# Steering Wheel Project



## SketchUp Guru (2 Apr 2007)

I actually have a project to report on for a change.

Last weekend I started on a new steering wheel for my sailboat. (Funny, that boat was "finished" four years ago but I'm still making stuff for it. :huh I made the spoke blanks which I sent off to a friend who kindly volunteered to turn them for me. They are laminated up from cherry and hard maple.

This weekend I made a trammel for my P-C trim router, milled the stock for the felloes, (the parts that form the rim of the wheel. They are called felloes on a wagon wheel, too.) and got the inner felloes cut to shape.

I had enough stock cut to the size of the spoke blanks to stand in for the ones my friend will be making so I could at least get this far.

The trammel was a bit of a challenge to work out. There aren't any extra screw holes on the bottom of the stock router base and there's not really that much vertical travel so the base couldn't be too thick. Since I have plenty of scraps I worked out what you can see in the pictures. I started by replacing the plastic base with one made from a scrap of 3/8" lauan ply I had left over from the boat. I used a piece of 12mm baltic birch ply for the trammel itself. I cut a channel in it for the new router base so it is a snug, slip fit. You can see some bits of pine on top that form the rails to hold the router down. Locking the router in place is a simple matter of drilling a hole and driving a screw through the rail, the base plate and the trammel. Not sophisticated but it works.

The next step is to make the two outer felloes rings and then I need to get the real spokes in place so they can be milled to receive those out felloes.

Thanks for looking.


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## gwaithcoed (2 Apr 2007)

Looking good so far, can't wait to see the finised article.

Keep us up to date with WIP pics.

Alan.


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## tonybaloni (2 Apr 2007)

That's really nice work Dave. Look forward to seeing the progress.

Do you have pictures of the boat too?

Tony


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## SketchUp Guru (2 Apr 2007)

Thanks guys.

Here are a few of the boat.


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## tonybaloni (2 Apr 2007)

Superb Dave.

It's always been a dream of mine to build a boat. I still hope to when the kids leave home and we can move somewhere with more outdoor space.

How long did it take you to get it to that stage?

Tony


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## SketchUp Guru (2 Apr 2007)

Thanks Tony.

I built the boat over the course of almost three years but I really only worked on it part time over nine months. Boats really aren't that difficult to build once you get your head around the process and the terms.

You're in a great place for some cool boats. You should look up a fellow neamed Iain Oughtred on the Isle of Skye. I want to build one of his double enders but I can't decide which.


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## JFC (4 Apr 2007)

Love the Yacht Dave , looking forward to see how the wheel turns out .


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## SketchUp Guru (4 Apr 2007)

JFC":e2m4z8uh said:


> Love the Yacht Dave , looking forward to see how the wheel turns out .



Thanks. I am too.


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## DomValente (5 Apr 2007)

That's one project I don't envy you Dave, lovely boat though.
The Isle of Skye???
To us over here that's a bit like you saying, "I'm just popping to Bogota to buy a new hammer"  

Dom


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## Anonymous (5 Apr 2007)

Lovely boat Dave, hope the wheel turns out well - keep the piccies coming awork progresses :wink:


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## tonybaloni (6 Apr 2007)

Hi again Dave,

Yes. I've looked at Ians designs before. In fact I stayed very near him on Skye a few years ago for a weeks holiday. Just didn't know it at that time.

As an aside, it was our holidays on Skye that made us move to Scotland 12 years ago. We now hope to move/retire further north, possily Orkney, another island we have fallen in love with, but thats a few years off yet.

Looking forward to seeing that wheel progress. You've inspired me to start doing some research for the future.  

Tony


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## SketchUp Guru (6 Apr 2007)

Thank you again, Gents. I will post more photos after I get some time to make progress on the wheel. I thought, in the meantime I would post a couple of other images related to the steering mecahnism on the boat.

First, a SketchUp drawing I did for soomeone who was interested in how I built it.






Most of the parts for this came from the local farm supply store. The wheel fits on the near end of the shaft which is actually threaded (left hand thread) and has a key way cut for the key that lock the wheel on the shaft.






