When we got back from lunch today, my son said "we're going out to the shop
right now, so I can finish my train! Come on!"
Well, I'd say I've gotten the boy hooked. :) :) :)
He likes wooden train stuff. He has sort of out-grown playing with it as
much as he used to, but now it's taking on a whole new dimension because he
can make rolling stock (with a little help from Dad...)
We've done some cool stuff, but our wheels suck. They're made from plywood
cut with a Sears flycutter, and they're rather rough and clunky. The
flycutter is no special joy to use either, and I sure would like to come up
with a better way.
I've thought about using hole saws, but my experience is that they make
pretty rough, ugly cuts too, and it's difficult to get the cut-off material
back out of them without mangling it.
I can envision a few different ways to cut these on a table saw, bandsaw, or
maybe a scroll saw if I had one. I could maybe even rig something up with
a jigsaw held in a vise, but anything I'm picturing would be far more
suitable for doing much larger discs. With pieces this small, it would be
difficult to control the work and keep fingers safely away.
Maybe try some drill press turnings? I've been doing those for the
smokestacks, sand humps and whatnot. Actually, that has given me quite a
taste for turning, and I see a lathe in my future. How could I turn a weel
though? Seems difficult, though I've seen plenty of fancy wooden wheels
that must have been turned.
Hmmm.... Maybe I could buy dowels, and then slice them up. That might be a
plan. Or turn square stock into dowels and slice them up. I've seen ideas
for several ways to do that consistently.
Any other ideas? Surely somebody out there is a wooden toy maker.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17590 Approximate word count: 527700
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
If you just have to make them, turning might be the way, perhaps with a
"ring tool". The few I have needed, I have just bought. Crafts stores
carry them and here is a Rockler link. It is a long link so watch for
line wrapping.
http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/showdetl.cfm?offerings_id=1538&objectgroup_id=2&catid=74&DID=6
Silvan wrote:
> When we got back from lunch today, my son said "we're going out to the shop
> right now, so I can finish my train! Come on!"
>
> Well, I'd say I've gotten the boy hooked. :) :) :)
>
> He likes wooden train stuff. He has sort of out-grown playing with it as
> much as he used to, but now it's taking on a whole new dimension because he
> can make rolling stock (with a little help from Dad...)
>
> We've done some cool stuff, but our wheels suck. They're made from plywood
> cut with a Sears flycutter, and they're rather rough and clunky. The
> flycutter is no special joy to use either, and I sure would like to come up
> with a better way.
>
> I've thought about using hole saws, but my experience is that they make
> pretty rough, ugly cuts too, and it's difficult to get the cut-off material
> back out of them without mangling it.
>
> I can envision a few different ways to cut these on a table saw, bandsaw, or
> maybe a scroll saw if I had one. I could maybe even rig something up with
> a jigsaw held in a vise, but anything I'm picturing would be far more
> suitable for doing much larger discs. With pieces this small, it would be
> difficult to control the work and keep fingers safely away.
>
> Maybe try some drill press turnings? I've been doing those for the
> smokestacks, sand humps and whatnot. Actually, that has given me quite a
> taste for turning, and I see a lathe in my future. How could I turn a weel
> though? Seems difficult, though I've seen plenty of fancy wooden wheels
> that must have been turned.
>
> Hmmm.... Maybe I could buy dowels, and then slice them up. That might be a
> plan. Or turn square stock into dowels and slice them up. I've seen ideas
> for several ways to do that consistently.
>
> Any other ideas? Surely somebody out there is a wooden toy maker.
>
--
---
BRuce
Silvan wrote:
>
> We've done some cool stuff, but our wheels suck. They're made from plywood
> cut with a Sears flycutter, and they're rather rough and clunky. The
> flycutter is no special joy to use either, and I sure would like to come up
> with a better way.
I have the same flycutter and use it constantly. Hone the spur at the least
sign of dullness and it'll cut glass smooth. A bit of paraffin also helps.
Always wondered if the slugs could be used for electric guitar knobs.
Silvan:
OK, this is going to sound like blasphemy to some, but after trying several ways
to make wheels (all of which were successful, but just too time consuming) I
just buy them in bags of a hundred or five hundred now.... They come in a bunch
of sizes, and you just can't make them for anywhere near the cost you can buy
them. They are more expensive if you go to the local craft shop and buy a
package of 4 or 8, but still, it's hard to beat. You can use ordinary dowels
for the axles (and glue the dowels to the holes in the wheels) or you can buy
axle pegs, and glue the pegs to holes in the body of the car you are making.
Axle pegs are slightly undersize for the holes in the wheels, and tend to look
pretty good too. A bonus is that wheels are available in a rounded style or a
flat, treaded style. (Most hobby shops only stock the rounded cross section).
The "treaded" style looks particularly good on trucks. The rounded style looks
good on most automotive and train cars.
