Looking for guidance on English wheel

CDNflatlander

CDNflatlander

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Working on a project in the shop for expanding my knowledge and skills with sheet metal.
Building an English wheel frame, bench top. Seeing some units with a “cam” or “quick release” for the adjustable anvil. As I am early enough in this build I would like to build this option into it.
I will add pictures to this as I go.
Kustomshoebox plasma cut me the frame pieces...
BBCEAF2C-14A1-4DE3-B20E-0DFEEB3CBCF9.jpeg
 
So Flatlander...what am I looking at..do you have a wheel already and you are just making a bigger frame and using the parts from the old one or are you building everything including the wheels?
 
JohnnyBgood said:
So Flatlander...what am I looking at..do you have a wheel already and you are just making a bigger frame and using the parts from the old one or are you building everything including the wheels?
Click to expand...
Good day Johnny, yes a slightly bigger frame and using the wheels from my Princess Auto unit.
As stated, perhaps poorly, looking to understand the quick release system...so I can consider making those type bits for this desk top unit.
 
Bash and scratch said:
Mine has a square shaft linked to the ajax screw threaded piece with a lever to actuate the cam.
[\QUOTE]


I like this type of system. I did notice the thumb screw adjusters as well, mine has something similar; the upgrade will be thumb screws!
Now would you have any pictures of the bits that make up the the quick release? Usually I can look at something and get a great understanding of how it works, not this time...a bit frustrated, so reaching out here was way to learn.
Thanks guys.
Click to expand...
 
When I built mine I put my tension adjuster on the top so for my quick release I put it on the anvil wheel and just used an eccentric on the bottom of the shaft. So the anvil in on a shaft inside a shaft with the eccentric at the very bottom. It was just a piece of round rod fit inside the outer tube with an offset hole drilled in it and a rod through it and the outer tube and then with a lever on the shaft. You don't have to move it much to release.
 
Looks like a great start to your project ,Greg.. At this rate we're going to have to add another category to the forum for metal shaping... :p
 
Are you using a single frame or is there duplicate piece that you will space out to make the frame?...Bash...what are those 2 little thumb wheels in the bottom of the die holder for?
 
JohnnyBgood said:
Are you using a single frame or is there duplicate piece that you will space out to make the frame?...Bash...what are those 2 little thumb wheels in the bottom of the die holder for?
Click to expand...
I would assume the thumb wheels are for leveling the lower anvil.
 
When I modified my cheap one in the other thread I removed the quick release. I found when I was doing high radius panels it would hit the handle and sometimes wiggle loose if I was planishing out walnuts. I found for myself it was easier to lower the anvil to remove a panel than to fiddle with the quick release
 
JohnnyBgood said:
Are you using a single frame or is there duplicate piece that you will space out to make the frame?...Bash...what are those 2 little thumb wheels in the bottom of the die holder for?
Click to expand...
Yes they are for squaring the die. The top wheel has them on each corner as well (set screws)
 
I agree with shit canning the quick release. I bought this one from Hoosier profiles many years ago. In fact, it was about 2005 when I went to Wray's for my last class there, and told him about it. He just laughed. Told me I didn't need it. Laughed again. It works great. Its very finely machined. It is pricey.

If you ever want to use a go kart slick, or rubber upper wheel to form panels, you will curse the quick release. The e wheels I used other places that had a simple shoulder bolt through the upper wheel with a nut on one end. The nut is finger tight. When you want to change upper wheels,reach up and give the hand wheel 2 spins backwards and there is ample clearance to remove the panel, spin the nut off the upper wheel shaft, grab the heavy upper wheel in your upper arm, pull the bolt out, put the go kart slick in, replace the bolt, screw the nut back on finger tight. Its about a one minute procedure.

When I want to change it on this quick release unit, I have to go find the proper allen wrench to loosed the set screws. Its a pain in the ass to put back together again. You have to align it just perfect to get it back in the proper orientation for use again. Its about a good 10 minute procedure. Pain in the ass, so I don't use my go kart slick nearly as often as I want to. One day, I will build a new upper yoke, and get rid of it.

IMG_2510.jpg
IMG_2507.jpg
IMG_2508.jpg
IMG_2509.jpg
 
Last edited:
IMG_2511.jpg
IMG_2512.jpg
While we are on this, I'll just say I bought a linear bearing guide on eBay to mount the adjuster. That was my own idea, as well as using a ball joint for the connection of the adjuster thread. I had built one of the units that everybody builds, but I didn't like the way the all thread connected to the top of the solid square adjuster. Most will have no idea of what I am talking about now, but if you google e wheel adjuster build, you will see how most build them.

