Homemade contact wheel WIP

melsdad

melsdad

Joined
Apr 3, 2008
Messages
522
I was inspired by Michael Morris's recent videos. He used a wooden contact wheel on a few of his grinders. I'm not sure what material Michael used, but I decided to used ½" MDF to construct the wheel. I bought 1 2'x4' sheet of ½" MDF at home depot for just under $8.00.



Here is the mock up piece to check for fit.
0320111505a.jpg



And this is as far as I got for today. I did not get any pictures of the pieces layed out on the board, or rough cutting the circles. I imagine you all can envision that process anyways. I will leave the clamps on overnight. You can't see it in the picture but I drilled a ½" hole in the center of all 4 pieces, and ran a piece of all thread thru it to keep things in line, and act as a clamp for glueing.
0320111554-1.jpg


More to come in the next few days.
 
Any idea on the weight yet, I imagine it will be slow to start but have plenty of momentum once it's turning. What's the diameter?? I appreciate the look, I have been thinking about making one myself. I knew Michael made his own and I know atleast one other maker that also made his wheels. He said he had been using them for 8-10 years without a problem. He used 12 ounce leather glued around the wheel for a cushion.
 
Cool!

I'd be interested to see how they felt when grinding.
 
J. Hoover said:
Any idea on the weight yet, I imagine it will be slow to start but have plenty of momentum once it's turning. What's the diameter?? I appreciate the look, I have been thinking about making one myself. I knew Michael made his own and I know atleast one other maker that also made his wheels. He said he had been using them for 8-10 years without a problem. He used 12 ounce leather glued around the wheel for a cushion.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure of the weight yet. I am planning on the wheel being 14" I was thinking of putting leather on the contact area of the wheel anyways, now I'm glad to hear that it has been done before.
 
I have an 18 inch wheel made the same way. I would suggest going to Tractor Supply if you have one in your area and get some of the bed liner they have. It is 39 inchs wide ( I believe) and they sell it by what ever measured width you want. It gives a good solid surface with less give than leather. Glued then actually nailed in an angled joint across the wheel works fine.
Need to find a friend with a big lathe to true it up to the center.
 
IN the absence of a lathe with enough swing maybe you could true it by working on the wheel area opposite the normal contact point, using an old belt to drive it.
 
i thought this thread was going to be nothing but "dont do it, you'll kill yourself".
seeing that its not, i think ill have a go at making my own. thanks for the idea!
 
I'll tell you right now, be VERY careful with that wheel. Keep your RPM low, or don some very serious safety gear to test it. spinning natural materials at even "low" speeds can turn them into shrapnel grenades.
 
Sam Salvati said:
I'll tell you right now, be VERY careful with that wheel. Keep your RPM low, or don some very serious safety gear to test it. spinning natural materials at even "low" speeds can turn them into shrapnel grenades.
Click to expand...

YEAH! Tell the story of your old grinding wheel that exploded. :eek:
 
I got the wheel finished today. It runs very smooth. I checked it with a digital tachometer, and it ran smooth at 1500 r.p.m. and I am very pleased with how it turned out. I still need to get the leather, or rubber for the contact surface and she is ready for action. Now I just need to run some steel over it and see how it holds up.

Here are a few pictures of it mounted.


Here is an action shot of trueing the O.D.
MELANIE2011177.jpg


On the mill to drill and ream the axle hole
MELANIE2011178.jpg


The wheel finished up at 14.375" diameter.
grinder7.jpg


The axle is .750 diameter
grinder10.jpg


The major hub diameter is 4"
grinder8.jpg
 
That is a BEAST of a wheel! Nice job.:thumbup:
 
That looks great! Man, I wish I had a lathe set up... So many cool things you can do with it...
 
Are you holding it by the OD of the 4in hub in the lathe ? I might have to give this a go, if it all works out in the final testing.
By the way, why all the extra holes ? Is there a reason you appearently started out to have a 6 bolt pattern and settles for 3 ?
 
Looks nice! So long as it holds up I think it was a good idea. Nice finish work so far:thumbup:
 
little mac said:
Are you holding it by the OD of the 4in hub in the lathe ? I might have to give this a go, if it all works out in the final testing.
By the way, why all the extra holes ? Is there a reason you appearently started out to have a 6 bolt pattern and settles for 3 ?
Click to expand...

Yes I am holding it by the 4" hub diameter. I indicated the I.D. of the bearing to .0005 and trued the o.d. so everything is running perfect to one another. I only had 3 bolts at home so that is why the other holes are empty. I now have the bolts trimmed to length so they don't stick out, and all holes are being used.
 
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