Made a new wheel tool

[ditchdigger]

So I am refinishing these cool Pedrini basketweaves and one of them has a ding



I tried a block of wood and a 3lb hammer for an hour and got nowhere. These puppies are tough, Must have been a hell of a crub that bit it
Today I had an idea, and gave it a go.

My trusty 3 jaw puller loaned out one of its arms and pivots



A piece of 3/8" thick 3" angle formed the fulcrum, some 1/2"X1" stock the body and some scrap 3/4" tubing acts as a handle



Looks like what I had in mind so lets give it a go



Hey it fits! The tough part was holding the wheel. At first I clamped it to my workbench and promptly tore the bench top off of it. Wedged it under the deck in the backyard and lifted that right off its footings. I ended up jacking up the rear of the convertible and setting its tire down on the wheel face, then I was able to apply some force. I moved the tool three times and managed a pretty good radius.



Not perfect but 99% better. As many beat up cool old wheels that I end up with, this will come in handy.

[george graves]

Ha Ha - good work.

[StereoInstaller1]

Trent, you are a god.

What a manly tool. (oh yeah, I did say that)

I am not just saying that because one of my wheels needs straightening, either.

[Mossman]

thats awesome. Wheel straightening places use heat when they straighten wheels. People who know metallurgy will correctly tell you that heating aluminum past a certain temp (don't know it, i've heard the temperature of the final round of heat treating, but that's for billet not cast wheels), anyways, if you heat it up too much you'll weaken the metal. However, its impossible to correct some bends without heating, and trying to do so will either leave it still bent or cracked where you used too much pressure. I don't think your tool will be bending wheels, but if you have a stubborn one try a torch, why not.

Quite ingenious though, I must say.

[Aptyp]

thats awesome. Wheel straightening places use heat when they straighten wheels. People who know metallurgy will correctly tell you that heating aluminum past a certain temp (don't know it, i've heard the temperature of the final round of heat treating, but that's for billet not cast wheels), anyways, if you heat it up too much you'll weaken the metal. However, its impossible to correct some bends without heating, and trying to do so will either leave it still bent or cracked where you used too much pressure. I don't think your tool will be bending wheels, but if you have a stubborn one try a torch, why not.

Quite ingenious though, I must say.

100% correct, 100% useless


Awesome tool, may want to have some sort of padding not to scuff the wheel though.

[ZM Blue Devil]

awesome! well done, whats the plan for stripping them? Sand/media blast?

[ditchdigger]

They were coated with a thick layer of what looked like white housepaint over the factory gold.



I dunked 'em in a bath of methylene chloride for 10 minutes and most everything fell right off. A stiff bristled brush knocked more off after that.



When I polish the lips the centers will be glass bead blasted then powdercoated back to the original gold