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    1. Kit: , by (VIP/Sponsor) whodaky is offline
      Builder Last Online: Sep 2015 Show Printable Version Email this Page
      Model Scale: 1/8 Rating:  (1 votes - 4.00 average) Thanks: 0
      Started: 08-27-08 Build Revisions: Never  
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      I mentioned in a post on my '36 3W last weekend that I had had a bit of a brain wave regarding making some narrow aluminium rims. Well here is how I went about it.
      I had an empty coke can on my bench and for some reason was looking at it and could see the makings of a wheel rim.

      I cut the top of the can just below the rolled edge at the top of the can. See the dotted line in the image below.

      I made this cut with a junior hacksaw. Which I infact use for all my modeling cuts!

      Here is the 2 pieces after cutting

      The piece we are interested in is the top of the can. Now we have to remove the centre of the top of the can, to end up with what will be half of our wheel rim.
      I remove the unwanted section by filing along the area that is indicated by the black dashes.

      I suggest filing along the edge, rather than across it. because when you start to break through, if you were filing across the edge, because the aluminium is so thin the file may grab and distort where you are cutting. Of course this may not be a problem if you are using an ultra fine file.

      OK, we have to do this to 2 cans; so we end up with 2 rims halves.


      As I will be joing these together with JB weld I needed to come up with a way to hold the rims in alignment for the joining process. There are all sorts of ways this could be done. But I want something simple, easy and didn't introduce any stress into the joint that may allow the joint to become misaligned.
      I came up with a simple piece of cardboard that goes on the inside of the rim. Also the beauty of the cardboard, is that if any JB weld oozes out of the joint onto the cardboard the cardboard is still easily removed after the JB weld has set!


      Here is a shot of the rim with the JB weld applied. Basically you are putting a layer of JB weld in the rim that bridges the 2 halves.

      Because the can has a protective coating, if you want to polish the rim as I have done in this case. You will need to sand Article: Narrow 1/8th Scale Aluminium Rims off the coating, prior to polishing. Even unpolished the finish is quite nice.



      Because I am such a lousy photographer, some of these images are pretty ordinary, but I can tell you this; the polished rim here in real life is like a piece of jewellery.
      Something you have to be awhere of, is that not all aluminium cans are the same. The outside diameter on the big diameter of these rims is 2 1/8" ( 53mm ) and the inside diameter on the small diameter ( ie where the join occurs ) is 1 3/4" ( 44.5mm ). The Coke cans I used also have a real nice conical shape in the transition section going from top to bottom ( of this rim section that is ).
      These rims fit beautifully into the Big T Michellin's. It's just a matter of fitting a centre. I am working on a centre for mine.
      These rims would make ideal rims for use on motorcycle models as well.
      They don't even need to go on a model, they are just neat to look at.
      Geoff aka whodaky


      Article: Narrow 1/8th Scale Aluminium Rims
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  1. whodaky's Avatar VIP/Sponsor
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    Geoff
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    Another I had forgotten about. This is a model of a real drag car I did a lot of work on. I made the '32 style dash in the real car (but that's another story). So when I did a 1/18th diecast model of the car I figured I would have to replicate the dash. So I made a pair of dies and pressed the dash is very thin aluminium.
    Geoff aka whodaky




    Article: Narrow 1/8th Scale Aluminium Rims
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  2. whodaky's Avatar VIP/Sponsor
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    A chassis I am doing in aluminium. 1/18th joins notched and stuck together using JB weld.
    Geoff aka whodaky




    Article: Narrow 1/8th Scale Aluminium Rims
    Last edited by whodaky; 08-30-08 at 09:03 PM.
    QUOTE QUOTE #33

  3. whodaky's Avatar VIP/Sponsor
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    Geoff
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    1/18th Solido diecast. All I will say, very modified!
    Geoff aka whodaky








    Article: Narrow 1/8th Scale Aluminium Rims
    Last edited by whodaky; 08-30-08 at 08:30 PM.
    QUOTE QUOTE #34

  4. whodaky's Avatar VIP/Sponsor
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    Geoff
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    Here is the track nose I built for our race car.
    I hope I haven't over done it with all the images in these posts. But the more I looked the more I found. so much stuff I have done and forgotten about!
    Geoff aka whodaky





    Article: Narrow 1/8th Scale Aluminium Rims
    QUOTE QUOTE #35

  5. Deuces-wild's Avatar VIP/Sponsor
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    WoW!!!!!.... That yellow one reminds me of a car I used to own. A '73 chevy Vega.. it had a junkyard 307 in it with a 2bbl carb.
    Be nice or else ~1~**
    QUOTE QUOTE #36

  6. whodaky's Avatar VIP/Sponsor
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    The yellow one is actually a GM car, GMH ( General Motors Holden) here, Holden Gemini. About the same size as a Chevette there.
    This model based on a Minichamps 1/18th diecast Opal!
    Geoff aka whodaky


    Article: Narrow 1/8th Scale Aluminium Rims
    QUOTE QUOTE #37

  7. whodaky's Avatar VIP/Sponsor
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    OK, like last Sunday a slow start for me again today. Although I did get all those images on here this morning. I hope they don't bore you to much xken.
    So after lunch I decide to move onto the work bench. Was mostly just floundering around a bunch of cut up aluminium cans and really going nowhere. But then I noticed something over on another part of my bench. It was an aluminium container I had cut the top off a while back to use the container as a pouring container. But today it started to talk to me! It said I can become part of one of those wheels your messing around with, but I don't want to be a narrow one; I want to be super wide! Ah ha, bingo off on another tangent as usual. So this container started life as a small air freshener product. The container is 3/4" (45mm) O.D. and around 4 3/8" (110mm) tall with the spray part cut off. The aluminium in this container is also a lot thicker than an aluminium drink can. So it woul be ideal for what it would become!