Before I quit making them, I got really good at making them from pine using a
holesaw, belt sander and router. If you insist on using this method, use a
sharp holesaw (they're good for a hundred or two wheels or so before they get
dull) and cut halfway through. Flip the board over and cut the wheel free from
the other side. Grab the wheel (that is now sticking halfway out of the
holesaw) with a pair of "channel lock" pliers and "unscrew" it from the pilot
bit. A quick touch on the belt sander takes care of any rib down the center of
the wheel. Next, on to the router, where I routed a smooth edge on the wheels.
Set up the router in a router table, with a 1/4 inch quarter round bit (with
ball bearing pilot) and a guard around the bit that has a cutout slightly larger
diameter than the wheel, and about half of the circumference of the wheel
"covered" such that you can slide the wheel into the half round guide/guard and
rotate the wheel without danger of getting your fingers near the bit. I used a
cover made of plexiglass over about half of the "opening" so it was pretty
difficult to get your fingers into the bit unless you stuck them in without a
wheel in place. Rotate the wheel against the rotation of the router bit a
little over one full turn, flip over and repeat. It makes for a decent looking,
but plain wheel, and without much danger of nipping fingers. Of course, once
you've made a couple of hundred wheels of any size this way, if you have a
choice you will buy them next time, unless you are just plain stubborn about
making it all yourself.
If you are making steam engines, you will need to drill holes all the way
through the body and glue wheels to dowel axles if you want to have a link
between the two (or more) drivers on each side. The trick to getting them to
work is to put the driver link on one side with the driver link towards the
bottom of the two drivers, and on the opposite side near the center line of the
two drivers. (you want them 90 degrees "out of phase" so as the driver link on
one side nears the center line of the wheels, the link on the other side will be
at either the top or bottom of it's arc, thereby preventing the wheels from
turning in opposite directions. (if the links are in exactly the same locations
on both sides, as the links come to the same horizontal plane as the axles, it
is possible to turn the wheels in opposite directions for a few degrees, thereby
locking both axles...) It's easier to demonstrate or draw than it is to
explain, I suppose.
Good Luck
--Rick
Silvan wrote:
> When we got back from lunch today, my son said "we're going out to the shop
> right now, so I can finish my train! Come on!"
>
> Well, I'd say I've gotten the boy hooked. :) :) :)
>
> He likes wooden train stuff. He has sort of out-grown playing with it as
> much as he used to, but now it's taking on a whole new dimension because he
> can make rolling stock (with a little help from Dad...)
>
> We've done some cool stuff, but our wheels suck. They're made from plywood
> cut with a Sears flycutter, and they're rather rough and clunky. The
> flycutter is no special joy to use either, and I sure would like to come up
> with a better way.
>
> I've thought about using hole saws, but my experience is that they make
> pretty rough, ugly cuts too, and it's difficult to get the cut-off material
> back out of them without mangling it.
>
> I can envision a few different ways to cut these on a table saw, bandsaw, or
> maybe a scroll saw if I had one. I could maybe even rig something up with
> a jigsaw held in a vise, but anything I'm picturing would be far more
> suitable for doing much larger discs. With pieces this small, it would be
> difficult to control the work and keep fingers safely away.
>
> Maybe try some drill press turnings? I've been doing those for the
> smokestacks, sand humps and whatnot. Actually, that has given me quite a
> taste for turning, and I see a lathe in my future. How could I turn a weel
> though? Seems difficult, though I've seen plenty of fancy wooden wheels
> that must have been turned.
>
> Hmmm.... Maybe I could buy dowels, and then slice them up. That might be a
> plan. Or turn square stock into dowels and slice them up. I've seen ideas
> for several ways to do that consistently.
>
> Any other ideas? Surely somebody out there is a wooden toy maker.
>
> --
> Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
> Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
> Confirmed post number: 17590 Approximate word count: 527700
> http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
I also buy wheels. Don't own a lathe and consider it the only machine
too dangerous to have in the shop. Might be because I haven't used one.
I've found decent prices buying them in bulk at Howee's online. Not sure
of the URL and I'm not an interested party other than suggesting a place
that provides decent service with decent prices.
Thomas
Rick Frazier wrote:
> Silvan:
>
> OK, this is going to sound like blasphemy to some, but after trying several ways
> to make wheels (all of which were successful, but just too time consuming) I
> just buy them in bags of a hundred or five hundred now.... They come in a bunch
> of sizes, and you just can't make them for anywhere near the cost you can buy
> them. They are more expensive if you go to the local craft shop and buy a
> package of 4 or 8, but still, it's hard to beat. You can use ordinary dowels
> for the axles (and glue the dowels to the holes in the wheels) or you can buy
> axle pegs, and glue the pegs to holes in the body of the car you are making.
> Axle pegs are slightly undersize for the holes in the wheels, and tend to look
> pretty good too. A bonus is that wheels are available in a rounded style or a
> flat, treaded style. (Most hobby shops only stock the rounded cross section).
> The "treaded" style looks particularly good on trucks. The rounded style looks
> good on most automotive and train cars.
