Making the 20 mule team borax wagon wheels

[Frank S]

This is a fairly long but very intuitive video.
Where I grew up a few of the farmers were still using wagons in their fields most had converted to rubber tired axles but a few old die hard's had wooden wheels. At the blacksmith shop we made a few wheels every winter, but the ones we made were no where near as massive as these

[KustomsbyKent]

Pretty fascinating watching the process of making those huge wheels. I also watched a few of the other videos that go along with that Borax wagon build. He and his team do some nice work. It's pretty interesting seeing their skills in both wood craftsmanship and steel fabrication, and pretty educational as well.
Thanks for sharing!
Kent

[oldcaptainrusty]

Great video! I had no idea what it took to manufacture these wheels. Thanks for posting.

[Frank S]

There was a thread back in may this year where a guy was wanting to make wagon wheels, I gave a brief summery of the many things involved in their making but that was mostly from memory's of back in the 60's when I was a teenager We had nowhere near the nice machinery that the company used to make those monsters in the 20 mule team wheels. At the blacksmith shop we replaced 1000's of tool handles every year which we bought and brought from Arkansas in doing so we found that they also would make spokes for us as well and since Clearance the 70+ year old blacksmith and owner or his dad or grand dad had made all of the old farm wagons in the bygone years he knew the sizes of any remaining wagons or parts they might require which allowed him to keep a few spokes and other items in stock.
I often think of how blessed I am to have grown up and had the opportunity to apprentice during those times
http://www.homemadetools.net/forum/a...n-wheels-61070

[rendoman]

Fantastic video!