New Shoes for Miss Velma (Lots of Lathe Work)

[Martinnfb]

Magic!

 

[ClumsyDude]

That's really brilliant Jay. I know you can see all the flaws, but I must say, what amazing skill to be able to machine something like that out of a billet of solid metal. Wow.

 

Jim

[JayW]

Craig - I have done some minor tool grinding but most all my tools were previously ground by others.  There's alot to it, and maybe U-tube will help.  I have little confidence in my own grinding techniques.  I just limit it mostly to sharpening an existing shape hoping not to screw it up in the process.

[JayW]

Peter (Airscale) - so you have a lathe.  Here is my biggest challenge - my lathe chucks are reversible.  One side is for smaller diameter stock, reverse them and you can handle larger diameter stock.  But if you use both sides of the chucks for a part (I do alot), you introduce machine tolerances on the chucks themselves, which changes the rotation axis on the part.  Even if you do not reverse the chucks, if I remove a part from the lathe and rechuck it, if I have not marked where the chucks are I introduce tolerance.  This manifests itself in off-center bores or other circular features that are supposed to be on the same axis.  Leads to issues.

 

Tool chatter is another issue but practice and some study will keep that under control.

 

Hopefully your headstock is rotatible.  IF not then you will be unable to do the dish surfaces you see here.

 

Good luck - would like to see some results.

[brahman104]

Cool, thanks Jay. I've been doing some reading into it. I'm thinking about making some steady posts for my bench grinder which will hopefully allow me to keep a constant angle. Starting to run out of time now though, so for the next four months, I'll be modelling vicariously through yourself and others on this site.....

 

Keep the awesome and inspiring progress coming along Jay

 

Craig

[JayW]

Hello folks - some modest progress to report.  

 

The inside of the wheel (like a car wheel) is bulged inward.  I turned a piece of acrylic for this detail (easy peasy times two):

 

 

And then it was to the tires - something I have done before on my P-38.  Here is the first one midway through the turning process (turned from a 1.75 inch diameter piece of acrylic).  Note the tread grooves, machined with a very narrow bit.

 

 

Here is the finished tire machining plus most of the wheel parts:

 

 

The lateral grooves for the tread remain, and are very difficult to do.  I do it with an awl - totally manually.  There are five rows per tire, 28 grooves per row, and two tires.  That is 280 grooves.   

 

What remains for the wheel are internal ribs.  I have searched the web for good pictures of Mustang wheels, and I have concluded that five out of the ten spokes have stiffening ribs behind them.  I might be wrong, but that is what I am going to do.  Here:

 

 

You can see one of the rib details just sitting there.  .020 plastic sheet, that's all.

 

And finally a sneak preview:

 

 

 

When compared to the old wheel, I believe these are going to be a significant improvement.  Next post I will have done the other tire, machined flats in them, and hopefully gotten pretty far along with those PITA grooves.  Stay tuned!

[ClumsyDude]

Humbling stuff Jay. Most impressive.

 

Jim

[Starfighter]

+1 here - mighty impressive that is!

[LSP_Kevin]

Terrific work, Jay!

 

Kev

[JayW]

Just to let you know I am alive and kicking - a brief update.  Both tires are done (except lateral grooves), along with the slight flattening to give the weighted look.  The flats were machined on the end mill conversion of the mini-lathe:

 

 

 

I just made a series of passes with a deep cutter until I had the flat I wanted.  The flat will later be augmented with some putty to give a bit of a bulge.  Very necessary....

 

Here is proof that both tires are done (at least with the machining):

 

 

You know what's next - the grueling hand work to produce the lateral grooves.  I am already deep into it and you will see the results next post.

 

Meanwhile - let me show you the wheel finished product (at least one of them):

 

 

 

 

 

The front shot of course lacks the axle caps.  They will be machined on the lathe and you will see them next post.  You should also see the inner acrylic machining which gives the inside bulge which has to be there if they are to look real.  You should also see one of the stiffening ribs.  The back shot shows a .020 round-trimmed plastic plate that is bonded to the machining, and provides the surface common to the brake housing which is salvaged from the original Miss Velma landing gear strut.  And the last photo shows an axle going through the wheel.  It also gives you an idea of the width of the wheel (10 inches in real life).

 

The wheels have received their final top coat of paint, and then I guess I will make them weathered.  These wheels are a far cry from the original efforts.  I am pretty pleased.

 

Stay tuned for a finished tire, or tires.  The end is in sight!

[Guest Peterpools]

Jay

I'm speechless - incredible precision work.

Keep 'em coming

Peter

[Troy Molitor]

Wow. That's so cool. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[JayW]

Folks - a brief but important update:

 

 

Those hundreds of lateral tread grooves chiseled into the acrylic tires are now done, and the feeling has come back to my fingers.  Here is tire number two:

 

 

Also, the little axle caps have been lathe-turned.  It was by far the easiest part of the project:

 

 

And, drum roll please, here is the essentially finished wheel/tire number one:

 

 

 

Black paint, back yard mud, flat clear overcoat, and little dust.  The wheel is dry fitted but not for long.  I will also add a little local red stripe applied to the outer rim and tire sidewall.  I think this was used to assure tire/wheel alignment if the tire had to come off.  At any rate I see this stripe alot in period photos.

 

Now to get wheel/tire number two in the same shape, and get them onto the airplane, and repair the doors.  Then the project is complete.  Stay tuned for the final post in the next week or so.

[JayW]

Well all done!  Take a look at Miss Velma's new shoes:

 

 

 

 

Some outside shots:

 

 

 

 

 

Those old wheels and tires have been gnawing at me for a couple of years now.  This little project was a difficult one but a successful one - they now look like P-51 wheels and tires.  Thank you so much for tuning in and showing so much interest, all.   

[TorbenD]

Fabulous result and thanks for sharing your skills and techniques!