[Pablino]

I use a hole saw to cut out 2" holes out of 3/4" cedar boards, what is the safest to trim the 2" round plugs edges with a round over- bit, I use a table mounted router. The plugs are used for wheels on wood toys, I need all the help I can get, the toys are given to the childern homes for battered and forgotten kids.

thanks, pablino

 

[reible]

I use a hole saw to cut out 2" holes out of 3/4" cedar boards, what is the safest to trim the 2" round plugs edges with a round over- bit, I use a table mounted router. The plugs are used for wheels on wood toys, I need all the help I can get, the toys are given to the childern homes for battered and forgotten kids.

thanks, pablino

This is a good question. First I'm glad you ask here because someone will have an answer. I just want you to know that working that close to a router bit is not something I do, and I would never never advise trying to do this with a guide pin and hand turning the piece. Think DANGER DANGER....

Now having said that, I know this is a forum about router and router can do anything etc etc but I think I would think about a sanding operation. You will be doing a lot of cross-grain operations with the router and the results may require sanding to look right anyway.

Now having said that unless you really like making the wheels or the wood is free or something like that I might just purchase them. Hardwood (birch) wheels 2" dia. pkg of 100 is $30. This is just out of a catalog I have setting here my my computer so if you shop around?????

That's my 2-cents,

Ed

PS Thank you for your work with the kids, that is great!

 

[Spacemanspiff]

There is a way that I have been told that involves making a v-notch in a piece of MDF (or something similar) with a clearance hole for the bit to poke through. This then gets clamped to the table in such a way that the open end of the v is facing you and the bit is clear of the clearance hole. This then means you can push the wheel into the v and it contacts the edges of the v and the bit at the same time - increasing the safety margin. Having said all of that I don't know if I would try it with something that small though. You could also thread it onto a bolt and use the drill press to spin it while you sand the roundover onto each piece.
Good luck
Aaron

 

[BobandRick]

There is a way that I have been told that involves making a v-notch in a piece of MDF (or something similar) with a clearance hole for the bit to poke through. This then gets clamped to the table in such a way that the open end of the v is facing you and the bit is clear of the clearance hole. This then means you can push the wheel into the v and it contacts the edges of the v and the bit at the same time - increasing the safety margin. Having said all of that I don't know if I would try it with something that small though. You could also thread it onto a bolt and use the drill press to spin it while you sand the roundover onto each piece.
Good luck
Aaron

Aaron has the way to do it...Cutting a lot of these wheels will make this operation boring and dangerous. We need to keep your fingers safe.

I am going to make the fence over the weekend to try the operation and post it Monday...

 

[Pablino]

1-truck uses 6 ea wheels, 1- train uses 6ea, 1-car uses 4ea, 1 plane uses 2ea , I have delivered approx. 200 variety of the above toys in the last 6 months, i've been using a 1 in. belt sander, thanks for any speedy way of sanding the edges, my fingers are nearing 70 years. I enjoy every minute it. Pablino

 

[BobandRick]

I use a hole saw to cut out 2" holes out of 3/4" cedar boards, what is the safest to trim the 2" round plugs edges with a round over- bit, I use a table mounted router. The plugs are used for wheels on wood toys, I need all the help I can get, the toys are given to the childern homes for battered and forgotten kids.

thanks, pablino

1) I tried and found that the best way for me to do the operation was to make a vfence. (see attachment 1.)

2) This fence has a guard on top of the router bit and is 1" thick or 1/4" thicker than the wheel material. (see attachment 2)

3) The fence has three points of contact on the wheel while its being rounded over. (see attachment 3,4 and 5)

4) You should always start rounding over the wheel with the grain. Check all wheels for cracked or checked material before routing. Only use solid material for the wheels. (see attachment 6)

5) I used a pencil to control the wheel and then pushed the wheel into the router bit with my thumb. Always move the wheel against the rotation of the roundover bit and remember to keep you fingers and thumbs away from the router bit at all times. (See attachment 7)

Good luck and remember to keep your fingers safe at all times.

