Homemade Railway Wheels! (For the 15" narrow gauge railway.)
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- I made a set of four train wheels for my new field railway, and on the way I learned a lot. About flanges and flares, treads and tolerances. I hope you will learn something from this too, and maybe be inspired to build your own garden railway - it's such an exciting thing to do : - )
The plasma cutter came from here xtremeplasma.e... (tell them Tim sent you..)
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Loving this series. Maybe move the outer disc closer to the center in the ‘pipe’ section where the load will be more often to support the rim better?
I suspect over such a short span and with the circular shape, that 3mm steel is going to be pretty rigid. I guess it would depend ultimately how much load each wheel was bearing whether the ease of just lining up against an edge was outweighed by the extra strength.
Thanks Matthias. Yes, I was even wondering if 3 discs would be worth it. Hmmm. It just depends which part of the whole arrangement is the weakest. More experiments needed!
@@WayOutWestx2 , I was thinking you could fill the wheels with concrete.
Oh, and there's an ad for polytunnel greenhouses under this vid.
Google is on to you...
I am looking forward to the next episode of “Tim the Tank Engine”!
Tim and Sandra your channel is a breath of fresh hair!
A veritable exhibition of home-engineering genius! A masterclass in bodge your way to success! The true spirit of the pioneers of the industrial revolution reborn as Tim in a cluttered shed.
Ha!
“A horrible derailment in the donkey field...” That’s just a quote begging for wider use! Absolutely love your channel, Tim and Sandra!
Wow those flanges came out amazing for pounding them out with a hammer! You think you could make much larger and sharper cones in your roller?
Yes, but it would struggle with wide pieces over 4mm thick. (Well, I'd struggle anyway!)
Steel-on-wood friction points (in old windmills and water mills for example) used to be lubricated using tallow (animal fat). You may be able to get away with no ball bearings at all in a low-speed application like this- some hard-ish wood and the galvanised pipe, and maybe a drilled hole with a grease nipple in the wooden part to easily deliver grease to the friction points? Following this project with great curiosity!
thanks, Alex. Yes, watch this space!!!
honestly this is the tread that must have a conus shape so that the wheels pair always tries to slip to the center of the railroad
Wooden wheels with a steel band around the wood for reinforcement, almost like the steel on a barrel?
Love seeing the videos and how you come up with The solutions, much inspiring.
That was my first thought, too. Very strong and cheap. You'd probably get away with the wheels running directly on the axles, with a good dollop of grease. I reckon that would be OK for this little project. Or, you could press in some simple bushes.
I think that's how they made RR wheels back in the day. Just like RR rails were wood with iron nailed on top.
Wow. That home-made pipe bender is worth tuning in for alone! Cheers mate.
Using brake rotor from an old truck might save lots works and the flange are already there just need to be modified cut and ground on an angle
Just an idea look great can’t wait to see the finish rail and carts
You could have used scrap brake rotors which would have made mounting onto bearings a bit easier just using car bearings, stub axle's with a disc on would be very light too. Just trim the height of the disc down to suit and then turn a chamfer at the edge to give you the turn point. Also means you could knock up a mechanical brake with some ease too :)
Thanks. I did look at them but I'd need a good lathe for them, wouldn't I? Hmm..
Interesting Semi-Cyrilic namer-tag. You know pronouncing the first part of your name in russian/cyrilic is pronounced Shat suggesting poop.
With your creativity I would not be surprised to see you build a locomotive to pull the railway cars. Your videos are very enjoyable to watch.
Here's an explanation of tapered tread:
Imagine your wheels are going through a right-hand curve. As the wheels roll straight ahead the left flange will hit the rail, so the right wheel is rolling on the rail on the edge of the wheel opposite the flange. If that part of the wheel were narrower, the circumference would be smaller so that wheel would travel a shorter distance than the other one, making the train 'steer' around the curve and stay centered in the track!
The flanges mostly won't touch the rail, so the wheels can't ride up and derail, and there's less friction from the wheels not sliding in a curve.
Thanks. Yes, I know the theory and I will make some to compare, but I just wanted to show that straight treads work well too, and are much easier.
I love your videos. Me and my son are following your progress from over in the USA.
Re tapers on treads:
If you have enough spare material on the wheels it might be worth a go, if the tapers are opposite the cart should naturally fall into the middle of the tracks, which i believe should help with navigating corners without too much scraping! I think you could cut in a modest taper with an angle grinder and a rotating stand to keep them even (:
Having watched a bit further on and seeing you cnc the flanges, I wonder if you could do something similar with the tread? CNC cut the cone shape then roll it into position!
CNCing the "spoke" sections also means that if you wanted, you could do custom design wheels! Perhaps you could have people on your patreon design wheels and cut them all out as a fun way of getting involved, assumign it wouldn't take too much extra time for you of course
And how lucky we are that you are showing us what you are learning! Thank you.
