Good for another 114yrs

[Max Power]

Just put the steel tyres back on a set of old wheels this morning.
Love a good fire :mrgreen: you've got to heat them up in the fire first ( the tyre not the wheel for obvious reasons :lol: :lol: )
When I got them they looked like this and were dated 1897 :shock:

after being cut down to the customers prefered size and having new felloes (pronounced fell ees) fitted
the old tyres were cut to size ( 1/8 inch smaller than circumference of felloes) and heated on
and now look like this

Sobering thought is we will all be long gone next time they need doing

 

[andersonec]

Alan,
Presume the heating causes it to expand so it will fit over then shrink to tighten up on the 1/8" ?
=D> =D>

Andy

 

[Max Power]

Yes Andy , as soon as you get the expanded tyre over the rim you run water from a hose on it to cool it down and shrink it onto the rim.
You can hear the creaking and groaning as the joints all pull up tight under the contraction of the metal, leaving the wheel in permanent
tension :mrgreen:

 

[Jacob]

Lovely. I'm all for it.

leaving the wheel in permanent tension

Compression surely?
The Wheelwright's Shop. George Sturt. Compulsory reading.

 

[Jake]

Compulsory reading.

Up north.

 

[CHJ]

Lucky guy having a hose pipe, actually surprised that gave enough water flow. Nice clean finish, really looks the job.

The last time I was involved with having one of our cart wheels repaired we had to have half a dozen or so buckets of water ready to dump in the wheel pit in the smithy floor.
All a very exciting prospect until I was told I had to pay for all the times I'd messed (played) with the well bucket (85Ft) and sandstone sharpening wheel by hauling enough water up whilst the rim was being heated.

Smith, Jim Hafener, (Od Jim) Lineholt, Nr. Ombersley Worc.

 

[Max Power]

You are absolutely correct as usuall Jacob compression it is
A great little book The Wheelwrights Shop, some of those southern softees would do well to read it (hammer)
Its about days of old when men were bold and sheep got nervous :mrgreen:

 

[Max Power]

#-o #-o Bet you were more careful with the water bucket after that Chas :lol: :lol:

 

[Jake]

A great little book The Wheelwrights Shop, some of those southern softees would do well to read it (hammer)
Its about days of old when men were bold and sheep got nervous :mrgreen:

Down here it would be a fascinating historical curiosity, rather than compulsory reading, but then we have fangly rubber and air things and iron horses.

But anyway, nonsense aside, it looks like a great job and must have been much fun especially the last bit with all the steam and that.

 

[Max Power]

Thanks Jake, yes even though the woodwork part is enjoyable its the tyring that is the real fun part. Theres something about heating metal in a fire and the hissing steam as you pour water on that brings out the primeval in you :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[CHJ]

#-o #-o Bet you were more careful with the water bucket after that Chas :lol: :lol:

Too true, the self filling bucket was heavy enough to handle without any contents. Woe betide anybody who let go the handle whilst levering it over the rim.

 

[SammyQ]

Y'ain't seen nuttin' 'till you've done this with a ring of turf on the smithy floor, then picked up the nigh red-hot hoop with tongs (two-man job) and slapped it onto the wood. My Grandfather was a working smith and I can still smell the permanent forge fire (coke, non-sniffable version) and the keratin burnt smell of horses hooves after they were shod.

Ah! memories.

Sam

 

[Max Power]

Ah the singeing smell of horses hoof when the red hot shoe is tried in place for size , nothing like it Sam :mrgreen:

 

[SammyQ]

Yeah...who needs coke?

 

[Max Power]

There were three smiths near me for years, John ,Brian and Bob (sounds like the start of a joke ) they were masters of their art Sam.
They could make you anything from a bit of bar. Long gone now though, some steel fabricators have the old building and all the magics gone