Home made lightweight wheel covers

[Dave S]

In trying to find some lightweight wheel covers for our kitfox to keep the grass and grunt out of the wheel bearing area I couldn't find any that had the correct amount of "dish" to them, so I made some.....using a technique called "Metal Spinning".

First photo is of the wood plug fabricated on the Lathe out of 3" white spruce (that's all I had laying around for something that thick)

Photo #2 is of the 0.017" thick aluminum sheet screwed to the wood plug (had some 0.017" laying around)

Photo #3 is of the spinning process using a 3/4" hardwood dowel for a spoon (yup - the dowel was just laying around too)

Photo #4 is the two completed blanks before trimming/deburring

Last two are the trimmed/deburred wheel covers.

Each wheel cover ended up weighing in at 1.45 ounces.

Still have to paint to match and drill the three little mounting holes; but, this whole business up to this point took barely an hour....FYI - I have never done any metal spinning before but it works pretty slick - that is how aluminum prop spinners are made also but I am sure those guys have far more sophisticated equipment:o.

Sincerely,

Dave S
KF 7 Trigear
912ULS Warp Drive

[War Eagle]

That's quite the effort you put in to make those.

They will look great on the plane.

I used ones from Aircraft Spruce but had to make a center cut out for the axle.

[DesertFox4]

For your first attempt they look great Dave.
New hobby?;)

[jrevens]

Those look just great, Dave! Good job!

[Jfquebec]

Wowww....great job...thank's to share...

[ken nougaret]

that is very cool! I think anything you can say YOU made or DID yourself on an experimental, the more pride you can take.
ken

[HighWing]

I am impressed. I guess one more thing I need to try. I made some for my first Model IV with the 8" wheels, but of fiberglass. I always tell folks that I love my wife's job. As a flight attendant she is gone for days at a time and it gives me opportunity to use her kitchen without getting "The Look". I used one of her cooking pot lids as a mold.

[jdmcbean]

Thought this may be a good time to show-off what we have been doing on the S-LSA aircraft for a few years now... Works Great and the Kitfox ALWAYS stays in the correct orientation.

[Dave S]

Hey John,

That is the best use yet of the little axle stub sticking out in the middle of the wheel! Don't even have to stand on my head to read it!

Nice addittion to the Kitfox line.

Dave S

[Dave S]

Completed and installed as of today........final steps of fitting, drilling holes (in the right place) prepping, priming and painting accomplished...got the new wheel covers complete and on the plane.

Decided to stay with the insignia white/aerothane to match the fuse & gear. Have to see if I can locate some decals to go in the center now as they do look a little naked.

Now I can take a little comfort in keeping the crap I drag my wheels through out of the outside of the hub at least:rolleyes:

The inspiration for this rather lengthy, detailed but small project started with the lenght of the axle sticking out...so the dome is a little higher than the "normal" off the shelf wheel covers.

Sincerely,

Dave S
KF 7 Trigear
912ULS Warp Drive

[HighWing]

Very nice. I will hace to try the technique. What alloy Al. did you use?

[Dave S]

Lowell,

I have to admit that I used some basic aluminum sheet From "Menard's Aircraft Supply" (builder's and hardware store) ...so nothing special......it's a basic consumer grade of no documented composition but is easily formed into shapes like this...guessing it is similar to basic 1100 grade (fairly ductile & easy to shape) ...I believe it measured 0.017" in thickness. just my first attempt at trying this so I didn't go deluxe on the materials....just what I had in the shop. If I was buying specifically I would have chosen 3003. A person could also play with different thicknesses as the covers hardly weigh anything in the first place.

I figured if it didn't work the first time I could get different grade materials. Applying the spoon starts at the outside of the piece and it is worked towards the center - could easily mess up if starting the spinning at the center by going too deep to start - but there are plenty of resources out there on line about how to approach the task. I did not use lubricant on the hardwood dowel just to keep the mess down..but a person could use some wax or oil. Since this is not a complex shape - not a lot of friction is involved so there isn't all that much heat generated.

I rather enjoy working a lathe to start....kinda fun watching something morph into a shape as a person works with it.

Sincerely,

Dave S

[FitchUpNorth]

Beautiful Dave! You show off!!! I'll have to come down to 21D and inspect them. I'm free when you are…