# Wooden wheels



## superdad (Nov 19, 2009)

I'm making some toys for christmas and I have to make a ton of wheels for all the cars and trucks. I've been using a hole saw to cut them and then putting them on a dowel and using my rotary tool to round the edges and give em a bit of a clean up. Then I hand sand them to make them pretty. It's a very long process and I have to do it over and over again. Anyone have any ideas how to speed this up? I was thinking about buying the dremel router table attachment and routering the edges of the wheels to round them, but of course then I have to buy a dremel rotary tool as well(mines a knock off, but it works great). So any ideas for a jig to make this a bit easier?


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

I'm going to try the same thing, even though purchased wheels are fairly cheap. I had thought of a 1/4" threaded rod chucked into the drill press. Run a nut and washer up to the top, load on as many blanks as you have room for. then, another nut and washer on the bottom. Leave enough rod at the bottom to fit in a 1/4" hole in a piece of 3/4" hardwood clamped to the table. 
I planned to use a rasp held against the spinning stack of wheels. (Slow speed). A tool rest would be nice. but I haven't figured that out yet. Possibly a smooth rod or square piece of tubing captured between a "C" shaped carriage and clamped upright next to the stack of wheels. 
If the tool rest works, I'd feel OK using a sharpened screwdriver as a "lathe" tool.
Just my thoughts….


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## rustedknuckles (Feb 17, 2008)

Ask Grizzman, he would know the best way.


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## papadan (Mar 6, 2009)

HERE is an easy plan for a mini router table from my site. can use any Dremel type tool.


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## daltxguy (Sep 7, 2007)

Extending on Gene's idea, why not actually use a lathe - put a blank between centers and turn a bunch at the same time?


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Papadan, That's a neat Dremel setup. Thanks for posting it.

Daltxguy, That would be best. But, some (few) of us don't have a lathe.


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## KentS (May 27, 2009)

I'm with Steve on the lathe idea-of course that only works if you have a lathe. I did a similar process for some medallions I made. Gene's method is very similar, only using a drill press. Don't see why that wouldn't work either.








Then there is the router table-or Dremel in a table. I like Dan's design. Using the right jigs, this is also a good alternative. I 've done some round work on a router table, but I'm having trouble thinking of a safe way to do a full circle. It's easy to build a jig for a half round piece. 








I guess it boils down to the equipment you have.
Maybe one of us will give you something you can use.


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## bobdurnell (Sep 24, 2007)

Superdad--I know what you are going thru so I'll put in my two cents. I use the hole saw method for making wheels also, but here is where the fun begins. The only tool (machine) I use for the rounding over step is an inflatible horzontal drum sander. I make a mandrel using a smaller wheel and glue in a 1/4" dowel that has more sticking out for my hand and the other end the wheel will spin on. I sand the spinning side of the dowel so the wheel spins freely. As the drum spins I slowly touch the wheel to the drum and the wheel will spin. By angling the mandrel to the drum material begins to get removed and the wheel is still round and the tedius and sometimes dangerous router technique is illiminated. I hope this helps. If you want some more info just leave me a message and I can explain more. bob


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## mjrhavoc (Jan 28, 2009)

A couple possible solutions:
1. Buy the wheels from a local hobby shop or online supplier. On my last visit to Woodcraft I noticed they carry them. This could eliminate the monotonous task of wheel-making, affording you more time to work on the unique/creative aspects of the toys.
2. Do you have access to a lathe? You could turn wheels pretty quickly that way but still a bit of a hassle. (This is why all of us [myself included] should update our workshop pages to reflect the tools we have. If I knew what you had…
3. I decided to take a quick look through a couple toy making books I have before posting my reply. Imagine my surprise when I came across this

__
https://flic.kr/p/4152666313
 in one of the books. [Scanned and uploaded to Flickr]

I started this reply last night right before heading to bed and finally finished it now almost 8 hours later. Hopefully it still proves useful. You asked for a jig so I couldn't post without providing one, right?

Cheers,

-Cameron


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## MrsN (Sep 29, 2008)

I have used a method similar to Gene's by pretending my drill press is a lathe and sanding the shape as needed. Then I discovered that my local JoAnn Craft Store sold a 20 pack of wheels for 3 bucks, I decided that it was more fun to spend my time adding detail to other aspects of the cars I make and buy wheels.


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## Alonso83 (Jul 14, 2009)

How about a jig for the band saw, I think I have the plans, I'll look for them once I get back from work.


