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| < General ~ Alternate materials |
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 Posted:
Thu Dec 10, 2009 6:19 pm
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Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 469
Location: Ol' Virginny
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| HEY! Look at this old thread. Lol. There are quite a few different materials you could 'mill' to work > if you have the time, patience, knowledge, and $$$. Delrin would be the way to go if you have the know-how to get it done. I've thought about doing it many times... just not worth it IMO. I've got access to molded urethane in many hardnesses, delrin stock, ABS stock, and even carbon fiber direct from NASA (I've got a buddy who is an engineer there)... what I DON'T have is the time/patience to do it. I really do wish HSL or some independent company would come up with something. |
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| Posted:
Thu Dec 10, 2009 8:27 pm
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Joined: 01 Jun 2009
Posts: 10
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| Posted:
Sat Dec 12, 2009 12:39 pm
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Joined: 26 Nov 2009
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| DeezUU wrote: | | I've thought about doing it many times... just not worth it IMO. I've got access to molded urethane in many hardnesses, delrin stock, ABS stock, and even carbon fiber direct from NASA |
Why would you want carbon fiber wheels? Carbon fiber is not abrasion resistant. You'd wear them down in no time. Machining polyurethane isn't easy, as I'm sure Merrie would attest. Figuring out alternative materials will be worth it if HSL goes under, which is a distinct possibility if they don't stop losing money. |
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| Posted:
Sat Dec 12, 2009 1:06 pm
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Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 1391
Location: UK
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| Slicer wrote: | | Merrie_England wrote: | two inline wheels total 50mm wide, and this is wider than any current axle.  |
Two adult inline wheels, but don't they make them smaller than this? |
I didn't come across any suitably hard wheels of narrower width back when I was looking, but I guess they might... they make lots of different diameters, but the width of inline-wheels that I came across was almost always 25mm (with a few newer models being 30mm)
| majorhealey wrote: | | That's why I suggested UHMW, which cuts like wood. You can buy 12x12x1.75" sheets for less than $60. Stick it in a planer to shave it down to the right thickness, drill 36 7/8" holes .... |
Go for it - lemme know what you find. |
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 "The best part of falling is getting back up again" |
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| Posted:
Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:40 pm
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Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 469
Location: Ol' Virginny
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| majorhealey wrote: | | Why would you want carbon fiber wheels? Carbon fiber is not abrasion resistant. |
Im speaking of carbon block, not the stuff you find on the hood of a riced out Honda. It can be milled into anything that aluminum/delrin can. Most of the fiber you see commercially is for looks or lightweight apps. It's like using fiberglass covered in resin. Carbon block is solid like delrin and wears away in a similar manor. It wouldn't be suitable for day to day wheel use as you'de have NO flex and would shatter your teeth and it would probably be very slippery BUT... it would be fast as bawls!! Lol.
| majorhealey wrote: | | Machining polyurethane isn't easy.... |
Milling Pthane is like cutting butter with a hot knife. As long as you've got the right tools, it's VERY easy. Molding Pthane is the better way to go BUT is more costly and takes more trial/error to get it right and you're likely to mill afterwards anyway.
A nice hybrid would be a CF core with a soft delrin or hard Pthane shell. Nice, light, hi-tech, custom. |
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| Posted:
Sat Dec 19, 2009 6:17 pm
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Joined: 26 Nov 2009
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| DeezUU wrote: |
Im speaking of carbon block, not the stuff you find on the hood of a riced out Honda. It can be milled into anything that aluminum/delrin can. Most of the fiber you see commercially is for looks or lightweight apps. It's like using fiberglass covered in resin. Carbon block is solid like delrin and wears away in a similar manor. It wouldn't be suitable for day to day wheel use as you'de have NO flex and would shatter your teeth and it would probably be very slippery BUT... it would be fast as bawls!! Lol.
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I've never heard of "carbon block." Are you referring to 3D carbon-carbon? That stuff is very expensive.
| Quote: | | Milling Pthane is like cutting butter with a hot knife. As long as you've got the right tools, it's VERY easy. |
The problem is this thread is talking about alternate materials for people to try making their own wheels with, not pie in the sky manufacturing schemes. Most people don't have access to "the right tools." We don't all have turret lathes in our basements. What would you do for hubs, just force them in with a hydraulic press for an interference fit?
| Quote: | | A nice hybrid would be a CF core with a soft delrin or hard Pthane shell. Nice, light, hi-tech, custom. |
Why? I can't imagine who would desperately need superlightweight Heelys wheels. |
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| Posted:
Thu Dec 24, 2009 7:19 pm
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Joined: 03 Jan 2007
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Location: Ol' Virginny
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Don't know why you're trying to debunk my posts. No one ever said "how can I make cheap wheels?" Cause I'da replied back with "styrofoam and an exacto". Of course that's just dumb. I pretty much summed up my opinion when I said....
| DeezUU wrote: | | ... just not worth it IMO... |
Pthane doesn't require any special lathe or expensive equipment. Hell... you could probably turn the stuff on a $49 Sears wood lathe. You just have to know what you're doing and have plenty of patience. You also won't see me making anything from carbon block (yes, 3D woven stock). Like I said... I've got a Nasa engineer buddy who uses it frequently for misc. this/thats (high tension pulleys, guide wheels, castors, etc... ) so it can be done, it just shouldn't. |
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| Posted:
Fri Dec 25, 2009 4:56 am
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Museum Curator
Joined: 29 Jul 2006
Posts: 1474
Location: Central North Dakota, aka The Middle of Nowhere
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Actually, I think they'd make awesome mega-verts or free-spins.
Any chance you could get this guy into Heeling?  |
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| Posted:
Mon Dec 28, 2009 3:56 am
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Joined: 01 Jun 2009
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