My neighbour bought a heap of small railway sleepers and a couple of bogies from a local peat works that was closing down (to preserve the bog ecosystem). These industrial peat bogs use lots of narrow gauge systems, might be worth checking for similar as there may be one or two of these in Ireland, to be sure !
There are loads in Ireland, he already checkes and they use a too large gauge
I’ve been really looking forward to this one. Thanks as always Way out West.
I have always loved trains. Now that I live in Canada (since nearly 20 years), I don't get to ride them anymore. Strangely, for all my love of trains, I never wondered how they stay on their rails. So I'm loving this series and am in total awe - again - of your ingenuity.
Love it!
I need your skillset for all of the metal work and engineering ideas I have.
I'm watching the remainder tomorrow. Thank you for sharing.
Peace and Blissings
Vinegar will take off galvanising, submerge in & leave over night. Still I burned a hole last week in my jeans that would take 3x1 Euro coins, while welding mild steel with no coating, red hot metal in my jean turn up and just far enough from my leg that I didn't realise I was on fire & I didn't see the smoke through my helmet. Thanks for sharing!
Looks like you know what you want and how to get it ! I was thinking riding lawnmower rims cut in half . 2 rims per car = 4 wheels
Railway wheels are usually also shaped like a section of cone, so they self-center on the rails and you get less grind with the flanges
Shape like this
Old propane cylinders may yield sime usable material for wheels I would think.
I've cut them open for various projects and have to report that the metal isn't nearly as thick as I thought it would be. Old domestic cylinders only have wall thicknesses of about 1.2mm. On the other hand, industrial gas cylinders have much thicker walls, up to 10mm in my experience, but are very difficult to come by and generally only come in diameters of 20cm or less.
Note to anyone thinking of cutting open old gas cylinders: They MUST be thoroughly degassed and filled with water to disburse any remaining fumes before putting a cutting tool anywhere near them. They MUST have their valve assemblies removed in order to prevent any chance of explosion, even after degassing (steam explosions can be just as dangerous as gas explosions).
It seems as though setting up a small back-yard foundry may have been easier. There are a lot of other things you may want to cast as well, and you could sell $500.00 train wheels yourself. 🙂
I'm tempted!
I've been working on the railroad...all the live long day.
I've been working on the railroad...just to pass the time away!
You never cease to amaze me Tim - (and you too Sandra - I'm sure you were cheering from the side-line 😄). Great episode!
if you have a sufficiently large metal lathe you can turn wheels in it and have the tread be conical. This will reduse Flange contact and in the long run reduce maintenance.
I was watching a video recently how train wheels go around corners. The wheels are not flat but have a gentle slope. The video is on UA-cam.
I love your project. I’m so glad you are able to share tour contraptions with us.
BEARINGS , some old farm machinery used hardwood liberally greased for slow speed fairly heavy loads .
Used drum brake rotors can be utilized very well for this by welding up a larger edge. Especially ones with combined disc and drum brakes, you can use a lathe to cut out excess material from the disc edge.
Maybe try using car brake discs ?
I'm sure this was how British rail used to make rolling stock on the Grantham to Skegness line 🤣🤣... Fantastic video
Certainly. Same track-laying 'n all!
I suspect, given the distance the carts will travel and the frequency, a zirk fitting and some grease will do just fine.
There is an old limestone quarry near my home, a while back I looked at couple of the ore carts and their wheels. There was a flange that mounted to the axle and the wheels bolted to it like a car wheel. I couldn't tell if the wheels were pressed or spun into shape.
It really goes to show that you can cobble anything together with a bit of know how, so long as you're not too fussed about how it looks when you're finished so long as it is functional! Really simple rail design and points and a good idea for homemade wheels too! Keep up the good work!
I must admit the trains in the barn and backyard caught my attention first off.
Back in the late 70's I was quite smitten by a fair young Irish lass that was an exchange student at Vanderbuilt University in Nashville Tennessee. I loved the sweet sound of her voice and could have spent eternity listening to it. But alas, she was already spoken for. So now that I hear that wonderful accent it takes me back to a much simpler time.
Keep up with your railway videos and good luck!
Have fun and be safe!
Terry from South Carolina USA.
Am I the only one who comes here to listen to the melodic and calming tone of Tim's voice? (The engineering stuff is also good!)
Those wheels are great. Would a greased hardwood bearing block suffice, bear in mind thats what were used on slipways to launch ships.
They would be cheap and easily made with what you had at hand ..............just a thought 😉
watch this space!
wonderful compelling viewing - the branch line would make the fat controller very jealous
Oh, well done! I am looking forward to seeing the next in series to learn about bearings and why you cannot make them yourself.