This shows the rudder box attachment and the wheel.

And here's a picture of the mechanism through the tiny hatch in the stern deck. It's so small I can hardly work with both hands in there at the same time. The bungee cord is one of two that are used to hold the hatch cover in place.






The hatch cover is kind of funny. I didn't want anything too thick and I wanted no exposed hardware. I took a piece of 3/8" plywood cut to size and ran it through my planer (thicknesser to you lot) and took off the back veneer layer. This made the plywood a bit floppy with a desire to bend in the proper direction. I glued a couple of 3/4" x 3/4" pieces oriented fore and aft along the ends of the hatch to locate the cover over the hole correctly and to hold the screw eyes for the bungee cords. A coat of epoxy and then varnish on the outside while in situ and the cover holds its shape matching the camber of the deck.


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## SketchUp Guru (6 Apr 2007)

And while I'm boring you with boat pictures, here are some I found from launch day that a friend took.

Just off the trailer for the first time. I'm the one in yellow wondering how long it will take before she settles to the bottom.






First time aboard her while she was afloat. The wind had come up and was blowing her away from the dock. You can sort of see the original steering wheel.






And with the commander aboard. You can just see the corner of that hatch I was talking about.


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## Lord Nibbo (6 Apr 2007)

Dave I've looked at the SU picks and the photo of the steering gear and I'm puzzled. Do you have to turn the wheel to port to go to starboard and vice versa?


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## SketchUp Guru (6 Apr 2007)

Yes, you've got it right. I tried it the other way and didn't like it. Since the wheel is behind you when you're sailing, setting it up so turning to port makes you go to port was backward. I found it more intuitive set up as is, It works basically like the tiller on the typical small boat. You push the top of the wheel away from the direction you want to go as you would with the tiller.

There's only about 300° of rotation stop to stop so It really does work much more like a tiller without having the tiny cockpit obstructed.


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## SketchUp Guru (9 Apr 2007)

Finally, I have some new pictures and a progress report on the steering wheel.

First, a little boo boo. I neglected to consider the part of the outer felloes that would be cut away before I drilled the screw holes in the center of the blanks. Fortunately I had enough stock planed to thickness so I could make another six and also fortunately I didn't drill all twelve of the first batch.






The pieces were glued together with super glue. the first piece was screwed down against a registration block which was removed before routing. Then each subsequent piece was glued and screwed down. To prevent gluing the pieces to the jig, I rubbed the surface with a bar of paraffin.

Then I ran the router round the outside.






After making the rings round inside and out, all the felloes pieces were rounded over on the router table. Then I shimmed up the stand in spokes to the height of the face of the hub. The inner felloes were then shimmed to put them midway up the spokes.











And here is one of the rings laying in place on the spokes. I need to run the router round the spokes to create a recess for the outer felloes. Then it'll be time to sand all the parts and start gluing things together. Well, of course I'll need those spokes Ken turned for me.


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## Paul Chapman (9 Apr 2007)

Looking nice, Dave.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## matt (9 Apr 2007)

Dave R":2r8ksl24 said:


> Thanks guys.
> 
> Here are a few of the boat.



Complete with a Plasma screen up front...


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## SketchUp Guru (9 Apr 2007)

matt":26ge0puu said:


> Dave R":26ge0puu said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks guys.
> ...



Gotta be able to watch the game, ya know.


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## Benchwayze (10 Apr 2007)

JFC":1lg8x7xw said:


> Love the Yacht Dave , looking forward to see how the wheel turns out .



Me too JFC. Also like the cabinet in your 'Avatar'. It would be one of yours I am sure.
Lovely work.

John


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## Benchwayze (10 Apr 2007)

Dave R":3cuekfq4 said:


> Yes, you've got it right. I tried it the other way and didn't like it. Since the wheel is behind you when you're sailing, setting it up so turning to port makes you go to port was backward. I found it more intuitive set up as is, It works basically like the tiller on the typical small boat. You push the top of the wheel away from the direction you want to go as you would with the tiller.


