Well, I couldn't find silicone, plastic, or any other kind of washer to use
as spacers on the wheel axle. The saddlery shop is out of thick piece of
leather (shock: they don't make their own saddles. They order them from
Texas, along with, are you ready? bags of scrap leather sold in the store
for about .25/piece. how can they call themselves a 'saddlery?'). I was
amazed at how helpful the clerk in Kmart's hardware dept. was. He made
several suggestions on where to get the plastic to make the washers. All of
them were excellent and involve recycling.
I made some wooden washers out of thin sheet of maple wood. Took me awhile
to figure out how to make the hole larger and make sure they were sanded
evenly on both sides. But, they fit on the axle! I'm proud of me! I'm now
sanding down a piece of dowl to fit in the hole, that will press against
the wooden washer that will hold the front of the wheel hub in place.
Should the washers be soaked in oil? Anyone got an idea or opinion on that?
The wooden washers won't be permanent. I'm waiting for the fake saddlery to
get a supply of leather scraps in this Thursday. I just wanted to be able
to turn the wheel, without it falling off the axle and rolling over one of
the dogs.
The wheel makes a gentle clackety-clack sound as it turns. That's the sound
of the loose spokes moving, as the wheel turns. I sort of like it, but know
it has to be fixed, or more damage will occur to the wheel.
Question for great wheel owners: my wheel's hub has a hole drilled straight
through it. Some one mentioned 'bearings'. I shone a light through the hole
and can't see any indication of, or that there were, any bearings. It's
just a drilled hole, like on a bobbin, only larger. All that can be seen is
bare wood. But, the axle is tapered. The wheel sort of dips forward, as it
turns, which I think is because of the taper. Is it possible to get some
kind of bushing to put in the hole, so that the hole is small enough to
ride more evenly on the skinny part of the tapered axle?
I was thinking of taking a rubbing of the holes in the wood, cutting a
piece of wood that size, and using it to cover the hole. Unfortunately, I
don't know how to either pull the old nail out or how to anchor it to the
wood patch.
I did manage to score a piece of leather, so I don't have to use corn husks
for the spindle.
My husband is getting more interested in this, as work progresses on it.
He's still adamant that it can't stay in the kitchen. Which may be the
motivation for the interest--the faster it's repaired, the faster it will
be out of the kitchen. The poor dear hasn't realized (yet) that there's no
place for the wheel in the house, except the kitchen. <g>
wrnk
d2
There are other nails that are beginning to work their way loose. Is there
a way to stop this?
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