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## MrHudon (Aug 11, 2009)

I would buy them, I just purchased some other items from these folks. Quick delivery, great prices, quality product.

http://www.americanwoodcrafterssupply.com/wooden-products/wheels-axle-pegs.htm#Wooden%20Spoke%20Wheels


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## Kindlingmaker (Sep 29, 2008)

Using a rosette cutter on the drill press, do both sides and there are almost perfect wheels. Be careful to leave a little wood so the second side does not break out the wheel and send it flying. After both sides are cut, the wheels can be cut with the band saw, scroll saw or what ever and a touch up sanding to the cut.


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## Alonso83 (Jul 14, 2009)

Ok I got the plans for anyone to use

Band Saw Circle Jig

Have fun


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

Being a LumberJock also mening to all of the work by yourself even the tedius one`s and to be praut of the procect and in your own hart to now that you did it all the bedst way you now.
just a humble qestion and opinion from.

Dennis


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## highflyer (Oct 15, 2009)

Just a shot in the dark, and this has probobly already been mentioned but have you thought of trying a hole saw. They make a different sizes.


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## superdad (Nov 19, 2009)

Great ideas. I so have a lathe, but I haven't really used it much, so I'm not sure if I'm confident enough with it yet to produce anything worthwhile. Pretty much everybody is saying just buy them, so I guess I'll look around locally and see what I can find. I've seen many jigs in toy making books to sand them round like the one that mjrhavoc posted, but it doesn't really help with rounding the edges. I guess more thought will have to go into this one.

I'll try and update my workshop page to include what tools I have to work with for future posts. That would be more convenient for others. Thanks for the idea.


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## rareddy (Jan 31, 2009)

You don't mention how big the wheels are to be. If they're small, how about a dowel that you cut each wheel off of?

A big larger, maybe a rolling pin that you cut up…


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## EMVarona (Aug 21, 2010)

I make my wheels the way Kent Shepherd does. First cut wood using a hole saw. Mount in either a vertical or horizontal drill and start sanding down. Quality of the products depends a lot on the type of wood used. Wood that splinters a lot do not make good wheels.


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## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

I used a hole saw for mine, then I placed a bolt through the center of wheel and put it in my variable speed drill. The drill turned the wheel as I held it against my sanding disc. (This helped keep the wheels round after I was sanding ! Took time, the kids loved the "Homemade Flintstone wheels Uncle made !) Yabba Daabba Dooo


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I make hundreds of toys and our club makes over 2500 every year and we buy all the wheels. They range in price from 5 cents to 20 cents each depanding on the size.


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

As stated above, the drill press can be used like a lathe if the pieces are small and will not stress the motor too much. You do not have to stop at sanding though. You can use a mini lathe chisel to shape the wheel some and even cut a hub or other detail. I am not in a position to make a graphic, but if you fasten a thick dowel vertically on a horizontal board that you clamp to your drill press, that will serve as the chisel rest. This keeps you from jabbing the chisel into the work in an uncontrolled manner. Wheels can be cut with a hole saw, also mentioned above, and mounted on 1/4 inch thread rod. If you are just sanding, you could easily do half a dozen at a time. In the base board you use to hold your tool rest, drill a hole just large enough for a router bearing and set the bottom of the steel rod on the bearing. This will give it better spin motion.

David


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## Raymond (Mar 12, 2008)

Oh how I hate making wheels and I make tons of them. I use my metal lathe to turn the blanks in different sizes. Then cut them to what ever width I want on the Radial Arm Saw, then a quick go in a jig in the dirll press for a center hole, then a quick go around with a round over bit in the router. Then back to the lathe for some gooves for treads, maybe some sidewall detail and there I'm done. Only 500 more to make. I think I will start buying my wheels.


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## Pop (Aug 6, 2007)

When I was putting my old company "Pop's Toy Shop" together part of my line was to be construction equipment. I tried everything I could come up with to make wheels. I even had 1 wheel that was made of 3 separate pieces a hub & 2 halves to get a heavy equipment tread. Each wheel took around 15 to 20 minutes at the bandsaw. I designed jigs. The main problem with making wheels is making sure they are all exactly the same diameter. In the end I decided to buy the bulk of wheels. The mass produced cost was far below my time cost. The 3 piece wheel? I was still designing jigs when CPSIA shut the whole operation down.

Pop


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