Making Small Wheels

Mike Martinez

Mike Martinez

Well-Known Member
So, I got tired of killing small rubber wheels and decided to go another direction with it. After seeing a grinder sporting Lignum Vitae wheels south of the border, I decided to give it a try. Below is my prototype moments before completing it.

After grinding out a couple of small contour finger groves with a 40 grit belt I don't think the rubber/ poly wheels will be back any time soon.

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They look good, Mike.
Let us know how they work out.

One of my bandsaws uses Lignum Vitae for the blade guides. Made them over 10 years ago, and they're still good.
 
So far so good. They take heat like nothing else and when they get a little hot, they smell like rose oil rather than burnt plastic. Gotta love that they stand up to heat better than concrete, don't rot, self lubricate and cost about 1/10th the cost of the other stuff.
 
Pardon the ignorance, but say a guy could turn the lignum to said diameter and drill out the shaft hole. What is the rest constructed with?
 
The rest? Well, I'll assume you mean the hardware. I had a few thousand spacers, inline wheels and bearings laying around so I used them. The bearings spacers fit into the bearing reducing the bearing's bore to 1/4 and the larger part of the bearing spacer fits into the 7/16 bore. Inside the bore, I used a 1 1/2 long x 7/16 (Outside Diameter) piece of Stainless Steel tubing. The 1/4 rod is also Stainless Steel.

If this is what you meant, here you are Adam.
 

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Hello Mike,
Lignum Vitae is the Hardest of the woods I beleive? And Desert Ironwood is not far behind.

In the 1600's after the Spaniards showed up to loot & plunder the new world one of the first exports besides Gold & Silver were these Hardwoods to be used in maritime block & tackle Ship's rigging etc!

So I am not surprised you're using it, What I'm curious about is that I've never had any problem with the small wheels on my HardCore machine or my KMG? what kind of wheels were you burning up so I know not to buy them? You can P.M. me if you don't want to embarrass someone?

laurence

www.westsidesharpening.com/
 
Just to make sure it's clear, my question was answered just as I hoped. My previous response was not meant in any negative way and I'm sorry if it was taken as such.
 
I was using uncovered small steel wheels. I found that without the rubber covering they did a very poor job.Without the "give" of the rubber, the work was rough and uneven no matter how I tried to controlthe movement of the item I was working. Using fine belts didn't help. Just something to watch for. Frank
 
Frank Niro said:
I was using uncovered small steel wheels. I found that without the rubber covering they did a very poor job.Without the "give" of the rubber, the work was rough and uneven no matter how I tried to controlthe movement of the item I was working. Using fine belts didn't help. Just something to watch for. Frank
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Frank, I haven't had this issue so far, the wood seems to have a slight "give," but nothing like soft rubber. Its been fine so, but only time will tell, so far so good though.

Steven, I will post pictures when I get out to the shop again. Right now I'm catching up on some knots and lanyards.

** Also, as crazy as it may sound, the heavy duty gorilla style duct tape wrapped around the wheel works wonders and stands up to heat pretty well. I used it before on my old Craftsman 2x42 and it did very well. I ended up removing it but only because it became damaged after some acetone dropped off a shelf onto it.
 
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Wayne Coe said:
So now are you going to be making these wheels and selling them, and if so, how much?
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I don't think I'll be selling any. I've made them to play with after burning up my last 1" wheel. As for the cost, if one were to make them, with abec 3 bearings and aluminum spacers in conjunction with everything else, the cost would be around 15-25 bucks max depending on where you buy your hardware and Lignum.
 
Yes! Please post some pictures and tell us what brand of grinder you are running these on? I really mean is it a Single or Variable grinder?
You know? There might be a market for these wooden wheels?

Thanks
Laurence

www.westsidesharpening.com/
 
I have everything laying around in the shop to make some of those for myself. I'm really hard on small wheels and those may work for me.
 
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