I wish my father were still alive to see these; he loved trains and modelling. He taught me to love "puttering about" as he called building things in his garage.
You Tim and another Tim (Hunkin) are the most quintessential british back yard workshop inventors.
😭 he's not British but i think he would be gracious enough to forgive you.
I was thinking just the same. Though this Tim is not technically in Britain.
(BTW, TH has some new videos coming out on his site and YT channel)
@@noeonoohno4219 I thought Tim was from Wales I know he used to live there then moved to IRL
Epic, Tim! So glad you have a workshop to expand your projects ^_^ Can’t wait for the iterations. Now, Tim’s cast iron foundry...mind boggle.
Next... build a locomotive! What you could do is to make a pedal-powered loco, where you pedal to get the thing to move - take bits from a bicycle.
Wow, your do a lot of thinking and you reinvented the wheel. It looks like it will do the job. I am sure that the four wheels will carry at least a ton. Very good design and strong.
the taper on the tread is there to center the axle on the rails, if the axle is off center it means the outside wheel has a larger circumference and because the wheels are locked together it means it will travel further and recenter.
it also means there is less wear on the rails from grinding off the flanges.
You are a Genius Master Craftsman ! Thank You
I have seen where just strait roller wheels are used without flanges. Instead skate board wheels are used against the inside of the track. This way the flange has no friction on the track. And the whole cart stays on the track better.
Something like a roller coaster design. And since they are separate they are independently replaceable. And Easy to make.
Thanks, Perry. Yes, I think I'll have to try a set of those too : - )
Great video watching this on Easter Sunday just brightens up my day. Thanks.
Have you considered forming the flange by pressing instead of cutting and welding? A simple hydraulic press, if you don´t already have one, can be welded up quickly from some steel beams, and using a bottle jack as an pump/ram. For the press forming, you would need a die comprised of a ring that supports the outer edge of the flange and a disc of the diameter of the tread. This might be more economic than cutting, welding and grinding, especially if you plan to make many wheels.
You shud make a flexframe for the wheels to cope whit the track better.
Replace the horisontal plank on your maleshift boggie whit a pipe in pipe solution.
One pipe fixed on one side and the other pipe fixed at the other side.
This alows the wheels to flex when the track is uneven to reduce the risk of derailments.
Tim, were you trained as an engineer? If not, ingenuity is certainly in your blood! This is remarkable stuff. Thank you. Les
Scrap brake drums come to mind as wheel candidates, depending on what's available near you. Nice diy wheel design
I hope you try conical treads instead of the cylindrical treads you have there. I think it will keep the flanges away from the rails and will make going around curves a lot smoother because it will allow the outer wheel to ride up to the wide part and speed up. With cylindrical wheels , your flanges will be scraping against the track all the way around the curve.
You need make wheels (the tread) conical in shape. Then they will turn on the rails by them self. Flanges are there just for backup.
I think your way of engineering solutions to various problems is fantastic. I always look forward to the next video .
After watching this series, I was trying to figure out how to make wheels, one way I though was similar to wagon wheels, making a wood wheel possibly with spokes with a steel tread that is heated and shrunk around the wood.
Not sure if they would meet the load capacity you need, but casting a whole wheel out of say, aluminum would probably be quite cheap and easy, not to mention relatively fast, once you have a reliable cast.
You are genius !
Easy methods , cheap tools and, most importantly - working brain !
I think you might be underestimating the role of the taper in keeping the wheels on the track. It acts as a self correcting mechanism - if the wheels drift to one side, the radius of the section of the wheel in contact with the rail becomes larger, while the opposite radius becomes smaller. As a result, one wheel turns slower and the other faster causing the axel to correct. This design handles corners perfectly too, as the whole assembly slides out to the outer radius of the corner so that the inner wheel is turning faster (picture a bolt rolling around on a workbench.) It works even without flanges. The flanges are a failsafe more than anything else and make very little contact with the rails (train journeys would be a much screechier affair if they did.)
An easier way to think about it is to imagine two cones glued together at the base rolling down two suspended rails. Imagine how much farther they would get compared to a flat cylinder, sliding off at the slightest bump or bend. Train designers just cut out all the extra bits of cone they didn't need that might get in the way, but the principle is the same.
If the wheels you've got are working fine it's no big deal, but I'd recommend at least doing some small scale experiments to see if you could improve on the design for future iterations.
Thanks, Steve. Check out this one... ua-cam.com/video/VG49XIr_T4Y/v-deo.html
@@WayOutWestx2 Well don't I look silly now. That's exactly sort the video I had in mind that you'd make detailing your experiments though. If only my amazing powers of prediction could be made to work forwards in time!
