Replies

1. 
   FastEddie | Aug 21, 2006 02:14am | #1

   guess it helps to add the picture...

   View Image

    

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

1. 
   Patto | Aug 21, 2006 08:42am | #2

   The cart is easy, the hardware and wheels will be a bit of a challenge.

   If I were doing this in Australia I would drive around a bit and find two similar axle / hub sets I could modify and pinch the hardware. Most of the fittings on the cart body will be fairly easy to reproduce from mild steel by looking at your mates cart or local parks/ museums.

   http://www.sovereignhill.com.au/

   is a reproduction goldield villiage that runs several artizans shops - a bit like williamsburg but for the late 1800's. They used to have a fully functional coach building shop and a wheelwrights that could put you on the track for plans. Lots of Australian vehicles were built using imported US hardware and local coah builders. Probably many American vehicles were built the same way.

   If not, the basic process is a block is drilled to take the hub bearing seat and then turned treu to the hub.

   This is morticed on two rings (in a work vehicle compared with a sulky or gig) to so that a triangular cross section adds strength to the wheel.

   Each successive pair of spokes is joined with a rim segment called a felloe (pronounced felly here). there is emough flex in a pir of spokes to assemble these. These are often held in place with a small metal plate on the inside face. The whole is pulled together by heating an iron tyre and then colling it onto the rim. Too much heat will cause charing that reduces wheel life, but that may not be a problem for you. All this can be done at a standard bench except the tyre fitting. That generally needs a hard piece of ground or concrete shpaed so that the rim is fully supported when the tyre is dropped on (hot) and then quenched.

   Big job the first time, but the individual components of the woodwork are reasonably straight forward, and the tolerances a lot easier than furniture. You will need to find out what timbers were used locally - unless things like yellowbox are in your inventory.

2. 
   JLMCDANIEL | Aug 21, 2006 09:13am | #3

   I think I saw some wheels like that at Harbor Freight.

   Take some measurements and some photos of details and diferant angle and you'll have a plan.

   Jack