on the band saw to resemble a standard spoke wheel. The rim is 1/8" steel, fastened to spokes with very small rivets.
Fig. 24. Making heavy wheels. The scraping cut
52. Cutting Wheels on Band-Saw.—A circle of the required size wheel may be marked off on the wood with a compass, then cut in the outline on the band-saw. This method will leave square corners and will be more or less out of truth with the center of the wheel. To true up and smooth the outside of the wheel the lathe attachment as shown in Fig. 28 can be easily prepared. This attachment consists of a block A fastened to the lathe bed with a single bolt, and a stop B fastened to the upper face of the block A. The carriage C is a loose piece the same thickness as the stop B and is provided with a dowel rod to fit the central hole in the wheel. This dowel rod is so located that when the edge of the carriage C is tight against the edge of the stop D, the distance from the center of the dowel rod to the face of the abrasive material on the disk, will be equal to the radius of the finished wheel.
The wood is cut out on the band saw a scant 1/16" over-size in diameter, and is then placed on the dowel rod in the carriage C which is held flat on block A while the edge of the blank is brought in contact with the grinding disc face by pushing the carriage forward with the left hand while the blank is slowly revolved with the right. This grinding is continued until the edges of stop B and carriage C will remain in contact during a complete revolution of the wheel blank. During this grinding process, the carriage should be moved back and forth from the edge to the center of the grinding disc so that the wear on the abrasive material may be equalized.
Fig. 25. Smoothing the side of wheels
