General Woodworking

[ronaldseto]

I need to make a few of these wheels. They are of various diameters and some without spokes. I know how to cut them out, but I have been making them out of Baltic Birch plywood (for stability). I want to make them from a hardwood.

    My question is: What wood can I use and what kind of finish/treatment can I use to prevent them from warping. I would like to use a fine grain wood.

    I tried making them from Poplar, but after a while, they warped due to humidity.

    The wheels are for model locomotives. All dimensions shown are full size in inches.

[wadriscoll1]

I make a lot of wheels and find that maple works for me, I paint some (spray) but mostly I just put a couple of coats of Varathane varnish on them.

Willy

[jimmicarter]

Ron, wasn't the  old  time wooden sewing spools made from birch? They held up pretty good when we used to make tractors out of them when I was a kid. You know a stick in each end , held together with a rubber band.

[ronaldseto]

Thanks. I'll give it a try.

[amateur60]

You will get the most resistence to water vapor by finishing them with shellac.  More moisture resistence than varnish.  Honduran mahogany would be a very stable wood choice, and look great to boot. 

[don33butler]

I've heard of such wheels made from MDF.

No warping, anyway!

d

[ronaldseto]

Thanks. I have Travis's address. Never thought to ask him.

[ronaldseto]

I made some from MDF. Worked ok, but would not want to rely on them in operation. I couldn't find a good way of securing the MDF to the axle. When I ran the loco, the driver would slip on the axle and foul the quartering which caused the wheels to jam. MDF is a bit too soft.

[Lots of Dust]

I'd like to see a photo or 5 of the trains.

Lots of Dust