Make vintage wheels out of jar lids

Model Airplane News, Jan 1999 by Clough, Roy L Jr

Light, easy and inexpensive

THE NEXT TIME you spread the last of the marmalade on your toast, chuck the jar and save the lid; it can be the foundation of a vintage aircraft wheel. These easyto-make, lightweight wheels add an authentic touch to scale-type models of the 1930s and earlier.

Start by finding the center of the cap and punching an 1/-inchdiameter hole. The best way to locate the exact center is by lightly grasping the lid in a three-jaw lathe chuck. If you have a good eye, the center dimple is a good guesstimate. There's also the trick of scribing several lines with a small square moved around the diameter; the lines will intersect in the center.

Sand a small spot around the axle-bearing hole so the solder will stick to the lid, but leave the rest of the paint or lacquer coating in place; it makes a great primer for the rest of the job. Solder a bearing of K&S* tube into the hole. The photos show an 1/8inch bearing, which will turn nicely on a 3/32 wire axle. Slip a balsa spacer block over the axle bearing, push the fender washer into place and solder them together. Now spin the wheel on a short axle wire, and correct any wobble by gently bending the assembly until the wheel tracks true. Next, puddle thin or medium CA between the ends of the spacer block and the metal parts and set it aside overnight.

I use Skyloft*, a tough, nonwoven nylon, for the wheel fabric. Cut a piece that will project about one inch around the rim, then make a small hole in its center for the wheel bearing. Soak the Skyloft in water and pat it until it's merely damp. Coat a washer with tacky craft glue, and stick the damp material into place. Run a bead of tacky craft glue around the outer periphery of the wheel, and work the fabric into it, stretching it slightly to form a wrinkle-free cone. Smooth the glued-down circumference, but don't worry about the overlap bumps you'll get here and there. Let this dry overnight.

In the morning, the wheel should have a nice, drum-tight cover. Check the edges to be sure that they are stuck down, and work a little tacky glue into any spots that look thin. Coat the fabric two or three times with clear butyrate dope. When it has dried, apply your favorite color to both the fabric side and the original, lacquered metal back. If you want to gild the lily, simulate valve access by punching out a small disk of black paper then sticking it to the doped fabric near the rim.

The tires are made of black neoprene tubing (available in many sizes in most hardware stores). Wrap the tubing around the wheel and mark the needed length. Trim the ends of the tubing at a slight angle, but cut the tubing about lA6 inch shorter than the circumference of the wheel. Make a joiner plug of soft balsa and use it to center the ends of the tubing when they are CA'd together. (Some might use a kicker with the glue; I don't because I've never had one of these tire come apart.)

Give the CA plenty of time to set up. Then roll the joint with thumb pressure to mash the balsa plug inside, and the joint will become practically invisible. Now slip the tire over the wheel. It should be a fairly snug fit, but it need not be tight.

Spin the wheel, adjusting it until the tire is centered as Well as possible, then run a bead of thick CA cement around both sides where the tire meets the rim. Set the wheel aside in a horizontal position until the CA has set.

As noted on the plan sheet, different diameters of jar lids, fender washers and K&S tubing allow a fairly wide choice ol wheel sizes. Finished wheels are suitable for lightweight models up to 30 to 35 ounces.