>
> Before I quit making them, I got really good at making them from pine using a
> holesaw, belt sander and router. If you insist on using this method, use a
> sharp holesaw (they're good for a hundred or two wheels or so before they get
> dull) and cut halfway through. Flip the board over and cut the wheel free from
> the other side. Grab the wheel (that is now sticking halfway out of the
> holesaw) with a pair of "channel lock" pliers and "unscrew" it from the pilot
> bit. A quick touch on the belt sander takes care of any rib down the center of
> the wheel. Next, on to the router, where I routed a smooth edge on the wheels.
> Set up the router in a router table, with a 1/4 inch quarter round bit (with
> ball bearing pilot) and a guard around the bit that has a cutout slightly larger
> diameter than the wheel, and about half of the circumference of the wheel
> "covered" such that you can slide the wheel into the half round guide/guard and
> rotate the wheel without danger of getting your fingers near the bit. I used a
> cover made of plexiglass over about half of the "opening" so it was pretty
> difficult to get your fingers into the bit unless you stuck them in without a
> wheel in place. Rotate the wheel against the rotation of the router bit a
> little over one full turn, flip over and repeat. It makes for a decent looking,
> but plain wheel, and without much danger of nipping fingers. Of course, once
> you've made a couple of hundred wheels of any size this way, if you have a
> choice you will buy them next time, unless you are just plain stubborn about
> making it all yourself.
>
> If you are making steam engines, you will need to drill holes all the way
> through the body and glue wheels to dowel axles if you want to have a link
> between the two (or more) drivers on each side. The trick to getting them to
> work is to put the driver link on one side with the driver link towards the
> bottom of the two drivers, and on the opposite side near the center line of the
> two drivers. (you want them 90 degrees "out of phase" so as the driver link on
> one side nears the center line of the wheels, the link on the other side will be
> at either the top or bottom of it's arc, thereby preventing the wheels from
> turning in opposite directions. (if the links are in exactly the same locations
> on both sides, as the links come to the same horizontal plane as the axles, it
> is possible to turn the wheels in opposite directions for a few degrees, thereby
> locking both axles...) It's easier to demonstrate or draw than it is to
> explain, I suppose.
>
> Good Luck
> --Rick
>
> Silvan wrote:
>
>
>>When we got back from lunch today, my son said "we're going out to the shop
>>right now, so I can finish my train! Come on!"
>>
>>Well, I'd say I've gotten the boy hooked. :) :) :)
>>
>>He likes wooden train stuff. He has sort of out-grown playing with it as
>>much as he used to, but now it's taking on a whole new dimension because he
>>can make rolling stock (with a little help from Dad...)
>>
>>We've done some cool stuff, but our wheels suck. They're made from plywood
>>cut with a Sears flycutter, and they're rather rough and clunky. The
>>flycutter is no special joy to use either, and I sure would like to come up
>>with a better way.
>>
>>I've thought about using hole saws, but my experience is that they make
>>pretty rough, ugly cuts too, and it's difficult to get the cut-off material
>>back out of them without mangling it.
>>
>>I can envision a few different ways to cut these on a table saw, bandsaw, or
>>maybe a scroll saw if I had one. I could maybe even rig something up with
>>a jigsaw held in a vise, but anything I'm picturing would be far more
>>suitable for doing much larger discs. With pieces this small, it would be
>>difficult to control the work and keep fingers safely away.
>>
>>Maybe try some drill press turnings? I've been doing those for the
>>smokestacks, sand humps and whatnot. Actually, that has given me quite a
>>taste for turning, and I see a lathe in my future. How could I turn a weel
>>though? Seems difficult, though I've seen plenty of fancy wooden wheels
>>that must have been turned.
>>
>>Hmmm.... Maybe I could buy dowels, and then slice them up. That might be a
>>plan. Or turn square stock into dowels and slice them up. I've seen ideas
>>for several ways to do that consistently.
>>
>>Any other ideas? Surely somebody out there is a wooden toy maker.
>>
>>--
>>Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
>>Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
>>Confirmed post number: 17590 Approximate word count: 527700
>>http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
>
>
Chris wrote:
>
> "Dr. Rev. Chuck, M.D. P.A." <cdub@_REMOVETHIS_erols.com> wrote in message news:<3F5B05DC.6B53@_REMOVETHIS_erols.com>...
> > Silvan wrote:
> > >
> > > We've done some cool stuff, but our wheels suck. They're made from plywood
> > > cut with a Sears flycutter, and they're rather rough and clunky. The
> > > flycutter is no special joy to use either, and I sure would like to come up
> > > with a better way.
> >
> > I have the same flycutter and use it constantly. Hone the spur at the least
> > sign of dullness and it'll cut glass smooth. A bit of paraffin also helps.
> >
>
> Ok, I've been wanting to build a toy truck for my daughter for some
> time now and wanted to make the wheels myself. With all this talk of
> making wheels, I thought I would give it a shot last night.