By using the ball joint, ( mine happened to be one from an S10 pickup), there is no play up and down in the adjuster now. Works great, easier to build, cheap.

Pursuant to another discussion, my e wheel frame, while we are at it, is made from drill stem. Some of the elbows are schedule 40, some are schedule 80. I got them for free from Midfield supply for a flat of beer when I built mine. Brand new elbows that had been left in the rain, and the welders wouldn't accept them any longer. So, most of the material for mine was free. But you can build one from anything.

And make sure you put adjusting bolts below the bottom yoke so you can level your lower anvil to your upper wheel. That's important also.
 
JohnnyBgood said:
Are you using a single frame or is there duplicate piece that you will space out to make the frame?...Bash...what are those 2 little thumb wheels in the bottom of the die holder for?
Click to expand...
Thanks for the question; there are two side plates. The plates will be held apart by both the anvil adjustment rigging and then the rest of the frame will be spaced with spacers and bolts. I was able to pick up the spacer materials...now to move a few more things off the work bench to get back at it.
 
Last edited:
jvo said:
While we are on this, I'll just say I bought a linear bearing guide on eBay to mount the adjuster. That was my own idea, as well as using a ball joint for the connection of the adjuster thread. I had built one of the units that everybody builds, but I didn't like the way the all thread connected to the top of the solid square adjuster. Most will have no idea of what I am talking about now, but if you google e wheel adjuster build, you will see how most build them.

By using the ball joint, ( mine happened to be one from an S10 pickup), there is no play up and down in the adjuster now. Works great, easier to build, cheap.

Pursuant to another discussion, my e wheel frame, while we are at it, is made from drill stem. Some of the elbows are schedule 40, some are schedule 80. I got them for free from Midfield supply for a flat of beer when I built mine. Brand new elbows that had been left in the rain, and the welders wouldn't accept them any longer. So, most of the material for mine was free. But you can build one from anything.

And make sure you put adjusting bolts below the bottom yoke so you can level your lower anvil to your upper wheel. That's important also.
Click to expand...

Thanks John! The pictures were a great help. I was up at work and checking in here on my iphone, and I was not picking up what you were sharing. Now at home with the creature comforts including my laptop and a stressless reading spot, I understand what you sharing! Thank you for this. I will take a close look in the shop at my bits and pieces and see what I can utilize with all the shared information....and maybe no quick release.
Thanks gang....I will get some more details on here soon.
Greg
 
Some great info there from jvo. I assume if you use a ball joint on the adjuster you pick one oriented for compression loading so you are not compressing the spring. So is that the upper joint from an S10. The lower joints on the 2000's Crown Vics will work too.
Using a go-kart slick to form sounds interesting too. Thinking about that you could also put a solid rubber tire on a steel roller to get a similar result. I was in the trailer industry and we had some suspension rubber or urethane bushings that were up to 5" ID and 6.25" OD that you could use for a tire. Also for an upper wheel, we had cast iron rollers on the removable gooseneck lowbeds that would work.
 
I ordered the bigger English wheel from PA. a few days ago and got a call it was on...Was there today and they seemed to have lost my order. Well I was talking to one of the sales people at PA and they said the cheaper English wheel that they sell was going on sale next flyer. I figured at $140 I couldn’t go wrong. It’s the same one as flatlander has pictured here. I got it home and was surprised how thin the metal was. I could take it and flex it just by pulling on it with my hands. The upper wheel had a side to side wobble in it . Looks like the bearing was pressed in crooked and the wheel would not got between the supports that’s you have to attach it too. The bottom Advil holder was bent on a angle and the pin that goes through the anvil wouldn’t sit it the holder. The holder looked like it was made from pot metal and I didn’t want to try and bend it back because I knew it would break. When I put the anvil holder in the frame and tightened it down o could still move it quit a bit. The bottom anvils looked good but small but I’ve never seen another unit in person so they might not be small at all. Its going back. I’ve reordered the bigger unit just to see if the wheels are any bigger..still haven’t given up on the idea of building my own unit ..it’s just the cost of all the parts and wheels needed to build one that I’m leaning toward the purchase rather than the build.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom