HF English Wheel....

1FATGMC · January 23, 2007, 12:21:37 AM

Frank you mentioned they now had an english wheel on the chat.

$250 is mighty tempting.

You can also buy the top wheel for $40.00 and .....

The set of 6 bottoms for $80.00.

Has anyone on here bought this yet?? Or know of someone who has???

I'm thinking of at least picking up the top wheel and the bottom die set just in case this isn't a big mover for them and they discontinue it. I don't think I could make them for $120 and get them right. I'm not set up to do a radius on the lathe.

I'd like to make the rest of the frame so that it sat on the end of my press brake so that it would take up less shop space and I don't see $200 worth of metal in the frame anyway.

This link should get you to the item ( 95359-0VGA ):

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=english+wheel&Submit=Go

Any comments???

Sum

river1 · January 23, 2007, 12:47:25 AM

6 pages over at the HAMB about this

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=153635&highlight=harbor+freight+english+wheel

lots of pages over at metalmeet too

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6862

towards the end of the hamb post they is some talk about the quality or lack of quality in the wheels.

lots of good info mixed in both the hamb and the metalmeet posts.

later jim

Charlie Chops 1940 · January 23, 2007, 07:57:49 AM

I think I'll order a set of the small wheels to use on my Ace wheel. At $80 they can hold up a little bench space.

I guess I'll look at the thread over on the HAMB.

Charlie

enjenjo · January 23, 2007, 10:16:07 AM

The only down side I have heard so far, the bottom wheels don't have a flat. Which can cause tracks in the metal. not a deal breaker, but something to keep in mind.

river1 · January 23, 2007, 12:49:14 PM

according to some of the reviews on the hamb/metalmeet posts there is also some run out in the wheels. the run out will cause the pressure between them to change as you roll your metal thru, making it harder to get a uniform stretch to the metal.

later jim

kb426 · January 23, 2007, 01:13:30 PM

Mine is supposed to be here tomorrow. I'll post an opinion in a couple of days.

Dave · January 23, 2007, 01:33:43 PM

It sure took a long time to get a real answer. both web sites bashed 5 different countrys and never got to the point

Its either good bad or midgrade but still useable and more than one unbiased real answer would be good. Oh ya they got on walmart too but they dont have e-wheels there that i can find

I just love watching some people go off on a nut just over a cheap tool store :!:
Dave

:!:

1FATGMC · January 23, 2007, 03:06:36 PM

Quote from: "jusjunk"It sure took a long time to get a real answer. both web sites bashed 5 different countrys and never got to the point ............ I just love watching some people go off on a nut just over a cheap tool store :!:
Dave :!:

Yes I got pretty good at speed reading past all of the BS that had nothing to do with how the tool performed. I'll be interested in what ED has to say.

In my case I'll never become an expert metal finisher in this life time and will always require a skim coat, at least, of bondo on my junk, so if it just helps me get metal to that point I'd be happy.

I don't understand the "radius wheels" vs. the ones that have a flat on them. If you have the flat and radius on the same wheel is the radius just there to provide clearance once the flat stretches the metal and it starts to bend?

If that is the case and these wheels have no flat at all, it seems like you could put one on them in the lathe (maybe lathe/grinding wheel combo) in short work.

As I said above I just need something to help put a compound curve in a piece of metal. Not perfect, but just the shape I want.

c ya,

Sum

enjenjo · January 23, 2007, 04:11:36 PM

the difference between a flat, and no flat, with no flat, you will get track lines pressed into the metal with no flat. As I said not a deal breaker, you can skim coat it, polester prime and block it, or hand file it to remove them.

If you can set it up accurately enough, you can cut a flat on it, probably grinding it would be best.

1FATGMC · January 23, 2007, 04:20:10 PM

Quote from: "enjenjo"the difference between a flat, and no flat, with no flat, you will get track lines pressed into the metal with no flat. As I said not a deal breaker, you can skim coat it, polester prime and block it, or hand file it to remove them.

If you can set it up accurately enough, you can cut a flat on it, probably grinding it would be best.

Thanks, but I'm still wondering what the purpose is of the radius past the flat if there is one. Is it for clearance?? And is the flat always the same width?? regardless of the radius past it??

Thanks,

Sum

Dave · January 23, 2007, 04:50:45 PM

Ya Frank me too.. Now answer the dam question will ya
Dave

enjenjo · January 23, 2007, 04:55:21 PM

The flat varies with the radius. I believe it is about .060 per inch of radius..

The way a wheeling machine works is by displacing the metal to the sides. With no flat, the track is very narrow, and the metal bends at the track. With the flat, the metal tends to bend less, because the flat supports it, but it still streches to form a compound curve.

It's the difference between hitting a panel with a pick, or a flat face hammer.

kb426 · January 23, 2007, 06:21:35 PM

This makes me think I need to make an arbor to mount the radius wheels on and stick them in the crank grinder and put the afore mentioned flat spot on them. I'm a complete amateur with this tool and need all the help I can get.

1FATGMC · January 23, 2007, 08:24:37 PM

Quote from: "kb426"This makes me think I need to make an arbor to mount the radius wheels on and stick them in the crank grinder and put the afore mentioned flat spot on them. I'm a complete amateur with this tool and need all the help I can get.

I can see what Frank is talking about, sort of, thanks Frank, but I think I might try them out the way they come first. It would be easier to take metal off later than to try and put it back on.

I'll be waiting to hear your review as it sounds like we are about the same skill level

.

c ya,

Sum

kb426 · January 27, 2007, 02:08:46 PM

When mine showed up at Fedex, there was a large hole in the box. The guy said it's missing about 10 lbs. of parts. They sent it back and Harbor Frt. reships. Maybe around wednesday, it might show up. I don't have much faith in the "good condition" part, though. With the month of ice and snow we've had, my sense of humor isn't as good as it was last summer.