 

[Julie]

Fabulous stuff, Rick and Bob!
Thanks
~Julie~

 

[template tom]

I use a hole saw to cut out 2" holes out of 3/4" cedar boards, what is the safest to trim the 2" round plugs edges with a round over- bit, I use a table mounted router. The plugs are used for wheels on wood toys, I need all the help I can get, the toys are given to the childern homes for battered and forgotten kids.

thanks, pablino

Before I head over East

Looking for an alternative method that is safe.

1. You can first cut the shapes with your hole saw if you wish making them a little larger than you require or simply cut small squares.

2. Drill a hole centrally in the square blocks

3. Drill a smaller plug that can be attached to the square block and also to a sacrificial board. This is done with a countersunk metal threaded screw which will hold the material secure. Calculations are required as to what guide and cutter is to be used.calculations are required as to what guide and cutter is to be used Sorry about the double dipping

4. With an extended rounding over cutter it is possible to rout the shape and apply the rounding over required. Router is used on the plunge mode. Make a simple router support or use a set of skis to support the router

5. The wheel can now be returned over and the rounding over can be repeated. A little extra work in preparation but it will beTotally Safe I may have to supply some drawings if you cannot follow the method described but I will be away for a few days and not at the computer in that time.
Tom

 

[hcbph]

I think either Rockler or Lee Valley has a drillpress cutter for doing wheels, similar to a Rosette Cutter. Now given that, I have rounded over some wheel edges on wheels as small as 1 1/4". I have a small handheld jig I made. It's about 8" long, about 1" wide and out of 3/4" ply. It has a dowel in one end, less than the centerline of the wheel. Theres another dowl about 2" away with a wooden lever on it. Put the wheel on the outer wheel, there's a small stick on the other that works as a brake. Put that down on the table and carefully work it into the bit. The bit will try and turn the wheel, thats where the other stick is pressed against the wheel to slow it down so it cuts an even edge.

Hope that helps. Good luck/

 

[Spacemanspiff]

I think either Rockler or Lee Valley has a drillpress cutter for doing wheels, similar to a Rosette Cutter. Now given that, I have rounded over some wheel edges on wheels as small as 1 1/4". I have a small handheld jig I made. It's about 8" long, about 1" wide and out of 3/4" ply. It has a dowel in one end, less than the centerline of the wheel. Theres another dowl about 2" away with a wooden lever on it. Put the wheel on the outer wheel, there's a small stick on the other that works as a brake. Put that down on the table and carefully work it into the bit. The bit will try and turn the wheel, thats where the other stick is pressed against the wheel to slow it down so it cuts an even edge.

Hope that helps. Good luck/

Sounsd interesting ... any chance of a picture of it?

Thanks
Aaron

 

[bobj3]

I know this is a old post but this tip may help someone that wants to make wheels and use the plugs from the hole saw.

At one time I made many,many toys and they all took wheels.
The high price of wheels got to me and I had many plugs on hand so I took a Irwin drill and cut off the end (norm.sq.ends for a brace and bit drill) so it would fit in the drill press.

Then I took it to the grinder and a rat tail file, did a bit of rework on the cutter so it would cut out wheels with a center hub....the main part of the drill works great to make the hub. see snapshots below.

This tools works great, it will make wheels from 1 1/2" to 3" and I had one bigger but I can find that one right now but I did show a snapshot of the blades you can get to make them....(from Ace Hardware/Home Depot)

Note **** you will need to grind off the screw thread on the main head that's to say grind it to a point, this will let you control the cutter.

You will also need to make a quick jig to hold the plugs (hole saw) do one side and then flip it over and do the backside of the plug/wheel.
Note***the plugs make great dual wheels for the rear of a truck toy.
do one side of the plug and then flip it over and do the other side and then take it to the band saw and put in a v-slot to make it look like two wheels.
make a jig to hold in place in the band saw,two sq. blocks with a 1/4" dowel to hold the wheel in place,a wheel Sandwich jig.

