Bespoke cast iron wheels

[MikeWilliams]

Just stumbled across these people on ebay of all places

https://www.owlcastings.co.uk/

They make bespoke wheel castings.  You supply the drawings, they do the CAD, print the wheel and do the casting too.  I have no connection or experience of the firm whatsoever, but they sound like an interesting one stop shop.

Mike

[John Branch]

If the cast wheels come out looking anything like those masters, it should make the final machining   and finishing somewhat easier.  (not that I've ever attempted it!).  here's a thought-is there a  material that could be put through a printer that would result in finished useable wheels?  Not for live steam, I would guess, butt for lightly loaded coaches and trucks?

John

[MikeWilliams]

It depends what you expect from them I guess John and how much you are prepared to be a Guinea Pig.  David Viewing prints all his Gauge 1 wheels in white nylon and runs them just like that - no turning, no separate tyres, nothing.  They perform just fine, but would I use them ... err, no.  But then I'm a luddite and prefer cast iron whenever possible!

Mike

[IanT]

We have a talented Member (Cliff D) who makes carriage wheels out of plywood. First time I saw them, I told him I didn't think they would last - ten years later he showed them to me again and the only visible difference was that they had picked up so much stuff off the rails that they actually looked like metal treads...

So I don't see a great problem if you want to do it John - and if they only last five years, well print some new replacements. I think they would certainly provide a good basis for something like Mansell wheels - although I'd probably still prefer to use a metal tyre...

Regards,

IanT

[MikeWilliams]

I am also assured that these work well in 7mm:

http://www.parlytrains.co.uk/page23.html

Mike

[cabbage]

John,
My printer is idle at the moment. If you would like a set of four in PLA?

Regards

Ralph

[John Branch]

Ralph,

That is a very kind offer, and one I am inclined to accept.  My wheel needs over the foreseeable future will be for plain disc wheels to G3 soc standards of 2'7" diameter on tread (35mm in G3), and I shall need 8 in total, although 4 would be great for evaluation.  Do you need a drawing?  I only have facilities for 2D  .dxf type, or will the description above give you enough information?
Half the axles will be motored, and the others trailing, so all bases are covered.
At my current rate of building progress, it will be some time before I can report on experience in service,. but I look forward to doing so!

Best,
John

[cabbage]

John,
Send me a drawing of what you want in; PDF, PNG or JPG format. Solid disc wheels should be no problem.

[Jon Nazareth]

Mark Wood supplies cast iron Mansell wheels, I know cos' I've bought some.

Jon

[cabbage]

Just run the PDF through CURA... The wheel would take 4 hours 3 minutes to print! It would be quicker to machine one from a steel bar slice.

regards

ralph

[cabbage]

Here is the reprap printing your wheel John. Ignore the "support structure" around it as this is the candyfloss that it builds around the base. I believe that my machines all have feeling (very  Shinto I know) but when I loaded the program I was sure I fealt an "are you serious Boss?" from the reprap. This is the first time it has been asked to print a 720 sided polygon!




Regards

Ralph

[cabbage]

Errrmmm.... The experiment I would class as a partial success. The main problem is the flange. There is insufficient material to stabilise it so it has warped. But if I printed the wheel and stuck it to a suitable sized disc of metal - then I would say I would have something worth while.

I can see why a G1 profile wheel would work in Nylon, but it would seem that PLA is not a suitable material to make G3 wheels from.





(Sigh)

Regards

Ralph

[IanT]

Worth trying though Ralph.

Well done!   

Regards,

Ian

[John Branch]

Ralph,
But did you bow, clap twice and bang the gong?  A noble try, and possibly the first step to a very worthwhile end.
thanks for trying on behalf of all G3 constructors.

John

[753]

Ralph

If you printed extra thick rim you could then turn the rim to size.
I have made spoked wheels in acrylic with steel tyres for G1 two rail electrics in the past, and of course Slaters wheel have plastic centres.

Keep up the good work

Mike