Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.HandsomeRyan
07-25-08, 11:56 AM
Below is the process I used to weld an axle for a future bike trailer. The wheels are 10" pnumatic "hand truck" style tires. I know 10" is a little small but they are rated to 300lbs and they were <$5 each so I think I can make them work. Using wheels rated to 300lbs made me want to build an axle that could match that type of load. I decided to use a piece of scrap 3/4" square steel tubing with axle bolts welded into it.
First I cut a 16" piece of square steel tubing with my metal cutting chop saw. Next, I ground most of the surface rust off the piece of tubing and coated it with a chemical that turns the remaining surface rust into black primer. I got some 5/8" by 7" bolts and cut the heads off of them as well. I drilled a few holes in the ends of the tubing to allow me to tack weld the bolts to the square tube.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h170/HandsomeRyan/IMG_0387.jpg
I didn't get a picture of the bolt before I cut it.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h170/HandsomeRyan/IMG_0388.jpg
Here is a shot of the bolt in place ready to be welded.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h170/HandsomeRyan/IMG_0389.jpg
Here it is after tack welding in place. Because there is almost no tension pulling the bolts outward, even the 6 little tack welds I used was overkill for holding everything in place.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h170/HandsomeRyan/IMG_0391.jpg
Here is the axle after grinding the welds smooth.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h170/HandsomeRyan/IMG_0392.jpg
And another coat of rust-to-primer solution has been applied making sure to mask off the threads so the lock nuts that hold the wheels in place will work correctly.
Total cost:
2 wheels @ Harbor Freight- $5 each
2 Bolts- $2 each
2 Lock Nuts- $0.60 each
16" piece of 3/4" square steel tube from scrap pile- $free
Total- <$11
My welder is my most-favoritest tool in the whole garage. I can burn myself, blind myself, and electrocute myself, all with the same tool. Sometimes I make useful stuff like this though.
First I cut a 16" piece of square steel tubing with my metal cutting chop saw. Next, I ground most of the surface rust off the piece of tubing and coated it with a chemical that turns the remaining surface rust into black primer. I got some 5/8" by 7" bolts and cut the heads off of them as well. I drilled a few holes in the ends of the tubing to allow me to tack weld the bolts to the square tube.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h170/HandsomeRyan/IMG_0387.jpg
I didn't get a picture of the bolt before I cut it.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h170/HandsomeRyan/IMG_0388.jpg
Here is a shot of the bolt in place ready to be welded.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h170/HandsomeRyan/IMG_0389.jpg
Here it is after tack welding in place. Because there is almost no tension pulling the bolts outward, even the 6 little tack welds I used was overkill for holding everything in place.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h170/HandsomeRyan/IMG_0391.jpg
Here is the axle after grinding the welds smooth.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h170/HandsomeRyan/IMG_0392.jpg
And another coat of rust-to-primer solution has been applied making sure to mask off the threads so the lock nuts that hold the wheels in place will work correctly.
Total cost:
2 wheels @ Harbor Freight- $5 each
2 Bolts- $2 each
2 Lock Nuts- $0.60 each
16" piece of 3/4" square steel tube from scrap pile- $free
Total- <$11
My welder is my most-favoritest tool in the whole garage. I can burn myself, blind myself, and electrocute myself, all with the same tool. Sometimes I make useful stuff like this though.