That is just amazing , to just build something worth hundreds in a few hours
I get more and more excited seeing how this project progresses!
Your inventiveness is always surprising and so interesting. Thank you for taking us along on the journey. Those look GREAT!
for the cone shape designing its good to watch Ron Covell's video about rollation
I am hypnotized!
Thanks for the video, you are a very ingenious person learning more from you as I want to build my own G scale railway wagons!!😎🐓🐓🇬🇧
Definitely hypnotic. Blessings to all ⚘
Brilliant ! Just shows how much can be done with so little.
there is a tv show on here called scrapheap challenge . one of the teams took 2 auto tyre (tire ) rims and welded them together. then took an grinder machine and tada , instant train wheels for their project. too early for me to spell. good lucik.
The wheels look great.
Very interesting! Love the way you can think around problems!
Take good care!
Idk if you have a lathe but I saw a guy turn down some weights for a bench press into wheels once and made some adapters for the axle hole. If you taper your tread a little bit your wheels will center on the track better just very sightly cone shaped instead of a perfect cylinder only a degree or two. You could do it by just grinding the profile with an angle grinder.
Your the first person who told me that galvanized welding fumes are poisonous 😕😕😕
Thanks 😊👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Sorry, rude of me, l meant to add what a wonderful series this is - still very jealous - railway, welding, lots of hammering etc
Aluminium is a lot easier to cast than steel, so you could perhaps try to cast the middle of the wheel and flanges as a single part and then add a thin section of steel pipe or rolled steel sheet to have something strong enough to not deform from the tracks.
Good idea - but a lot of work?
RR Tim is progressing wonderfully!
Wow! Bravo! I'm always surprised by your ingenious ways to solve this projects. I'm really into this project, and excited to see it working! My best for you and Sandra. Fabrizio.
Amazing! Especially forming the flange.
Looking forward to the next episode! Good luck!
Beautiful design. The wood side frames and bolster look great.
i was wonering how you would overcome the sharp turn in the point section this is simple but very effective wider wheels and a nice steep wheel flange brilliant video cant wait for the next 👍
You are an brilliant person.👌👍
that was impressive! it is wonderful watching your working railroad come together with ingenuity and work.
Amazing- the way you think through these problems and then execute them with whatever is on hand!
Happy Easter
I absolutely love this channel... you're the only UA-camr doing this kind of content.
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I'm seriously considering installing my own track on the Family Farmstead. 😃👍
Thanks, Nathan. Go for it!
Mate if your looking to make wheels ever again try car front discs ? they are heavy cast , got the lip you require and the tread width as well as being able to bolt to a hub to form your axle 😁😁 just an idea 👍👍
Great video Tim. Good to see the whole process from problem to solution, although I've always found my original solution needs development
Thank you for sharing. it is fun seeing you create this
Hello Tim & Sandra, I only discovered your channel a few weeks ago off the back of your railway project. I’d like to thank you for your lighthearted approach and most enjoyable content. I have now watched nearly all of your videos and I’ve enjoyed every one. There is so much valuable information in your content. It’s great to see someone who’s content to think outside the box and not afraid to share your learning experiences, even when sometimes there’s more learning to be done. Please keep doing what your doing and sharing your life.
Thanks, Neil!
Nice Channel you have. Idea for your wheels: For more stability against deforming under heavy loads, maybe you can pour concrete in them and close it with a welded “lit”.
Thanks, Frederik. I might just keep to light loads though
So inspiring to watch your projects. Thanks for sharing these videos, I love them
G'day,
Yay Team !
Brilliant, and fascinating to watch.
Regarding Bearings..., for a Donkey-powered Railway you might have to pay a lot of money to aquire a Bearing which will, in your application, much outperform an actual (Endgrain) Hardwood Bearing ; it's what they use on the bigger versions of the iconic "Southern Cross" type Water-Pumping aggricultural Windmills - and some of them have been running for a hundred years...the Wood allows Grease/Oil to move through the Grain to better lubricate the Bearing-surface, apparently.
Worth considering, maybe...?
Such is life,
Have a good one...
Stay safe.
;-p
Ciao !
Well done! Those turned out great! It's so fun watching your little track come together.
Absolutely brilliant.😀👍
Just discovered pit tape, I can see this being very useful here, measure the outer diameter while the sheet is still coiled, mark at the correct diameter equivalent then cut
Impressive Tim. BTW I hereby volunteer to come and tidy up your workshop:) My OCD can't bear it much longer :)
We'll get together as a team to make it a group effort!
Ha! thanks, guys. I'll try to do better (but there's never any time for tidying!)
I love this channel so much.
Bet you're really chuffed with how these turned out..
I'll get me coat...
I knew someone would get there in a round-about way!
Ha! Chuffed and stoked : - )
@@WayOutWestx2 ;)