Here's a step-by-step description:

1. Print out the hub template sized to the washer you're using and CA it to the washer then CA the washer to be piece of wood.

2. Drill the 40 holes (20 each washer) required. Plan on breaking at least one drill bit! I bought a supply of cheap 1mm hand drills ($1 apiece) and tore the bits out to use in my drill press.

3. Make the hubs out of whatever materials you have at hand. I used one steel tube (from the local hardware store) sleeved into a slightly shorter one to create a "seat" for the hub ends. Epoxy together to temporarily hold everything together. If you're more skilled than I am you could solder these.

4. Cut out a disk of plywood the inside diameter of the rim. I used the drill press to get it nice and round. Bend the aluminum rim to fit. I used a twist of wire to hold it together (see photos).

5. Mark the hole positions. For 40 spokes you'll need to start with a pentagram (see diagram attached) -- I used photoshop to rotate the holes in the hub diagram above 18 degrees. For the British 64 spoke set-up you can just divide and sub-divide! I used my Dremel tool to make the holes in the rim.

6. Soak some 5/8" x 1/16" strips of spruce (or some such wood) in water and slowly bend to shape around a suitably sized container. Let the wood dry out like this. Then epoxy it around the aluminum rim with the ply plug still inside to make sure it stays round. Clamp with one of those cheap adjustable hose clamps. Let cure then clean up with sandpaper. I sanded down the edges of the wood until is was about 1/16" wider than the aluminum rim on either side.

7. Redrill the holes in the rim (which have now gotten plugged with epoxy). You can do this by hand.

8. Using the jib shown add the spokes. For the 40 spoke wheels you start with 10 spokes in a spiral pattern attaching to every other hole in the rim and hub. The spokes form a tangent to the hub. To do the spokes I cut a length of music wire, made a 1/8" L-bend on one end, inserted the other end through the rim and then bent over the ends to lock it in place. It's important not to allow the rim to rotate as you're doing this (the jig holds it snuggly in place). The key to making this approach work is you HAVE to soften (anneal) the ends of the spoke wires or you'll never be able to make the required bends on such little pieces. the first set of spokes will be have the L-bend inserted UP through the hub -- i.e. the spoke attaches from the bottom. If you try to put all 20 spokes on the top you'll have problems. Anyway, after you have the first set of 10 spokes in place, you then put in the remaining 10 spokes in the other direction. Adjacent wires are at about 110 degrees to each other. These spokes with go over (nearest the hub) and under (about halfway out) the other set of spokes. This weaving is what provides the pressure to hold the second set of 10 spokes into the hub. You won't have to bend the ends of the L-bend over (which would be pretty much much impossible).

9. When you're done with one side, just flip the rim over and do the same on the other side. Now that I'm figured this out I think I could do both sides in about 1 hour.

10. Once the rim is finished using a file (or some such tool) press the ends of the spokes firmly into the soft wood. For added strength I suppose to could apply a thin layer of epoxy. I didn't and they spokes seem plenty firm.

11. Using CA, add the lips to the rim. I used 2mm bamboo.

12. Sand the lip and wooden rim smooth.

13. Putty and resand

14. Paint

15. Put on model and impress the hell out of your friends with either their scale realism or your complete obsessiveness!


Now that I've figure this out, I'm sure I could make a pair of these spoked wheels in about a week or leisurely work. Donnie, might be able to do them in a single evening!