| If you read my
article about Building a MoW Tie Setter, you may
have noticed I glossed over the wheels used in that rig. In this article I
will show you how I made these wheels using materials I had on hand at the time.
You may find other railroad applications for these wheels. Here's how I
constructed my MoW wheels. |
 I used a horizontal metal cutting band saw to cut 1
slices of 2-1/2 conveyor roller (you may substitute 2-1/2" continuous weld
steel tube) and 1 diameter steel rod. I also cut 3 length plates from 1/8 x
3 stock (right). These square sections of flat stock will become the
flange and the ends of the wheels. If you're not lucky enough to have a
band saw, you can use a hack saw, saber saw or abrasive wheel on a power miter
box or circular saw. It really doesn't matter how you cut it. |
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1" slices of roller and 1" dia. steel rod plus 3" squares of 1/8"
steel.
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 Next I used a
gas shielded wire welder weld the tube section to the 1/8 plate. Visually
center the tube and tack weld them together twice (opposite sides) and then weld
1/4 of the inside at a time. This is to keep from warping things. You may use
most any another type of electric welder you have access to (click image to
enlarge). |
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  You will want to knock off some materials so when this assembly
goes to the lathe, you will have less material to remove. Cut the four
corners back to within a 1/4 of the wheel body and then grind the resulting
eight corners on a bench grinder (click image to enlarge).
Clamp the wheel into a 3-jaw chuck
lathe (right) using round stock spacers between the wheel and the face of the
chuck. This will cause the plate to be safely away from the jaws so that both
sides of the edge can be machined. (remove the spacers after the wheel has been
clamped) Turn the 3-3/4 diameter making a 1/8 flange. Use a double cut bastard
file to round the edges and taper the track side of the flange (click image to
enlarge).
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  After the set of wheels have had
their flanges formed, reverse them with the back against the chuck face (left)
and beginning with a center drill, small diameter twist drills and repeating
with greater diameters cut a 1 diameter hole for the hub of each wheel (click
image to enlarge).
At the welding table (right), hammer the 1 diameter cylinders
into the wheel until they are flush to the back of the wheel and then arch weld.
Remove the slag and grind flush. If it appears there has not been adequate
penetration in some spot, repeat the process (click image to enlarge).
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  Back on the lathe (left), with reverse jaws in the
chuck, clamp the wheels with the back against the face of the chuck. Center
drill then drill an undersized 1/2 diameter hole into the hub before facing the
wheels to a 3/4 width (click image to enlarge)Ream the hole
(right) to an inside diameter of 0.500. Remove the sharp edge from both sides of
the hole using a hand drill and countersink. Lightly hand file the back side
removing burrs. At this time dont be to concerned about the burrs on the outer
side of the wheel (click image to enlarge).
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  Change the jaws in the lathe (left). Using a 1/2
diameter mandrill whose end is threaded with NF threads, lock the wheel between
two nuts. Set the compound to 5 degrees and taking light cuts, taper the wheel
(click image to enlarge).
After the whole set of wheels have been tapered,
swing the tool around and remove the burr from the inside (right). With hand
file and abrasive cloth remove all burrs and sharp edges (click image to
enlarge).
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  Here is a set of MoW wheels ready for use (left) (click image
to enlarge).After the axles are made and
the ends threaded but before the axle assembly is finished, mount each wheel and
fasten with the 1/2 nut. Hand tighten the nut down and then back it off by a
1/6th turn or until the wheel just moves freely and lock the nut in that
location with another nut. Clamp into a vice with a flat of the nut parallel to
the drill press table (right). With a long center drill mark the start of a hole
in the center of the flat (or between the projections of a castle nut) then
drill a hole with the proper bit size that will give good clearance for the
cotter pin. On the axle, clean the hole and threads with a thread file or 1/2
thread die (keep that nut with that end of the axle!) (click image to
enlarge).
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Don't forget to read my earlier article
Building a MoW Tie Setter |
