- Thread starter wyn
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wyn
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I think there are a few different ways of doing the adjusters.
A lot of them are adjusted on the bottom wheel, with a box section running in a box section and threaded bar to move it up and down. The threaded bar then has a large wheel with spokes sticking out of it so it can be adjusted with your foot.
I went with the sort of slide and top adjustment so if i got it out of line i'd be able to get it back right.
I was also thinking i would be able to get rid of all the play from the adjuster.
Having the adjuster on the top also means i could chop off the upright holding the bottom wheel and stick on one with a different shape to be able to work different shaped "panels". But maybe that's thinking ahead too much.
A lot of them are adjusted on the bottom wheel, with a box section running in a box section and threaded bar to move it up and down. The threaded bar then has a large wheel with spokes sticking out of it so it can be adjusted with your foot.
I went with the sort of slide and top adjustment so if i got it out of line i'd be able to get it back right.
I was also thinking i would be able to get rid of all the play from the adjuster.Having the adjuster on the top also means i could chop off the upright holding the bottom wheel and stick on one with a different shape to be able to work different shaped "panels". But maybe that's thinking ahead too much.
Chickenjohn
Morris Minor and Porsche 944 fan
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Wow! an impressive build! Did you get the wheel kit from Frost or did you manage to get the big and small wheels somewhere else.
I have done a bit of English wheel work and its useful to be able to easily adjust the distance between the two wheels mid work- for instance if you have beaten shape into a panel and planished the worst of the lumps and bumps out you can then wheel the work piece smooth, starting with a big gap between the wheels and then progressively closing the gap as the panel becomes smoother. For that reason I would put the adjustment at the bottom.
Nice bit of kit you have there- what projects do you have planned for it??
I have done a bit of English wheel work and its useful to be able to easily adjust the distance between the two wheels mid work- for instance if you have beaten shape into a panel and planished the worst of the lumps and bumps out you can then wheel the work piece smooth, starting with a big gap between the wheels and then progressively closing the gap as the panel becomes smoother. For that reason I would put the adjustment at the bottom.
Nice bit of kit you have there- what projects do you have planned for it??
<tongue in cheek on>
Wheeling machine 101 for those that've never used one (for best effect the first go on one is ideally just after watching some grizzled old boy wheel a panel in about 20mins)...
Takes a while to get to grips with simply steering (tracking) a piece of metal through the wheels- like doing a 3 point turn with a trailer it's all a bit **** about face. During this time you're typically very careful having been warned about wheeling your own thumbs
Once you've worked out how to steer a bit of metal where you want it to go it's time to start concentrating on keeping the tracking even. If the tracks are too far apart you get a series of facets instead of a smooth curve, if the spacing is irregular then the curve is too. If the anvil wheels are 'constant radius' then you're in trouble as the contact patch is tiny (compared with anvils that have a flat contact patch) making tracking VERY difficult instead of just difficult
By know you'll have realised that the wheel produces a different amount of curvature in the direction of wheeling to that formed perpendicular to tracking. It should be noticable even with the smallish piece of scrap you're playing with (for waste/weight reasons)
Now would be a good time to trap a thumb between the upper wheel and the panel being wheeled while wheeling near the edge
A bit of time and maybe a few thumbnails later and smooth panels are reasonably easy to form. Making them fit the buck (i.e. getting the correct shape)... that bit takes a while longer.
<tongue in cheek off>
Key thing to remember is that an English wheel can only stretch metal. If one area is correct (shape wise) but the rest is too high then you have to continue raising the bit that fits to (effeictively) lower the rest
High crown shapes are the easiest to form imo, especially if you rough 'em with a mallet into a shot bag or tree stump and use the wheel to planish . Low crown (something like a typical door skin) are tricky in comparison. The 'reverse curve' is about as hard as it gets
On you tube there's a few good videos. John Glover explains the theory very well in a couple of tasters of his videos (search for 'John Glover aluminium shapes'). A series of good Fay Butler videos too but he's a power hammer man- I REALLY want a go on one of those, bet i could make scrap extremely quickly 
I've only used big, cast iron machines which are pretty stiff frame wise. Verticle deflection isn't that big off a deal but if the frame is flexible to the extent that the relationship of the wheels contact patch can move then a smooth (ready for paint) finish is going to be elusive if not impossible
Wheeling machine 101 for those that've never used one (for best effect the first go on one is ideally just after watching some grizzled old boy wheel a panel in about 20mins)...
