ArtfulBodger.net

The work is chucked and centered in the four-jaw. I've faced the edge and the hub, and cleaned up part of the rim. Big...

Still in the four-jaw. Drilling and boring the center. Note the half-machined rim: this flywheel gets a crowned rim. I have put the angle on with the compound. The other half of the rim will get done after the flywheel has been flipped. Big...

The tailstock center is holding the flywheel against the faceplate, as suggested by a correspondent on rec.crafts.metalworking. This works out very well -- simple, fast, accurate. Note that I've machined the second half of the rim. The finish isn't good, though, because I've had to hand-feed the tool. I'll correct this later, in the last photograph on this page. Big...

Some oil has gotten between the faceplate and the flywheel (leaky headstock bearing). To keep the work from slipping I have screwed a stud into the faceplate, bearing on a spoke, to act as a dog. This works fine. In the future I'll do it at the outset. Big...

I need to get the tailstock center out of the way so I can machine the hub. I've bolted the flywheel in position before withdrawing the tailstock. Big...

To get a better finish on the rim (compared to the third picture above) I have slipped the flywheel onto a mandrel and have put the angle on by setting the tailstock back. This way I can use power feed to move the tool. The results are good; and since the amount of metal being removed is small, I don't have to worry about whether or not the mandrel can grip the work well. All done. Big...