All,
My great wheel is here! <jumping up and down> I picked it up yesterday. It
does have some cracks and splits, on the table and on the uprights, but
that doesn't seem to interfere with the ugliness of it. It is ugly, BTW.
Someone put some kind of finish on it, that cracks off with the slightest
bang or rub. I'm hoping it will knock off with use. It's a very dark,
almost black color. The wood underneath is sort of dark blonde color.
The drive wheel has a hole in it, where the nail that holds the spoke in
place, (a handmade square headed nail) has worn through. There are a few
more places where the wood is being pushed up by the nail. I'm guessing
from the wheel being stressed some how/way, causing the spoke to push up to
the wheel. The man who sold me the wheel, told us that the square headed
nails are very rare. He said they were so dear 'way back when' that older
home were burned down to get the nails, and that's why there's so few of
them still left standing. I don't know if that's a 'true fact', but it was
interesting to hear.
The upright for the wheel, has a tapered metal axle. The wheel only fits on
it one way. Evidently something was used as a spacer, between the wheel and
the upright, because the wheel rubs against the upright when it's turned. I
know it shouldn't be doing that (but it's wearing away that ugly color
<g>). Any suggestions as to what I can use for a spacer? Another great
wheel owner suggested nylon (? I can't remember the word she used) washers
or piece of leather. I like the leather idea, but I'd have to really oil
the sucker. Suggestions welcome!
There's a hole in the axle, where something goes in to hold the wheel on
the axle. I pulled out one of those brass gizmos people use in 3 or 2 hole
punched notebook paper, to keep the papers altogether. Is there something
better and/or more authentic that could be used?
The really good news is that the wheel is not warped. It does wobble a bit
on the axle, but that may be due to the lack of a proper spacer and the
gizmo that goes in the hole to hold the wheel on. The hole in the hub is a
bit worn, but I don't think it's enough to worry about repairing.
Questions: do I have to fill in that one gaping hole? If I do, what I
should I use? I don't want to use something too permanent, in case that
interferes with the proper 'breathing' of the wood, but if I don't have to
worry about that, would wood glue or putty work?
I found a tiny block of wood that goes somewhere on the spinning head, but
I can't figure out where. The spinning head still has some remnants of the
corn husks used to hold the spindle on. The spindle has quite a bit of rust
on it. Will this wear off after a time, or can I use Naval Jelly to get it
off?
wrnk
d2 (who thinks a great wheel in the middle of the kitchen is perfectly
normal)
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