>
> I have a lathe, but didn't have the stock, so off to the drill press I
> went. I wanted a wheel 2-2.5" but the only hole saw I have is 4", so
> I got out the fly cutter. Now I am using some scrap poplar so it
> shouldn't be real hard to cut. 1st wheel took about 10 minutes with
> some burning if I held pressure too long. I took off the spur and
> brought it over to my scary sharp station and gave it a little hone
> (about 5 minutes worth). Off to create wheel #2. Not much better. I
> took the spur off again and this time honed the bottom (flat) and the
> bevel AND flattened the side that does the cutting, figuring that a
> sharp edge between the two sides would help. Still not much
> improvement. I ended up makeing 4 wheels (of the 10 that I need) and
> it took me over 1 hour.
>
> Am I sharpening this thing wrong? I have the press on it's slowest
> setting. By looking at the way the fly cutter is designed I realized
> that it probably shouldn't be expected to "burn" through wood, but
> should it literally "BURN " through wood?
>
> -Chris
Hone it again. 600 grit diamond paddle works fastest on HSS.
Realize that the tool is prone to overheating if you bear down.
Lower it into the workpiece and hold for 5-10 seconds. Raise, then
lower again. Take about 1/16" per bite, and clear chips.
Is the burning happening on the sides of the kerf, or the bottom?
You might need to grind a few thou of relief on the sides of the
cutter to prevent binding.
Silvan wrote:
> Maybe try some drill press turnings? I've been doing those for the
> smokestacks, sand humps and whatnot. Actually, that has given me quite a
> taste for turning, and I see a lathe in my future. How could I turn a weel
> though? Seems difficult, though I've seen plenty of fancy wooden wheels
> that must have been turned.
I made wheels for my sons' toys by the drill press method. I drilled a
pilot hole in the centre and used a couple of inches of threaded rod,
nuts and washers to make an arbor for the drill chuck,
I then clamped the drillpress on its back (it was a small one) , with a
piece of wood clamped to the bed as a toolrest.
Worked really (wheely ?) well.
Steve
Sun, Sep 7, 2003, 1:21am [email protected] (Silvan) says:
<snip> I've thought about using hole saws, but my experience is that
they make pretty rough, ugly cuts too, and it's difficult to get the
cut-off material back out of them without mangling it. <snip>
Hmm, I use a hole saw. Usually flip the plywood when about half
thru, and finish that way. Slide a screwdriver in the slot, and slide
it out. I start sorta slow, don't know if that makes a difference or
not. Works great, only takes a few sandpaper swipes to smooth them.
JOAT
Failure is not an option.
But it is definitely a possibility.
Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 6 Sep 2003. Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofalltrades/SOMETUNESILIKE/
Chris wrote:
> Am I sharpening this thing wrong? I have the press on it's slowest
> setting. By looking at the way the fly cutter is designed I realized
> that it probably shouldn't be expected to "burn" through wood, but
> should it literally "BURN " through wood?
Dunno, I'm still in the reading about it instead of doing it stage of
sharpening. I've never really managed to sharpen anything particularly
well, and I wouldn't presume to tell you the correct way to sharpen this
cutter thingie.
I can say that mine is probably incredibly dull, and it does indeed take for
blasted ever to cut through anything, but it only burns if I try to force
it. It's not too bad cutting through 1/8" thick plywood, but I wouldn't
want to cut through 1" maple with the thing. It would take all night to do
one cut.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17658 Approximate word count: 529740
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
[email protected] wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Everyone should have a lathe, the best way to waste time and make
> curlies that I know.
I'll second that. My lathe will make more sawdust, more quickly and
with less effort than any other tool in my shop :-)
-Chris
"Dr. Rev. Chuck, M.D. P.A." <cdub@_REMOVETHIS_erols.com> wrote in message news:<3F5B05DC.6B53@_REMOVETHIS_erols.com>...
> Silvan wrote:
> >
> > We've done some cool stuff, but our wheels suck. They're made from plywood
> > cut with a Sears flycutter, and they're rather rough and clunky. The
> > flycutter is no special joy to use either, and I sure would like to come up
> > with a better way.
>
> I have the same flycutter and use it constantly. Hone the spur at the least
> sign of dullness and it'll cut glass smooth. A bit of paraffin also helps.
>
Ok, I've been wanting to build a toy truck for my daughter for some
time now and wanted to make the wheels myself. With all this talk of
making wheels, I thought I would give it a shot last night.
I have a lathe, but didn't have the stock, so off to the drill press I
went. I wanted a wheel 2-2.5" but the only hole saw I have is 4", so
I got out the fly cutter. Now I am using some scrap poplar so it
shouldn't be real hard to cut. 1st wheel took about 10 minutes with
some burning if I held pressure too long. I took off the spur and
brought it over to my scary sharp station and gave it a little hone
(about 5 minutes worth). Off to create wheel #2. Not much better. I
took the spur off again and this time honed the bottom (flat) and the
bevel AND flattened the side that does the cutting, figuring that a
sharp edge between the two sides would help. Still not much
improvement. I ended up makeing 4 wheels (of the 10 that I need) and
it took me over 1 hour.