    So basically I cut the container into two 2" (50mm) pieces. As I was going be using the rims sections I showed in the very first post in this thread I decided I needed to flare the ends of the aluminium tube to allow it to overlap onto the small lip of what will be the outer ends of the rim. To do these flares I used a 2" (50mm) trailer hitch towing ball held in my vice and basically formed the flare by holding a piece of timber over the opposite end from that which was being flared and the end to be flared sitting over the tow ball and tapping the timber to produce the flare on the opposite end. Care needs to be taken to get just the right amount of flare.

    Two inches is way wider than one will need for most 1/8th models. I just wanted to have a real dramatic piece. I can always cut the rim down on one end and reflare it to end up with a narrower rim!
    Geoff aka whodaky


    Article: Narrow 1/8th Scale Aluminium Rims
    Last edited by whodaky; 09-05-08 at 06:34 PM.
    QUOTE QUOTE #38

  8. Tage's Avatar Yearly Subscriber
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    Beautiful work mate.
    The aluminum choice eludes me for the frame though...
    Why aluminum when you can solder brass?

    And what is JB Weld?

    Thanks so much for the photos, as car crazy guys,
    it is always fun to see real scale work also.

    QUOTE QUOTE #39

  9. whodaky's Avatar VIP/Sponsor
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    Tage, JB weld is a 2 part epoxy Article: Narrow 1/8th Scale Aluminium Rims metal product. It dries hard, but no rock hard so it is easily worked. I use it for a lot of my modeling as an adhesive, filler material and as a medium to build up surfaces where necessary.
    I guess I have never really worked in brass. More used to working with aluminium!
    Geoff aka whodaky


    Article: Narrow 1/8th Scale Aluminium Rims
    QUOTE QUOTE #40

  10. xken's Avatar VIP/Sponsor
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    Great pictures and Great work!!!! I love pictures and cannot get bored looking at them. You certainly have the working of aluminum under control.

    You made the comment about JB Weld as an adhesive for aluminum. How have you found its strength over time? Also have you ever considered making tiny aluminum rivets, once turned and annealed a finish nail set makes a perfect rivet driver. Just a thought.

    Keep up the great work! More pictures as you find them! Ken
    QUOTE QUOTE #41

  11. whodaky's Avatar VIP/Sponsor
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    Thought you would like the images xken.
    JB seems to hold up OK over time on aluminium.
    Been messing more this afternoon and evening with the big wide rims. I actually cut them down to 1 1/4" (30mm) and have just stuck the outers to the inner of one of them.
    These drink can wheels are really happening for me here at the moment. I really get a kick out of making stuff out of nothing!.
    Geoff aka whodaky


    Article: Narrow 1/8th Scale Aluminium Rims
    Last edited by whodaky; 08-31-08 at 08:09 AM.
    QUOTE QUOTE #42

  12. Don Garrett's Avatar Asst. Administrator
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    Wouldn't be without JB. I've even used it to cast small one off Article: Narrow 1/8th Scale Aluminium Rims parts in clay molds.
    Is there no end to your talents Geoff?
    Don't worry about the number of pics...we all love 'em! Being able to post photos in the forum as thumbnails or display pictures just kicks the octane level up a notch.
    Your photos get modelers to thinking...well maybe I could do that. You might even sneak in a pic here or there of some lines you've pulled.
    Grandpa McGurk.....Steppin' Large and Livin' easy.
    TDRinnovations.com
    QUOTE QUOTE #43

  13. whodaky's Avatar VIP/Sponsor
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    Hey Don. No end to my talents? Don't know! I have been looking at these rims I am working on and am really amazed by them. I scare myself sometimes with some of the stuff I do! As I said above I really get a kick out of producing something from nothing.
    Haven't picked up the striping brush in quite a few months. But seeing how you suggested it, here is a couple of pieces I did a while back. I am a big fan of Miller's these are tribute pieces I did. Both done with One shot and a sword brush!
    Geoff aka whodaky

    and another. I tend to do some very different stuff with my lines as well.

    Sneaked them 3 in, looks around; hope no body notices!!!


    Article: Narrow 1/8th Scale Aluminium Rims
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  14. Don Garrett's Avatar Asst. Administrator
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    Can you hear me grinnin'?
    Grandpa McGurk.....Steppin' Large and Livin' easy.
    TDRinnovations.com
    QUOTE QUOTE #45

  15. Rick's Avatar Member
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    Hey Geoff

    You're giveing me so many new idea's I'm wishing I didn't send you all those unfinished bodies!

    What you're shareing with us is exactly what this site is all about so keep it comming. Thanks!
    QUOTE QUOTE #46

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