Using a traveller to measure a wheel circumference
The hot tyre in place
Drawknife in use on the felloes
Welding the tyre
Letting off steam
Shaping with a rasp
Clamped in place for tyring
Checking the size of the tyre with a traveller
Dampening the flames
Fitting the felloes together
Second tyre being hammered into place
Trimming the felloes
A long job in hand in the wheelwrights shop.
Trimming with a drawknife
The second tyre being hammered in place
Large bow saw in use on spoke ends
Drawknife in use again.
Wheel in position for the tyre
Boring a hub the traditional way
Clamping the wheel down
A few finishing touches to the second tyre
Field gun wheels
Newly made wheel awaiting a tyre
Adzes awaiting handles
An example of wheel making in the past
Close up of the clamping
A pile of iron hubs
A corner of the wheelwrights shop
Sawing off the spoke ends
Welding the tyre joint
Cleaning up the tyre
Detail of a 12 spoked wheel
Marking out a felloe
Laying the wheel on the tyring stand
Preparing the wheel for tyring
Using a press on the tyre join
Field gun wheels
Cleaning up
Sawing off the spoke ends
Trimming the felloes to shape with a drawknife
Drawknife in use shaping
A few finishing taps
Initial shaping
Using a taper auger on a wheel hub
Spot welding
Cleaning up with an angle grinder
Checking the tyre circumference
Using a rasp to shape a notch
Cleaning up with the drawknife
A taper auger in use boring a wheel hub
There is a wheel somewhere under the steam
Cleaning up the weld
A wheel in need of repair
Using a chipping hammer
The first stage in shaping
European style wooden plane in use on a tool handle.
Using a rasp
A traveller in use on the wheel.
Cleaning up the felloes
Not just a wheelwright but a rakemaker too.
Cooling the hot tyre
Second tyre nearly in place
Bow saw in use cleaning up spoke ends
An interesting wheel!
An example of the wheelwrights art
Welding a tyre
Welding a hub band
Shaped handles just made.
Shaping with a drawknife
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Copyright of the photographs is held by Steve R. Salter and the Tools and Trades History Society and the photographs here are watermarked accordingly. Higher resolution unwatermarked images are available on application to TATHS at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. but any use of them must include a reference to Steve R. Salter as copyright holder and to TATHS.