Ahh! So it's a circular tiller then? Nice idea, and intuitive for an old 'seadog' like me.. Oh but you would have loved the old 'Kitchener-gear'... . Happy Days!

Nice one

John


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## SketchUp Guru (10 Apr 2007)

John, thanks. 

Kitchener gear? Do you mean the Kitchen Rudder?







They are pretty cool but don't work so well on a sailboat. [/url]


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## Benchwayze (12 Apr 2007)

Dave R":csu15ing said:


> John, thanks.
> 
> Kitchener gear? Do you mean the Kitchen Rudder?
> 
> ...



This is true of course, so you must be older than you look Dave!
Your image illustrates it nicely. 'Kitchener-gear' was fitted to the old, RN, carvel-built motor-pinnaces, and comprised of two rotatable 'buckets' which enclosed the screw. The wheel on the 'tiller' moved the buckets to port or starboard, so that the force of the wake, against the buckets, acted as a rudder, thus turning the boat port or starboard. Add to that the rev control on the brass/nickel 'tiller' and all the metal-work that had to be polished, they were a chore! But they made the boats very maneuverable. It has been a long, long time since I used a boat like that, and I cant recall if it was just an adjunct to the tiller, but they could spin on a 'sixpence' (A nickel if you will!' )

Happy Days, as I said.

John


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## SketchUp Guru (12 Apr 2007)

I remember seeing a small boat that was fitted with a kitchen rudder. The small motor had no transmission. The screw was attached directly to the crankshaft. THe boat had no neutral or reverse gear positions because of that. By operating one control the helmsman could steer the boat. There was another that would run the two buckets together aft of the screw to create reverse thrust. (Very similar to the thrust reversers on some aircraft such as the DC-9, MD-80, B-727.) There was also a setting that created a zero-thrust condition by leaving a gap between the two rudders.


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## Alf (12 Apr 2007)

Benchwayze":2scf8h3f said:


> ...fitted to the old, RN, carvel-built motor-pinnaces...


I wish you hadn't said that, John - I was immediately compelled to leap to the books for more info. #-o Anyway, I'm sure the 1951 Manual of Seamanship was before your time  but thought you might enjoy this:






And a nice explanation of how it works (mainly for my benefit  )






Darn clever, but as Dave says, maybe not ideal for a sailing boat. :lol:

Cheers, Alf


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## SketchUp Guru (5 May 2007)

Right! You lot already forgot about my steering wheel project. Probably thought it beat me and I gave up. Well, not yet but I'm getting close to considering what color I should paint it. 

Actually, I've been working on the wheel mostly in very short periods due to other things going on. I've also forgotten to take pictures as I went. I finally remembered to haul the camera out and get some shots and here they are.

First, the wheel as it sits now.





I've got the entire wheel assembled and in this shot you can see the bungs in the screw holes on the front. The wheel is glued together with epoxy slightly thickened with fumed silica. There are screws into the spokes but they aren't really useful once the epoxy has cured. the bumngs are "glued" in with spar varnish which is what I'll use to finish the wheel. The varnish will hold the bungs in place just fine and there won't be an unsightly glue lines around the bungs.

the inisde ends of the spokes were varnished since I'll never have access to the ends again.

Here are the bungs for the opposite side.






As you can see, I cut the bungs nearly free but left a very thin bit of wood so they stay together. This made it possible to dip them into the varnish and place them without getting varnish on my fingers. after dipping the bung in the varnish, I set it in place over the hole and drove it in with a little hammer which also managed to break the bung free of the strip. Leaving the bungs in the strip also makes it easier to align the grain.

And, FWIW, here's the steering shaft made by a friend from a bit of stainless steel round stock. The center is drilled and tapped for a machine screw and a key way is cut to mate with the keyway in the hub. the key is glued into the keyway with CA glue.


