Repro Carrier Wheels?

[Swiper]

Ok guys, I've had a few emails on this so I'll put it in the open!

I'm currently finishing my uni stuff and going Stateside in a few weeks to blow off steam. However, my 'team' are finally in the same situation as me and we're looking to push on with the wheels idea.

I hope to have an update by August. We have some good contacts and I may be entering the MV scene formally with a new resto company (and yes if it comes off Carriers will have a very good nod to them...)

Thats if I graduate and don't end up back at my parents who won't let me keep any 'rust' near the house

[Tony Smith]

There have been similar threads on this subject in the past few years. Perhaps there are some thoughts in them that may assist in your endeavours.

Your Track?

AutoCAD track Link

[RichardT10829]

my thoughts were to make a resin patern by using an actual link, i got pointed in the direction of a casting compound which you pour in two stages, it then sets into hard rubber, you then remove the link and pour in the resin compound and voila.

to answer your question AJ, yes it is manganese steel. i could get a link CAD'd but it would take a millenium to do it, a laser profiler would be better, just set the link up and the machine plots it into the system by passing lasers all over the link......would cost a bomb to do it though.

[ajmac]

Trouble is you can't just make a pattern from an original, Steel shrinks (unlike Cast iron) so your end casting would be a scaled down version of what you started with! The pattern maker scales up the original when he makes the wooden / resin pattern to compensate for the shrinkage. Certain items can be mouled from an original, then the moulder can 'scrape' the sand to compensate for the srinkage. A few years ago Dad did a Model T wing support in steel using an original pushed into the sand, all it needed was a couple of cm adding to its length to allow for the change in size. Obviously the entire thing was a little smaller but it was only critical on the length.

[Doghouse]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

There have been similar threads on this subject in the past few years. Perhaps there are some thoughts in them that may assist in your endeavours.

Your Track?

AutoCAD track Link

Tony, thanks so much for the link to the similar threads- AJMAC & SWIPER, there's clearly a lot of potential info out there and even some possible original un-shrunk links (as far as track goes...) any more thoughts...there's clearly a market even if we don't have unlimited funds....
David

[RichardT10829]

as long as they are not ubber expensive then yes you would have a market for sale of the links however if they cost over half the value of a carrier, you might struggle but then again folks sometimes do anything to keep these beasts moving

[martyn]

This is how far i got.....

Took a NEW OLD STOCK track link to a patten makers left it with him he said a price for a wooden master link £1000 this is 10% larger due to shrinkage , casting the link isnt the problem they would cast them by the tonn thats the easy part the hard part is machining the holes do you make a jig and drill one hole at a time 2 holes per link, or do you get a multi head drill and do 5-7-10? still need a jig making. the costs of setting up is going to be major unless someone wins the lotto and wants to invest its not cost efective. we were looking at£10 per link minium then the track pins on top of that 167 links per side........
as for the wheels i have two made from neopreen look good and are hard wearing just a thort instead of rubber?

[ajmac]

That's the figure I was coming up with..... trouble is in the end someone will have to bite the bullet. A friend back at home does have a full machine shop in his farm out buildings... he builds NEW 1930s race engines... for a price.