Takes a while to get to grips with simply steering (tracking) a piece of metal through the wheels- like doing a 3 point turn with a trailer it's all a bit **** about face. During this time you're typically very careful having been warned about wheeling your own thumbs
Once you've worked out how to steer a bit of metal where you want it to go it's time to start concentrating on keeping the tracking even. If the tracks are too far apart you get a series of facets instead of a smooth curve, if the spacing is irregular then the curve is too. If the anvil wheels are 'constant radius' then you're in trouble as the contact patch is tiny (compared with anvils that have a flat contact patch) making tracking VERY difficult instead of just difficult
By know you'll have realised that the wheel produces a different amount of curvature in the direction of wheeling to that formed perpendicular to tracking. It should be noticable even with the smallish piece of scrap you're playing with (for waste/weight reasons)
Now would be a good time to trap a thumb between the upper wheel and the panel being wheeled while wheeling near the edge
A bit of time and maybe a few thumbnails later and smooth panels are reasonably easy to form. Making them fit the buck (i.e. getting the correct shape)... that bit takes a while longer.
<tongue in cheek off>
Key thing to remember is that an English wheel can only stretch metal. If one area is correct (shape wise) but the rest is too high then you have to continue raising the bit that fits to (effeictively) lower the rest
High crown shapes are the easiest to form imo, especially if you rough 'em with a mallet into a shot bag or tree stump and use the wheel to planish . Low crown (something like a typical door skin) are tricky in comparison. The 'reverse curve' is about as hard as it gets
On you tube there's a few good videos. John Glover explains the theory very well in a couple of tasters of his videos (search for 'John Glover aluminium shapes'). A series of good Fay Butler videos too but he's a power hammer man- I REALLY want a go on one of those, bet i could make scrap extremely quickly
I've only used big, cast iron machines which are pretty stiff frame wise. Verticle deflection isn't that big off a deal but if the frame is flexible to the extent that the relationship of the wheels contact patch can move then a smooth (ready for paint) finish is going to be elusive if not impossible
wyn
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Chickenjohn.......I had a look at the frost wheels first. Even though they have a wheel set in the catalogue they said they don't do them anymore.
Good job realy as i got them for less than half that price from justin baker
Hotrodder.....plenty of info there thanks. I see what your saying with the steering...it's all the opposite to what you might think
Here's a pic of it just about done and bolted to the bench. Need to add a castor to the front leg with some sort of up and down mechanism to shift it about. Not too sure on the colour yet, it's all i had.
Good job realy as i got them for less than half that price from justin baker
Hotrodder.....plenty of info there thanks. I see what your saying with the steering...it's all the opposite to what you might think
Here's a pic of it just about done and bolted to the bench. Need to add a castor to the front leg with some sort of up and down mechanism to shift it about. Not too sure on the colour yet, it's all i had.
michael1703
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Excellent link to that site, £79 for the anvil set is a bargain
I want to make one similar to yours, was going to use 60 or 80mm box for the most part with a narrowed piece under the bottom anvil
The one i wanted to make would be very solid G shape, but the legs would unbolt so it could be pushed tight to my garage wall and take up less space and could also be G cramped to my bench for small stuff
I want to make one similar to yours, was going to use 60 or 80mm box for the most part with a narrowed piece under the bottom anvil
The one i wanted to make would be very solid G shape, but the legs would unbolt so it could be pushed tight to my garage wall and take up less space and could also be G cramped to my bench for small stuff
Chickenjohn
Morris Minor and Porsche 944 fan
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wow i didnt realise it was that big! looks good wyn! if iv got this right, you pretty much beat your panel to shape, then use this to smooth it all out (i believe i may have skipped a step or 10
That's one way of using an english wheel, another is to put double curvature shape intto a completely flat sheet of metal.
Last year, I panel beat the dents out of a friends classic motorbike mudguard, then used the wheel at college to smooth remaining small creases. Its a great bit of kit to have if you are into making panels or repair sections for panels.
Chickenjohn
Morris Minor and Porsche 944 fan
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channel 523 now Edd China is being shown how to use an English wheel!