Am I sharpening this thing wrong? I have the press on it's slowest
setting. By looking at the way the fly cutter is designed I realized
that it probably shouldn't be expected to "burn" through wood, but
should it literally "BURN " through wood?
-Chris
Silvan <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I might get a 1" hole saw and settle on having stuff that only has one size
> of wheel, but for now it's looking like I'm back to the fly cutter, after I
> pick up some more thin birch plywood. The stuff at Lowe's is three-layer
> crap with veneer layers that are only three microns thick, so I guess I'm
> stuck paying astronomical prices for tiny sheets of the stuff at Michael's,
> and throwing away half of it to sawdust, or else trying to resaw some of
> the 3/4" thick salvage scrap stuff I have on my table saw and filling the
> room with burnt sawdust smoke again.
>
Michael,
I got a whole lotta 1/2" Baltic Birch scraps I could send you for your
wheel stock. Email me your address and I'll throw some in a box and
drop 'em off at UPS. Couldn't cost more than a few bucks to send them
from NJ to VA.
-Chris
Chris wrote:
> The leading edge does the cutting. When I turn it around the cutting
> edge "drags" through the wood and creates a wonderful aroma (unless
> you are attempting to cut poplar, then it just stinks).
OK, I wasn't very clear.
/|
||
||
||
\|
Change orientations by inverting it, not turning it around.
I think. Actually, I'd have to look at it to be sure, but I'm 90% positive
that it can be used as I described without ever running it "backwards"
through the wood.
BTW, the dowel idea is a wash. I built a jig to slice them and a jig to
drill holes into the precise center of them, and they came out OK, but were
just too brittle.
Pre-fab wheels that are available locally are too big to fit the slots in
the track, and look stupid besides, so that's a wash too.
Nobody sells hole saws the correct size for the small wheels, so that didn't
pan out either.
I might get a 1" hole saw and settle on having stuff that only has one size
of wheel, but for now it's looking like I'm back to the fly cutter, after I
pick up some more thin birch plywood. The stuff at Lowe's is three-layer
crap with veneer layers that are only three microns thick, so I guess I'm
stuck paying astronomical prices for tiny sheets of the stuff at Michael's,
and throwing away half of it to sawdust, or else trying to resaw some of
the 3/4" thick salvage scrap stuff I have on my table saw and filling the
room with burnt sawdust smoke again.
No matter how you slice it, making functional toy wheels to run on these
things is a bit of a PITA. For the time being, I've taken to knocking
apart his stock toy trains and stealing the plastic wheels and nifty
two-part axles. That way we get to play with the new stuff NOW, which is
never quite soon enough for a nine year old.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17758 Approximate word count: 532740
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
Bob Moody wrote:
> This is a golden opportunity for turning enthusiasts like me. I have ten
> your guide. If you don't have dowels that size, turn them!
First I have to set about building that lathe... :)
I kind of wish I hadn't sold my old drill press. Sure, using it as a lathe
would have killed the bearings eventually, but I wouldn't mind killing the
bearings on my _old_ drill press. I've already done a few dozen turnings
with my new one, and while it seems quite up to the challenge, I'm starting
to develop a guilty conscience.
I think it's time for that shop-built lathe. How powerful are lathe motors
usually? I have a treadmill that used to be a shop-built belt sander.
I've been saving it to make a lathe eventually. Think it will be strong
enough? I figure it's powerful enough to move a fat person, but I really
have no idea.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17620 Approximate word count: 528600
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
I am gonna take a leap of faith and assume your takeing about the brio
size wooden trains
try useing a wooden plug cutter in a peice of hardwood
set up the drill press so the plug cutter does not cut all the way
through the peice of scrap your useing let him cut the holes like
cutting out cookies after he has made as many holes as he can in one
peice of wood run it through the table saw on edge with the plug
holes to the out side so they fall away from the blade as you cut them
nother way is to take a peice of square stock the size of wheel you
want use a quater round over bit on all four sides to make a round
dowell then cut out yuor wheels like salami
you can get plug cutters up to 1" through almost any woodworking
catlog
On Sun, 07 Sep 2003 01:21:42 -0400, Silvan
<[email protected]> wrote:
>When we got back from lunch today, my son said "we're going out to the shop
>right now, so I can finish my train! Come on!"
>
>Well, I'd say I've gotten the boy hooked. :) :) :)
>
>He likes wooden train stuff. He has sort of out-grown playing with it as
>much as he used to, but now it's taking on a whole new dimension because he
>can make rolling stock (with a little help from Dad...)
>
>We've done some cool stuff, but our wheels suck. They're made from plywood
>cut with a Sears flycutter, and they're rather rough and clunky. The
>flycutter is no special joy to use either, and I sure would like to come up
>with a better way.
>
[email protected] wrote:
> Everyone should have a lathe, the best way to waste time and make
> curlies that I know.
I can definitely imagine, based on the excuses I've been making to keep
doing more and more dowel turnings in the drill press. I think I could
waste a lot of time indeed, but space is a pretty big problem. I'll just
about have to come up with something that I can knock down and store in a
corner when I'm not using it.
