Author Topic: Making of a side wheel (Read 4058 times))

ezman604 · « **on:** October 08, 2013, 12:31:58 AM »

Well, I bought me a nice BSA side focus scope a short time ago. Unfortunately, it did not come with a side wheel. I contacted BSA and they informed me they did not make side wheels to fit that scope. WHAT??? They sure do sell other models WITH a side wheel. None of those will work, I guess. I measured the side knob and it's definitely larger than any after market wheels I've found. So, only thing to do is make my own.

I looked at several ideas other members have done and almost bought 1/2" and 1/4" plastic sheeting to make two piece units with. But, I changed my mind and went with 1/2" aluminum and will make it a 1 piece.
I just got in a new 4" rotating table for my mill just for this project. It did not come with all of the hardware I NEED but I adapt and improvise. LOL
I have T nuts and a set of clamps on the way. But I could not wait. I used what brackets and bolts I had to attached the table solidly. Since I had no T nuts and clamps, I decided to just run a carriage bolt up through the center of the table and attach the aluminum stock that way. The center hole of the rotating table is a Morse taper, I think MT2, so I cut a piece of aluminum bar stock, tapered it and center drilled a hole that the carriage bolt just fit through. This is a sleeve that centers the carriage bolt. I center punched and drilled the 4x4 piece of 1/2 aluminum I had drawn a pattern onto.

I cut the hole in the aluminum a bit too large and had to also make a sleeve to center the carriage bolt in the piece before bolting it down to the rotating table.
I started by roughly cutting the outer wheel and the outside part of the hub.

After slowly cutting away to get the outer wheel, I started taking out some of the material between the outside of the hub to the inside of the outer ring.

The wheel will be approximately 3-3/4" outside diameter and I'm just going to play as I go and design as I go. I'm not sure how it will wind up eventually, but the process is REALLY fun. It's darn good therapy for me too!!!!

I bought the mini-mill from Gene almost 2 years ago and this is my first REAL project on it. So I'm really learning as I go.
Stay tuned for more as I find bench time.
SAFE & Happy Shooting!!!!
Dave

Motorhead · « **Reply #1 on:** October 08, 2013, 12:43:39 AM »

Yup ... that right there is EXACTLY why I fabricated from sub parts making a finished useable wheel

Ya end up your way with ONE FINE SOLID WHEEL !! ... tho one heck of a lot of time and effort to get there !!!

Love it love it love it

Will be watching it take shape to be sure

Tpatner412 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 08, 2013, 12:46:38 AM »

Very cool project Dez. I will be watching this one to see how she turns out. Keep us up to date
On it bro!

Gertrude · « **Reply #3 on:** October 08, 2013, 01:57:06 AM »

Well of course I'm going to subscribe !
Very nice Dave !

ezman604 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 08, 2013, 11:53:42 AM »

Quote from: Motorhead on October 08, 2013, 12:43:39 AM

... tho one heck of a lot of time and effort to get there !!!

You can say that again Scott.

Just the prep work took a couple of hours. Having to work around not having all of the appropriate hardware was a chore but I think I got it down. At least everything is solid in place and centered as best it can be. The actual milling part is the easiest part. But I'd have to say overcoming all of the obstacles to GET to the milling was the most rewarding part...so far.
I'm sure strapping the finished product onto the scope will be the real reward.

ezman604 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 08, 2013, 11:48:47 PM »

Got a tad more bench time this evening. Wish I was still down there making metal chips.

Doggeed out most of the cavity for the hub.

Trimmed out a bit of the extra and bored two differnt size holes just to experiment.

Still got a ways to go. Need to take off a bit more in the spoke area. Then I may play with designs some. LittleMachineShop is pretty quick shippping so my clamp set should be here tomorrow or Thursday. I can then clamp the wheel down and remove the bolt to finish cleaning out the hub cavity. But bolted down I can still work the surface and outside of the wheel.
More to come!!!

michaelthomas · « **Reply #6 on:** October 08, 2013, 11:58:18 PM »

Looks nice!

Mike

UCChris · « **Reply #7 on:** October 09, 2013, 12:11:19 AM »

Lookin good! Can't wait to see it mounted.

Nikoman · « **Reply #8 on:** October 09, 2013, 12:15:30 AM »

Wow, Dave!

you have some mad skills!

Can't wait to see how it turns out.
Looking great so far!

ezman604 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 09, 2013, 09:21:30 AM »

Thanks folks for the comments and following my little project.
Niko, don't know about skills. Mad, yes. LOL
I think it's more having the right tools than skill.

JustinB · « **Reply #10 on:** October 09, 2013, 10:35:15 PM »

That is going to be sweet when you done, wish I had the skill to do that!

aack73 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 09, 2013, 10:45:37 PM »

looking good. DEz

always extra cool to build your own and one of a kind too. waiting on more pics.

ezman604 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 10, 2013, 12:02:00 AM »

LittleMachineShop.com is really quick to serve. LOL
Got my clamps in today so of course I had to open the package and try them out.

Flipped the wheel over and bolted it back down first. Took out some of the spoke area from the back side to kind of center it.
Then flipped back over and attached with my new clamps to finish cleaning out the cavity for the side wheel knob.

I went over the entire surface to flatten and level everything up. Here it is in white next to it's soon to be new home.

Dry fit....better than I expected for a first try.

Now gonna look at it for a spell and let my mind wander, as it usually.....er...was I through???

Anyway, I'll trim off a little here and a little there until I'm happy with the way it looks. Then mount it in my drill press, drill and tap a couple of set screw holes, followed by a good sand job then a coat or three of flat black. While I'm thinking about it, anybody see something that will give me ideas for tweaking it?
More pictures coming but will be a couple of days. Getting close to the weekend and gonna be a very busy one around here.

aack73 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 10, 2013, 12:31:05 AM »

looks real good, you have done an excellent job. thanks for sharing.

UCChris · « **Reply #14 on:** October 10, 2013, 12:35:05 AM »

Man, that looks really good!

ezman604 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 10, 2013, 06:08:38 PM »

Hmmm...latest development.
I took the wheel out to our shop (motorpool) guys here at work. Asked him what media he had in the blaster cabinet. He has glass beads. I handed him the wheel and he said he could make it look nice. Okay, I can always buff it out if it's not what I want. So into the cabinet it went. After about 90 seconds, this is what came out.

Me likie!!!

I may just leave it as is (after tapping set screws) and if anything, buff certain parts, like the rim, to give it a shiny/flat contrast appearance. Whatcha think???

Hanabata808 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 10, 2013, 06:23:05 PM »

Looks superb!

Norm_m · « **Reply #17 on:** October 10, 2013, 09:03:26 PM »

Hey D EZ are you sure you have not done a little maching before! I think it looks great and it shows true craftsman ship

Norm

aack73 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 10, 2013, 09:32:44 PM »

the minor polishing would probably look nice too. but it looks good as is.

michaelthomas · « **Reply #19 on:** October 10, 2013, 10:45:08 PM »

I'd say......either way you go, clear anodize it so it stays looking nice if you're not going to paint it. There is a thread here from a guy that did some muzzle brakes and anodized at home. They looked great, and it seemed like a pretty easy process.

I like the look of it the way you have it now. Good job!

Mike

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Making of a side wheel

Author Topic: Making of a side wheel (Read 4058 times))