Model Engineers’ Workshop – July 2019

Model Engineers’ Workshop

A Secondary

Hand Wheel

R

eaders of this article might fi nd

inspiration to improve their machine

tools by making this very simple

accessory that is commonly found on

the steering wheels of fork lift trucks

and invalid vehicles, that enables easy,

rapid turning. This item provides a

defi nite enhancement to the purpose

of moving worktables or cross slides

of milling machines and centre lathes.

Being a secondary, smaller, freely rotating

hand wheel, it can be easily fi tted to the

circumference of a primary wheel by

replacing the existing projecting handle,

photo 1, 2 and 3.

By manually gripping this wheel and

applying force against the primary wheel

in the same direction of rotation, a more

efficient method of causing accelerated

movement is provided to those surfaces

that are driven by lead or feed screws. By

making and fitting a secondary wheel to

my Warco milling machine, the task and

effort to move the work table for any

considerable length was removed and I

Stephen Bondfi eld replaces a standard handle with one that is more

comfortable to use.

1

Handwheel Original projecting handle

2

3

4

Handwheel plus handle version.

Nylon secondary wheel attached to primary

wheel of my Warco milling machine,

mounted upon the mandrel/arbour.