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Jack-of-all-trades - JOAT wrote:
> I've got a 37" HF lathe. I made a thingy that rests over the top
> of it, and makes it a work bench-assembly table-paint table, when not
> using it as a lathe. And, my shop is probably a lot smaller than yours,
> but that keeps the wasted space down. I don't mind moving a tool to
> work with it, but don't like anything I have to knock-down and set-up to
> use.
Could work if I replaced my work bench with it maybe. Here's a crappy ASCII
drawing of my shop:
+----------------------------------------+
+@@@ |||||||||||||||| oooooooooooo +
+@ A |||||||| D ||||| ooooo E oooo +
+@@@ oooooooooooo +
+ %%%%%%% =============== +
+ %%%%% B ============= F +
+XXXXXXXXX ||||||||| +
+XXXXXXXXX ||||||||| +
+XXXXXXXXX ||||||| G +
+XXXXXXXXX ||||||||| +
+XXXXXXXXX ||||||||| +
+XXXXXXX C @@@@@@@ +
+XXXXXXXXX @@@@@ H +
+XXXXXXXXX OOOOO +
+XXXXXXXXX OOO I +
+XXXXXXXXX OOOOO /-\ +
+ \-/J +
+----------------------------------------+
A - DRILL PRESS JIGS/BENCH GRINDER
B - DRILL PRESS
C - WORKBENCH
D - MULTIPURPOSE TOOL CABINET/SHELVES
E - WOOD STORAGE
F - METAL-CUTTING BANDSAW
G - TABLE SAW
H - BELT SANDER/JIG STORAGE
I - ROUTER TABLE
J - SHOP VAC
There's about 1' of dead space just inside the door to the left, and there's
another 1' of dead space in the back left corner. The wood storage E uses
space that is pretty impractical to utilize for any other purpose due to
having to trip over the two saws to get to it, and it's basically a 25" TV
box full of cutoffs. I have some pegs with extension chords, spare bandsaw
blades and other crap hanging over the box.
There's dead space behind the TS, but only because I have to allow enough
room to rip the usual 24" boards. To rip anything longer, I have to pull
it out more. Sometimes I have to carry it out into the yard. Crosscuts
are similarly limited by the saw and sander on either side. It's not a
shop for building dressers, that's for sure.
To use the horizontal bandsaw, I have to shove the TS against the wall, and
if I want to cut off more than 24" I have to drag the heavy damn thing out
into the yard.
The router table can be used where it stands for small stuff, but again, if
I'm working on anything large it has to go to the middle, or out into the
yard.
The Shop Vac has enough hose that it can pretty much reach everywhere in the
shop without having to be dragged out of its corner. I have it there
because the door leaks sometimes during driving rain, and it's less likely
to be damaged by a little rain than anything else in there.
There just ain't room for any kind of lathe unless it sits on my workbench,
but even then I have the problem of figuring out where to put the thing
when I need to use the workbench for something. The shelf under the
workbench is already at capacity, with storage for miscellaneous metal
scrap, and all my portable power tools.
Methinks I really should build a bigger shop before I even contemplate a
wood-cutting bandsaw, planer, jointer, or any other largeish tools, but I
might just squeeze a benchtop mini lathe into this mess somehow.
(I could do the vertilathe thing, or build one, but my drill press is my
favorite tool, and it's the only machine I own that doesn't lack for
something. I want to keep it happy, and I think it will be happier if I
don't try to force it to double as a lathe.)
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Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
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Thu, Sep 11, 2003, 2:29am [email protected] (Silvan) says:
Could work if I replaced my work bench with it maybe.
I wouldn't recomment that.
Here's a crappy ASCII drawing <snip>
Correct.
There's about 1' of dead space <snip>
Close, but the footprint of the lathe stand (shop-made) is a bit
more than one foot I would say, didn't measure it.
The router table can be used where it stands for small stuff, <snip>
Hmm, mine is mounted on the senond shelf down, right where I can
sit on a chair and use it. I've had no problem putting thru things up
to about 4'. 'Course I don't use a fence, and use a flush trim pattern
bit, with would probably make that possible.
The Shop Vac <snip>
Shop Vac? Shop Vac? Something like a broom with a power cord, is
it? LOL
There just ain't room for any kind of lathe unless it sits on my
workbench, but even then I have the problem of figuring out where to put
the thing when I need to use the workbench for something. <snip>
I have seen something somewhere, about a lathe that goes down into
a bench, sorta like a sewmachine table does. Shop-made, not commercial.
Seems I also saw one that swings down from the ceiling too. And, of
course, can't remember where I saw either. Probably google could help.
Methinks I really should build a bigger shop <snip>
Tell me about it.
(I could do the vertilathe thing, <snip>
Personally, I don't see it. You can always make a small lathe, and
clamp it down when you want to use it. I have posted plans for at least
a couple of small lathes. One of them has each end separate, so you can
put them close or far apart. Not indusrial strength, but good for small
projects. And, of course, a bowl lathe wouldn't be difficult to make,
and takes up a lot less space than a regular lathe. But, if you make
your own, you can make it any size you want.
