J. Clarke wrote:
On 7/31/2010 1:10 PM, Lee Michaels wrote:
"J. wrote in message
...
Working on a decorative wagon wheel in wood, but I'd really like to
put a
metal tire on it. Now, that's no trick if it's just for looks--make a
steel ring that's close enough to the dimension that a little epoxy
under
it will hold it, but the devil in me wants to do a proper job and shrink
the thing.

Trouble is that this is a no-burn area so I can't just light a fire
in the
back yard and heat the tire.

So, any ideas on how to go about this? The wheel is 2 feet in diameter,
making the tire too big to fit in a barbecue or the like. If I was
making
a bunch of 'em I'd be tempted to just build a charcoal pit big enough
and
call it a barbie, but that's a lot of work for one wheel.

And yeah, I know I can find a blacksmith, but I'm more interested in the
making than in having a wheel.

Well, you could get a big tank of propane and/or other gas and just
heat up
the whole thing. I would think tha it would take a fair amount of gas and
time.

As for a charcol pit, that would probsbly work. How about just making a
circular pit? Dig a hole in the ground a bit bigger than the wheel, but
leave the middle intact. So you are just heating the steel itself and
not a
big unrelated area.

This seems like a whole lot of work and bother for a little authenticity.
Is it really worth all this trouble?

It's about the journey, not the destination. I'd like to do it just so
I know I can.
Id go down the propane route.as follows by making a vertical furnace.
Get your weed killer big as you can afford.
use bricks to make 2 walls 2in apart by 2ft long by 2 ft tall. blockoff
one end and the top all bar say a 2in part.
put your iron wheel inside between the 2 walls.
In the opposite bottom corner leave a 2in gap. Light your propane burner
apply flame to bottom hole. Heat steadily for probably 30 mins till the
whole of the inside is red hot inc the iron wheel.
Have your wooden wheel supported flat on some bricks and your tongs at
the ready. Take out the redhot iron place on the wheel and hammer down.
Pour lots of cold water on it ant it will shrink up well.all youll get
is lot of steam.
hope this helps.
Ted
Dorset in UK.