Reference · How-tos · Deck fittings

A ship's wheel rim from ten walnut segments, turned round on a faceplate

Build up the rim of a scratch-built ship's wheel from ten equal segments, glue them together on a small wooden faceplate and turn them round on the lathe, as a replacement for the brass kit wheel.

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1. 1Deriving the measurements from the drawing

   Follow the method from the Syren pdf: a rim of ten equal segments, with a spoke in every joint. Work out the measurements for your scale: the rim becomes 1.3 mm thick and 1.7 mm wide. According to the drawing the spokes should be about 0.8 mm thick, but make them 1 mm, because thinner simply breaks too easily.

   rim 1.3 mm thick and 1.7 mm wide

   Tip from Stephan Kertész: On MSW you can download a pdf with a very handy explanation of how to tackle this; it is among the articles at thenrg.org/resource/articles.

   Watch out: The drawing at the bottom right of the pdf runs the spokes through the wheel, with four rings. That is too small for 1:64. Make one rim and let the spoke into it with a notch.

2. 2Preparing the faceplate

   Saw a small wooden disc that fits the lathe and mark the centre and the ten dividing lines on it. You will use those lines later to align the segments and the spokes. Mount the disc in the lathe and check that it runs true.

   

3. 3Sawing ten segments

   Saw ten equal segments 1.3 mm thick from walnut offcuts, with the butt ends at the correct angle so that together they form a closed decagon. Leave the segments generous on the outside, because the rim is only brought to size on the lathe. Lay them dry on the dividing lines and check that the joints close.

   1.3 mm thick

   

   Watch out: Do not saw the segments too long; halfway along a longer strip a deviation soon creeps in.

4. 4Joining the segments with epoxy and gluing them to the disc with yellow glue

   Glue the segments to each other with two-part epoxy and glue the whole to the faceplate with yellow glue. The yellow glue releases later with water, the epoxy holds the joints together. Let the epoxy cure fully before turning.

   Tip from Pingu57: The next rim you could perhaps just stick down on a few small spots.

   Watch out: Epoxy takes practice: on the first rim the glue did not yet hold the joints firmly enough.

5. 5Turning the rim round

   Turn the outside and inside of the decagon round with a turning tool to a rim 1.7 mm wide. Take small cuts and measure in between. Variations of less than 0.1 mm in width are hardly visible in the end.

   1.7 mm wide, variation under 0.1 mm

   

   Watch out: The colour difference between the segments shows in the photograph; a coat of varnish will hopefully reduce that.

6. 6Making the centre ring and the second rim

   Make a second rim for the second wheel in the same way and turn the centre rings for the middle of the wheel. Thin rings 0.2 to 0.3 mm thick go on top of the rims later. Lay everything side by side and compare the measurements.

   thin rings 0.2 to 0.3 mm thick

7. 7Trying the notches for the spokes

   Saw or file a notch in the rim and in the centre piece for the first spoke and lay a trial spoke of 1 x 1 mm walnut in it. On one side the spoke lies flush with the wheel, which becomes the inside; on the other side it sits slightly into the rim, which becomes the outside. Take your time here, because deviations are immediately visible.

   spoke 1 x 1 mm

   

   Tip from Stephan Kertész: With pear, cherry or even boxwood you can be more accurate than with walnut.

   Watch out: Walnut spokes break easily and are hard to align opposite each other. A 'spider's web' of lines under the wheel helps, but even with that it does not quite work.

8. 8Releasing the rim from the faceplate

   If you are not carrying on until later, release the rim straight away with a little water on the yellow glue, otherwise it dries too hard. Better still: first glue the complete wheel together, with spokes and centre piece, and release it afterwards. Warm the glue briefly with a hair dryer or a heat gun on its lowest setting and carefully cut it loose with a hobby knife, alternately warming and cutting.

   

   Tip from JDS73: Move a heat gun on its lowest setting briefly over the glued parts and carefully cut the softened glue loose with a hobby knife. If you do not dare, use a hair dryer or moisten the wood regularly with a little water.

   Watch out: When the first complete wheel was released the rim broke in three places, because it had not yet been glued together and so had no rigidity. Glue it up completely first, then release.

Result

The first rim came right in one evening and the second the day after, with variations under 0.1 mm. The real work comes afterwards with the spokes and the releasing: next time glue the wheel up completely first and then take it off the disc with heat, or stick the rim down on only a few spots.