Clif Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Morning all, I'm digging for some info and advise on the English Wheel. I've never worked with any and only seen them used on you tube. My son is retraining into sheet metal fabrication and has been looking at these to add to the shop. the cheapest cast iron one is around £1700 and up. ($2500). Steel tube versions are a quarter the price, but he has heard they will flex, throwing off your work. What do we look for? I realise this could be the proverbial "how long is a piece of string" question, but I'm not sure of what to look for or where to start. Cleon is looking to make custom car and bike parts. so size wise we are looking at 3 - 4 foot neck, and the anvil and shaped wheels will vary, but what are the frame issues we should look for and avoid? any help is welcome Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Most of my friends making armour---16 gauge and heavier built their own often using the structure they were working in as part of the frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 My first thought was that frames can be reinforced and stiffened to suit the work. The only user of an English wheel that I knew was making aircraft skin parts for private aviation. My memory of his shop is that the frame was reinforced with mild steel pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 clif a friend of mine makes english wheels and is not many miles away from you, get to junction 10 on the A14 and you are 2 miles from his place as well as making cast iron machines he also does custom anvils for them and for most types of wheel the person you are looking for is Justin Lee Baker you are wanting to make panels 6 to 8 foot diameter, that is a bit big ( the throat depth needs to be just over half the size you are working. I make forges and tools like ballstakes and dishing forms, im in Kettering too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clif Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 Thanks for the replies. I found a guy who makes them not far from here that makes them and has invited me up to look at them and talk about pros and cons. I'll let you know how I get on. be sometime later this month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenhughes Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 the chinese ones flex the guy close to you in the post above would be your best bet,we made our own and it works really well with no flex in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenhughes Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 end on shot of my English wheeling machine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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