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Scale Wire Wheels!


Yad'

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Hello all................

Here's a post I made on another board - it was suggested that I might post it here too, so here you go....................

I built a little MG-TC some while ago now and an interest has been shown in the reproduction of the wire wheels.

rather than a long and involved tutorial what I've done is to put together a more concise "Pictorial".

The pic's are in a seqence and should make a readable instruction of sorts - at least it should point you in a direction at which to aim?

Here you go then...................... 9 pic's..............

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Any questions or clarification - please sing out. I'd be happy to answer if I possibly can.

all the best for now.................... Andi

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Andi, bore us with the details!! :lol: How'd you attach the wires to the hub, or are they sandwiched in with the backside of the wheel? Are you looping the wires around the pegs? It's hard to see from the pics.

Just the same, I'm gonna copy and save this thread as this'll come in handy for other type wheels, Borranis, Daytons, offset and no offset. :lol:

Those wires look FANTASTIC on your MG!

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Hi Bill...............

I'm being a bit lazy, but here's the answer I provided for pretty much the same question I was asked elsewhere.

And yes, I've played with the technique and it does lend itself to quite a few applications. This particular lacing is prototypical to the MG so the pegs are spaced as-per, simply wrap around the peg - through the lacing - out and around the peg - back in to automatically line up with the next point of entry for the spacing. But the idea doesn't take much altering to fit any number of differing formats. Having said that nowadays I tend to build on a purely recreational level and so long as it carries the look - I can live with it.

Here you go with the quote............. shout up if you have any further queries?

You won't find anything too hi-tech amongst my techniques so don't worry. I seem to have this "thing" for working out the simplist means of achieving the maximum effect!!

The wires themselves are made from a monofilimant as you suspect, in this instance its a haberdashery product called "invisble thread", I found it in the sewing box - she who must be obeyed was pretty good about it!!?

Regards the fixing of the "wires" if you check out pic #4, you'll see that a groove has been turned into it on the face of the brake drum and before the axle housing. The rear [flat] inner wires sit in this groove and are not fixed so the Drum is able to "float". The outer rim is then cyano'd over the top of the wires, and then the "floating drum can be centred within it - fixing with a drop of cyano' when you're happy.

The outer [dished] wires are threaded under the rim and over the top of the axle housing [the two pieces of ally' tube] as it cranks around the axle tubes the tension holds it on top ,the next peice trapping it. I had a couple of almighty failures initially by using too much tension but then slacked it back a touch and cyano'd the assembly periodically to stop it all unravelling.

Once you're happy with it all I flooded the face of the rear rim with liquid cement till the face softened, this was then placed against its front counterpart and clamped causing the wires to sink into the rear face negating any gaps [in fact filling a few] at the mating point. Again once happy I cyan'd around the outside of the rim where the surplus wire protruded, then clipped them flush once dry.

The whole procedure is much easier than it sounds and results in a very strong assembly.

Hope this helps rather than hinders?

..............Andi

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Those wheels are spectacular Andi, and your tutorial is one of the best I've ever seen. As you know, I'm doing a TC myself right now, so there is some incentive for me to try your method. I'll keep you posted ( or ask for more help! LOL)

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  • 5 years later...

I would like to build one of those rigging tools, could you give the dimensions, where did you get those pins?

Seeing as how the last time he posted anything on this forum was in April of 2008, more than 4 1/2 years ago, I doubt you're going to get an answer.

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  • 2 months later...

I thought this would be a very nice thing to print in 3D. A helpful tool. Unfortunately, pricing is based upon the cost per cm³ and it has to be strong and functional. So it ended up being a little, OK twice as much as I thought. Basically $40 for the price they are charging for WSF. Obviously that will go down, but, today $40 ($1.50 design fee to me and so I can track if someone orders one) I went thought the exercise, so, I am leaving it up on Shapeways.

http://www.shapeways.com/model/865746/wheel_tool_48_spoke.html?key=3c2a1b6b3feb4a587dfe24225486094d

I sprued the inner and outer pieces together and they will have to be x-acto'ed apart. The inner and outer face have exactly the same radius as I am assuming that a tight fit will be needed, so, some sanding for an exact fit my also be needed. I have no idea what the nail diameter for the center of the inner piece needs to be as I am sure that varies with the model wheel being used, so, I left a 2mm diameter hole

post-11233-0-67115800-1358022999_thumb.j

post-11233-0-22483200-1358023009_thumb.j

post-11233-0-10597700-1358023020_thumb.j

post-11233-0-95868500-1358023030_thumb.j

Edited by NormL
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No prob. I was just so impressed by what he did. He didn't leave any dimensions, so, I kind of guessed at the holder he was using. I made the overall 6" with a 3" main hole and 1mm thick and of course 48 pins 2mm in diameter spaced at exactly 7.5°. 1.5mm pins may have been strong enough, but, I wasn't comfortable at that size. If you always tie off the same side of the pin, the pin width does not matter anyway.

Edited by NormL
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  • 2 months later...

I would suggest using 28 to 36gage wire (commonly used in electronics or small motor armature windings) for the wire wheels instead of thread or fishing line. you can also experiment with larger gages of wire to see what works best for your wheel projects.

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I would suggest using 28 to 36gage wire (commonly used in electronics or small motor armature windings) for the wire wheels instead of thread or fishing line. you can also experiment with larger gages of wire to see what works best for your wheel projects.

This was a mockup i plan on using the invisible sewing thread as my wheels might have more than 36 spokes

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