I have my lathe shoved against a shelf, and have to pull it out
when I use it. But, with my table top thing, that makes up for the room
it takes, so nothing is actually lost. I don't use it a lot, but
definitely wouldn't want to have to give it up. A lathe is loads of
fun, whether you actually make something, or just put a chunk of wood
in, and just start turning.
You might want to check with the guys over in
news:rec.crafts.woodturning too. In fact, one of them had this in a
post. Just what you need.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=3173
JOAT
Some is good, more is better, too much is just enough.
Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 9 Sep 2003. Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofalltrades/SOMETUNESILIKE/
Jack-of-all-trades - JOAT wrote:
> Here's a crappy ASCII drawing <snip>
>
> Correct.
Hey, I never said I was an artist. :)
> Close, but the footprint of the lathe stand (shop-made) is a bit
> more than one foot I would say, didn't measure it.
I'd imagine it is.
> Hmm, mine is mounted on the senond shelf down, right where I can
> sit on a chair and use it. I've had no problem putting thru things up
Hmmm... Shelf is an interesting idea. Using space vertically.
> to about 4'. 'Course I don't use a fence, and use a flush trim pattern
> bit, with would probably make that possible.
Mine has had the same roundover bit in it forever. I don't use a fence
either, because the fence is all but impossible to set accurately. I
should make myself a new fence for that thing some day.
> Shop Vac? Shop Vac? Something like a broom with a power cord, is
> it? LOL
It's like a broom that puts everything you sweep straight into a dustpan.
They're really amazing inventions, JOAT.
> I have seen something somewhere, about a lathe that goes down into
> a bench, sorta like a sewmachine table does. Shop-made, not commercial.
Hmmm... That's a thought. That or easier would be to build a second shelf
under the workbench. Same result. Better use of vertical space under
there.
> Seems I also saw one that swings down from the ceiling too. And, of
> course, can't remember where I saw either. Probably google could help.
Ceiling's not an option. I'm 5'9", and I have 6' ceilings out there. I
don't hit my head on the shop lights, but just about everyone who has ever
toured my shop has done so. I guess there's something to be said for being
vertically challenged. Means I get to use the space overhead for lumber
storage.
Hmmm... Actually, the overhead thing is two sheets of 3/4" plywood. Most
of my stuff stays on the front sheet, and the space at the very back of the
overhead rack is usually wasted, since I can't get up there to get anything
out of it without a lot of painful contortions. I could do your sewing
machine deal backwards. Have it pull up into the ceiling. Maybe come down
with flip down legs that can be locked out.
Except for the shop lights... That would be a problem.
Damn. Well, back to the workbench idea.
> projects. And, of course, a bowl lathe wouldn't be difficult to make,
> and takes up a lot less space than a regular lathe. But, if you make
> your own, you can make it any size you want.
I have most of a treadmill and my neighbor's old TV antenna pole. I'm
thinking I could mount two ends on the pole and do it so that it comes
apart quickly. Problem is threading the pipe. Might be simpler just to
buy a pre-threaded length somewhere. I don't want to use the workbench
surface as an integral part of the lathe because it isn't flat. It's one
of those kits from Lowe's. Yeah, I know, I know.
> fun, whether you actually make something, or just put a chunk of wood
> in, and just start turning.
I can well imagine. I got my first taste of turning trying to make a smoke
stack for a small wooden train by chucking a dowel into my DP and shaping
it with a rasp. I used up the whole dowel by the time I was done. Now I
have to make a _lot_ of little wooden locomotives in order to use them all.
:)
> post. Just what you need.
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=3173
Hmmm... $40? I can almost afford to spare myself the trouble of building
one out of this junk.
Almost. It would be better to spend the $40, at such time as I have it,
toward buying one of those Veritas honing angle guide thingies though.
Plus it's probably $40 + at least $11 to ship it, plus whatever I have to
pay to buy a money order. Then there's the whole matter of waiting for
that arduous process to complete itself. Life sure was easier when I could
just chaaaaaaarge it. But I did. A lot. And so now I'm broke.
<sigh>
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
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Dr. Rev. Chuck, M.D. P.A. wrote:
> I have the same flycutter and use it constantly. Hone the spur at the
> least
> sign of dullness and it'll cut glass smooth. A bit of paraffin also
> helps.
Hmmm... OK, fair enough. I don't think I've ever sharpened it.
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Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
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WALT K wrote:
> I am gonna take a leap of faith and assume your takeing about the brio
> size wooden trains
> try useing a wooden plug cutter in a peice of hardwood
Plug cutters... Now there's one I didn't think of. I even _have_ some plug
cutters somewhere. Probably none big enough to fill this bill, but it's
definitely an idea.
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Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
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Chris wrote:
> <Chris you FRIGGIN IDIOT! You had the cutter in backwards (relief
> angle facing the wrong directino). No wonder it was burning the wood
What kind of fly cutter do you have?