For the advance wood toy maker ▼
If you want to put the look of tire on the wheels use the tool below,I used a old one I had around and it works great for this job.
Stick the wheel in a drill with a 1/4" bolt and hold it to the knurling tool.

knurling tool below
http://www.grizzly.com/products/h2984
http://www.grizzly.com/products/h7570
------------------
IRWIN Lockhead bit from: ▼

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6269278278&category=13872

http://www.hectorshardware.biz/shop/product.asp?dept_id=10203&sku=323004&

http://www.shop.com/op/aprod-p30496016-k24-g4-~irwin+lockhead-nover?sourceid=3

http://www.petesdepot.com/323004.html
------------------------


Hope this helps someone

Bj

 

[rprice54]

I just got this idea in an email weekly tip from somewhere- Put a carriage bolt through the middle and lock it down with a nut. Chuck up the bolt in your drill press and use it as a lathe- take some sandpaper and round off the edges. It was a tip for making your own shop knobs but I think it will work for this as well.

 

[Lee Brubaker]

Some very good suggestions from previous posters. I make toys every year for inner city kids for Xmas & of course wheels,wheels, & more wheels of all sizes. My split fence forms the Vee necessary when rounding the wheels over on the router table. One of the things that I do is wear latex gloves to improve my grip on small parts. To sand the wheels & to clean off the odd burn mark I made a 1/4" arbor for the drill press from a bolt with the head cut off & with double nuts/washers attach the wheel. Spun in the drill press sandpaper cleans them up nicely & in the case of truck wheels allows you to cut in tread lines. For larger wheels than 2" I use the Precision Circle Jig (available from LV & originally designed to cut speaker holes using a router). I also use this jig when the toy uses off center axle holes because the jig pivot hole is only 1/8th inch instead of a 1/4" made by the hole saw making it easier to plug the hole for redrilling for off set axles.

Lee

 

[bobj3]

Just some snapshots to show what this bit will do.

The wheels are 2 3/8" O.D. and a 1/4" I.D. but you can make any size with one cutter.
I have made wheels up to 3 1/8" O.D. with this type of drill.
Just a note***I made the two wheels in less than 3 mins.for both wheels as you can see this is a quick and a safe way to make them.


Hope this helps someone that wants to make toy wheels


Bj

 

[Maurice]

Wheels

The posts on wheels is very interesting..in fact, fantastic.
But, just in case you get tired of making wheels as I did, here's a place that you can get all sorts and sizes of wheels and many other things at what I think is a very reasonable price.
It is called Bearwoods Supply Co.
Corneallis Nova Scotia Canada, B0S 1H0
Phone 902-638-8637
They have a website which has their catalogue on it and you can order from there.
WWW.bearwood.com
I make tiny toy cars and send them to Zambia for the refugee children.
Keep up the good work.
Mo.

 

[bobj3]

Thanks Maurice for the tip and link

Here's just one more link(see below), I have got wheels from them in pass.
They also stock the hard to find sizes,,,,plus the hard to find Truck Wheels,,,,but it's fun to make wheels sometimes and to find new ways to make them..
I did at one time make them on the lathe but it took to much time, now if I had a auto lathe that would be nice.

http://www.woodwrks.com/wood-craft-...eels-Axle-Pegs-Wholesale-Wooden-Toy-Parts.htm


Bj

 

[Lee Brubaker]

I use my split fence to form the Vee for rounding over wheels cut with a hole saw or alternatively cut with a router jig that was originally developed for cutting speaker holes. Notice the furred end grain in the 7th photo of Rick & Mark's pic. Also when working at such close quarters I wear dental latex gloves to improve my grip on such a small part.
I made a drill press mandrel from a bolt with the head cut off & mount the wheel between two nuts/washers on the threaded end. This setup using sandpaper cleans away the end grain furring & the odd bit burn that will occur from time to time. It also allows me to cut in tread lines for wheels mounted on vehicles.

Lee