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## Johnboy (6 May 2007)

That's looking great Dave. A thick coat of magnolia gloss paint should finish it off nicely. :lol: 

John


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## DaveL (6 May 2007)

Johnboy":roda2j8h said:


> That's looking great Dave.


Must agree, looking good.  


Johnboy":roda2j8h said:


> A thick coat of magnolia gloss paint should finish it off nicely. :lol:


Shouldn't that be donkey brown with a nice ploy gloss top coat? :twisted: :roll: :wink:


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## SketchUp Guru (14 May 2007)

I couldn't find Magnolia or Donkey Brown so I started with spar varnish.


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## dedee (14 May 2007)

Dave,
that sure looks beautifully made. You will remember to show us an in-situ shot won't you?

Andy


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## DomValente (14 May 2007)

Dammit Dave, you could have made a couple of mistakes.

Beautiful work.

Dom


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## SketchUp Guru (14 May 2007)

Dom, I made a lot of mistakes. You're being kind not to point them out. I'm hoping that with enough varnish the glare will be so bright no one will see the flaws.


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## syntec4 (14 May 2007)

Brilliant Dave, well done. Glad you didn't go for Donkey Brown.  

Lee.


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## DaveL (14 May 2007)

Dave R":n2h7s0ft said:


> I couldn't find Magnolia or Donkey Brown so I started with spar varnish.


I am pleased. 
Looks good, how many coats before it goes on board?


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## SketchUp Guru (14 May 2007)

Thank you guys.

Dave, I'll probably put on two more coats of varnish before I start with the paint. Just kidding. I have too much other stuff to do to worry about painting it now.


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## Lord Nibbo (14 May 2007)

Where is your orders page & price list? =D> =D> =D>


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## SketchUp Guru (14 May 2007)

LN, I've considered that. Do you think I could sell any?


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## Lord Nibbo (15 May 2007)

Dave R":187gtlxh said:


> LN, I've considered that. Do you think I could sell any?


 I would imagine on your side of the pond and especially in the San Francisco area they would bite your hand off, even more so if you advertised it as hand made. That huge brass/bronze boss really makes it, I bet that don't come cheap. To be really authentic though it needs a brass cap on one of the pins.
Like the one in this pic near the top of the wheel





Or you could do some nice rope work like done on this Marlin spike or do you call them fids?



:lol:


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## SketchUp Guru (15 May 2007)

Och! Brass cap on the king spoke. Pshaw! There should be a turk's head on the king spoke like this:





A new cast bronze hub would be more than $200. I'd have to get at least $225 to pay for the materials.


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## Lord Nibbo (15 May 2007)

Dave R":ro0cjcrm said:


> Och! Brass cap on the king spoke. Pshaw! There should be a turk's head on the king spoke
> 
> A new cast bronze hub would be more than $200. I'd have to get at least $225 to pay for the materials.



Turks head! cheap skate :wink: Thats too easy and would only add pennies to the value :lol: 

$200 ouch! why not use a very hard wood hub turned on a lathe with a machined metal insert with the key way cut into the insert? That would get the price down or should I say cost down, then the $200 would be extra profit.

I suppose the real problem of selling your wheels are the cheap replicas that are on the market, most people think they are the real thing but one season out in the wet would prove other wise and it is the price of these replicas that your trying to compete with, as the saying goes "you get what you pay for"


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## Evergreen (15 May 2007)

Dave

I'm not usually interested in small boats but I have to say yours is so attractive it just steals my heart away. And as for the wheel that you've made....so clever. It's a thing of beauty, let alone its function. Thank you for taking the trouble to post the pictures.

Regards.


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## Anonymous (15 May 2007)

Lovely job Dave, lovley


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## Geoff (23 May 2007)

Turks Head...

http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/geyse ... shead.html


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## SketchUp Guru (4 Jun 2007)

Seems I can't let you all forget about my goofy woodworking projects. Like a bad penny, I keep turning up. :roll: 

Anyway, here are a couple of pictures from Saturday. The first shows the steering wheel. At this point, it's the best I can do for a picture of it on the boat.







And here's another for the fun of it.


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