Mine has a simple thing like this:
||
||
|/
It can also go in like this:
||
||
\|
Which way depends on whether I want to cut something that looks like this:
|||\ ||||| /|||
or this:
|||| /|||\ ||||
It seems to make no difference in speed. It's just a question of which
piece is the waste.
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Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
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Jack-of-all-trades - JOAT wrote:
> Hmm, I use a hole saw. Usually flip the plywood when about half
> thru, and finish that way. Slide a screwdriver in the slot, and slide
Maybe I should try a hole saw that hasn't been used to cut through a couple
of metal doors... Or else see if I can figure out how to sharpen this
one. It may be that it's just dull.
I also need to figure out how to lay out the holes for the axles so that two
wheels of differing diameters both contact the ground. I spent a couple
hours out there today, and never managed to get one right. Time to drag
out some *math* I guess, before I use up this whole box of Jummywood
scraps.
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Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
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Jack-of-all-trades - JOAT wrote:
> The only thing I can think of is, you haven't been sending any
> sacrifices along to the Woodworking Gods. Probably trying to cheap out,
> and do it on your own. You should know, when that happens, they pick
> on you. As their High Priest, I'm on their side.
No, I haven't been. The last time I sacrificed anything to the gods, my
crops withered and were absolutely miserable, so I decided I'm better off
making my own luck.
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Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
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Wed, Sep 10, 2003, 10:24am [email protected] (Silvan)
says:
No, I haven't been. The last time I sacrificed anything to the gods, my
crops withered and were absolutely miserable, so I decided I'm better
off making my own luck.
Yup, yup, figgered it was something along those lines. Always
happens that way, not goin' thru channels, tryin' to sacrifice on your
own. It's people like you give heathans a bad name.
JOAT
Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
- Benjamin Franklin
Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 9 Sep 2003. Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofalltrades/SOMETUNESILIKE/
Sun, Sep 7, 2003, 4:33pm [email protected] (Silvan)
claims:
Maybe I should try a hole saw that hasn't been used to cut through a
couple of metal doors.. <snip>
Uh, yeah, that might be a good idea. Probably excellent, in fact.
I also need to figure out how to lay out the holes for the axles so that
two wheels of differing diameters both contact the ground. I spent a
couple hours out there today, and never managed to get one right. Time
to drag out some *math* I guess, before I use up this whole box of
Jummywood scraps.
If were going to complicate things, by using maths, I would.
measure from the bottom of a wheel hole to the bottom of the wheel.
Then add half the width of the hole. Same for each different size
wheel.
Me, I don't mess with dangerous stuff like maths. I would just
hold a wheel in place, put a pencil thru the hole, and mark the spot to
drill. Or, you could just run the right size drill thru, and twist it a
bit, to mark the spot.
You could do it with a decent compass (I found an excellent one at
an office supply store, for about $1), but they have sharp points, and I
won't recommend dangerous tool use to anyone on this group.
JOAT
Failure is not an option.
But it is definitely a possibility.
Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 7 Sep 2003. Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofalltrades/SOMETUNESILIKE/
Jack-of-all-trades - JOAT wrote:
> You could do it with a decent compass (I found an excellent one at
> an office supply store, for about $1), but they have sharp points, and I
> won't recommend dangerous tool use to anyone on this group.
I finally got that to work (with a compass), but it proved difficult because
it had to be *perfect* and I experienced quite a bit of difficulty avoiding
1/32" errors.
I probably could have evened things up sufficiently on my belt sander for
that matter, but my belt sander has been out of comission for awhile now,
and I don't have the patience to remove that much wood by hand sanding.
I'm close to building a hand crank for the stupid thing. That'd solve the
problem. Maybe I could rig up a tredle and foot power it.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
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Sun, Sep 7, 2003, 4:33pm [email protected] (Silvan) says:
<snip> Maybe I should try <snip>
Been awhile since I made any, so made 4 tonight, to double-check.
I was gonna make 'em tomorrow, for my saw stand mod, anyway.
Well, 3 came out great, just sand around the edge, and they would
make great wheels. The 4th, when I flipped the wood, I missed the pilot
hole at first, and kinda goofed one side up. Even then, it would be
acceptible, bad side in.
The only thing I can think of is, you haven't been sending any
sacrifices along to the Woodworking Gods. Probably trying to cheap out,
and do it on your own. You should know, when that happens, they pick
on you. As their High Priest, I'm on their side.
JOAT
Failure is not an option.
But it is definitely a possibility.
Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 7 Sep 2003. Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofalltrades/SOMETUNESILIKE/
This is a golden opportunity for turning enthusiasts like me. I have ten
grandchildren (although two are rather recent and not ready yet) and
therefore have much wheel experience. Not only is it easy to make wheels on
a lathe, they can be fancied up with flutes, grooves etc, even with a rim
like real railroad trains use. The center hole for the axle is no problem.
Cut it on a drill press using the center notch from the lathe spur hole as
your guide. If you don't have dowels that size, turn them!
Bob Moody