wonwinglo
SMF Supporter
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 6,754
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- First Name
- Barry
Ever wanted to make your own wheels for world war 1 biplanes ? well here is how you can do it-
Any size wheel can be made in this way the governing factor is the availability of rubber pipe for the slim tyres ( usually called Palmer aero cord ) I use gas piping for this purpose available from any caravan accessory shop.
Start by cutting two ply discs the diameter of the actual rim,next cut a thick balsa disc a bit smaller,sandwich and glue these together and bush the centre with a piece of brass tube peened over at the edges with a centre punch tool,a drop of cyno will help lock the bsh into place,next wrap the rubber tube around the three discs so that the rubber sits nicely int the groove made by the space of the balsa insert,cut off neatly the rubber and join with a plug made from balsa dowel,not too long otherwise a kink will appear in the tyre,now slip this into place onto the hub and lock with thin cyno run along the dges.
Now obtain a piece of thin card and cut a circle that when a slit is cut across half way the card will form a cone,look at photographs of WW1 machines to get the idea,now cut a circle where the tyre valve was accessed.
When the models axle is made up slip the wheels into place and solder into place using a paper washer first as a spacer which is removed after soldering,outside of this place a metal washer,next take the cone and glue into place,that is it a good job done only requiring paint in appropiate colour for the hub and cone.
Wheels like this will give good service provided the bushing is kept in good order.
For very small wheels use something like cycle valve rubber or model fuel tubing.
Any size wheel can be made in this way the governing factor is the availability of rubber pipe for the slim tyres ( usually called Palmer aero cord ) I use gas piping for this purpose available from any caravan accessory shop.
Start by cutting two ply discs the diameter of the actual rim,next cut a thick balsa disc a bit smaller,sandwich and glue these together and bush the centre with a piece of brass tube peened over at the edges with a centre punch tool,a drop of cyno will help lock the bsh into place,next wrap the rubber tube around the three discs so that the rubber sits nicely int the groove made by the space of the balsa insert,cut off neatly the rubber and join with a plug made from balsa dowel,not too long otherwise a kink will appear in the tyre,now slip this into place onto the hub and lock with thin cyno run along the dges.
Now obtain a piece of thin card and cut a circle that when a slit is cut across half way the card will form a cone,look at photographs of WW1 machines to get the idea,now cut a circle where the tyre valve was accessed.
When the models axle is made up slip the wheels into place and solder into place using a paper washer first as a spacer which is removed after soldering,outside of this place a metal washer,next take the cone and glue into place,that is it a good job done only requiring paint in appropiate colour for the hub and cone.
Wheels like this will give good service provided the bushing is kept in good order.
For very small wheels use something like cycle valve rubber or model fuel tubing.