DIY Wooden Steering Wheel

[nevan]

That looks amazing! Excellent work!!

[PaulSK]

I would like to see that process.

[Wcumoron]

Still want to throw money at hoyt to get one of these...

[CoconutPete]

Wow, that is some amazing skills! I love the effort and precision that went into this. Now your only issue is that the remaining wood in the car is about a 9/10 while your steering wheel is 11/10.

Are those stock gauges? Those are the only thing in that cabin that I can't figure out. The wood trim and your newly added steering wheel is telling me "executive" while the gauges is telling me "race track".

[Hoyt Clagwell]

Wow, that is some amazing skills! I love the effort and precision that went into this. Now your only issue is that the remaining wood in the car is about a 9/10 while your steering wheel is 11/10.

Are those stock gauges? Those are the only thing in that cabin that I can't figure out. The wood trim and your newly added steering wheel is telling me "executive" while the gauges is telling me "race track".

Thanks. If and when I get time and money, I want veneer the instrument cluster face, make wooden visors with sliding doors over the mirrors and add some more wood trim to various areas of the interior. I'm going for a kind of retro, home built roadster look.
The gauges themselves are stock but I had a guy in Poland print me out some new gauge faces that I designed. They are based on a '57 Corvette dashboard. While most of the brass trim is real, I cheated a little on the chrome trim rings. I first primed them then used a brass colored maker followed by a clear coat. They look pretty convincing.

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I would like to see that process.

It's on the first page of this thread.

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Still want to throw money at hoyt to get one of these...

You know, I still have the original wheel from the Z3. I was thinking that someday I might like to do another one and then sell the one that's on the car now. Unfortunately, at this time, I don't have any more suitable wood to make a new one and I'm quite busy with other work.

[KeysCoupe]

For laminating the two halves of the rim together, have you ever considered WEST System epoxy? It can be thickened to a paste where it would fill/bond around the metal inner rim, and would eliminate the need of the rivets. I have used this to repair a delaminated Jaguar wood wheel with perfect results; way stronger than original.
Beautiful work!
-Donny

[Hoyt Clagwell]

For laminating the two halves of the rim together, have you ever considered WEST System epoxy? It can be thickened to a paste where it would fill/bond around the metal inner rim, and would eliminate the need of the rivets. I have used this to repair a delaminated Jaguar wood wheel with perfect results; way stronger than original.
Beautiful work!
-Donny

Hey Donny, I used Titebond lll which also should hold fine without rivets. The wood was fitted very tightly to the steel rim with absolutely no movement after being glued up. I personally wanted the rivets for a more retro look but they are functional. I am somewhat familiar with the West System epoxy and it would indeed be a great choice although less repairable in the unlikely chance that something did fail.

[Wcumoron]

Oh, I would source some burl walnut if you did consider making another. Just let me know if you run out of things to do.

[Hoyt Clagwell]

Oh, I would source some burl walnut if you did consider making another. Just let me know if you run out of things to do.

PM me and I will put you on file. I'm not promising anything at this time but hey, you never can tell when I will need more work. Burl walnut would be great, especially if you can find some figure that closely matches your existing trim. You would have to use your existing airbag as well.

[Mr Bingley]

That's some very impressive woodworking demonstrated. What glue did you use? It almost makes me want to do this too, except I love my leather wrapped wheel. I do have a spare however--hmm. Exactly how did you do the brass rivets? How did you get them to come out perfectly flush? Do they go through the steel core? That part was not explained. Anyway, kudos to you for doing that.

[Hoyt Clagwell]

That's some very impressive woodworking demonstrated. What glue did you use? It almost makes me want to do this too, except I love my leather wrapped wheel. I do have a spare however--hmm. Exactly how did you do the brass rivets? How did you get them to come out perfectly flush? Do they go through the steel core? That part was not explained. Anyway, kudos to you for doing that.

I used "Titebond III" glue. I bought the brass rivets from Lee Valley tools. Before gluing up, I drilled 1/8'' pilot holes dead center in the half round groove from the inside out on the front half of the wheel. This to make sure that I would hit the round steel core dead center. After the wheel was together, I used the pilot holes to center a 6mm Forstner bit (makes a flat bottomed hole) to make the countersunk holes for the rivet heads and then I drilled for the rivet shafts.

[Mr Bingley]

I used "Titebond III" glue. I bought the brass rivets from Lee Valley tools. Before gluing up, I drilled 1/8'' pilot holes dead center in the half round groove from the inside out on the front half of the wheel. This to make sure that I would hit the round steel core dead center. After the wheel was together, I used the pilot holes to center a 6mm Forstner bit (makes a flat bottomed hole) to make the countersunk holes for the rivet heads and then I drilled for the rivet shafts.

Ok, so they go into countersunk holes that are exactly equal in depth to the length of the rivet head. I assume you did that on a press with a stop set and ran test holes on scrap to determine the correct stop. Sounds like you drilled through the steel core of the wheel. Did you do that on a press as well? What sort of bit--was the core mild steel? What about the back half of the wood wheel? Do they go through that as well? How do the rivets work? Do you have any pictures of just the rivet or a part number? If you went through the back as well, do you have any close ups of the back where they go through?

[Hoyt Clagwell]

Ok, so they go into countersunk holes that are exactly equal in depth to the length of the rivet head. I assume you did that on a press with a stop set and ran test holes on scrap to determine the correct stop. Sounds like you drilled through the steel core of the wheel. Did you do that on a press as well? What sort of bit--was the core mild steel? What about the back half of the wood wheel? Do they go through that as well? How do the rivets work? Do you have any pictures of just the rivet or a part number? If you went through the back as well, do you have any close ups of the back where they go through?

The rivets are two pieces, male and female. A small hammer is all that is needed to set them. The core is mild steel, easy to drill with a standard twist rill. I think I may have filed slight flats onto the core where I knew the rivet holes would be to help prevent the drill from wandering off. The pre-drilled pilot holes made sure I hit the core dead center. Since I carved finger bumps on the back of the wheel, I countersunk the rivet heads deeper in the back and filled with wood plugs. Also, I believe the rivets weren't quite long enough to be able to sit flush at the back as well. Here's a link to the rivets. https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop...6-brass-rivets It's the Canadian version of Lee Valley. I believe they have an American version with US prices as well.