Making a wooden wheel with spokes
Many of us had to find alternative things to do during COVID-19 lockdown. One of my pastimes is woodwork so I fancied extending my limited skills by making a ship’s wheel.
Although I made it out of repurposed softwood – not the most suitable material on a boat – it was nonetheless good practice to prepare me for making a proper ship’s wheel in a more exotic wood. The method I used will work exactly the same for all wood species so I hope that by avoiding the mistakes I made, some readers will choose some suitable wood and make their own.
You can buy a ship’s wheel online for about £40 but few, if any, at that price would be useful for anything more than hanging on the living-room wall. If you’re thinking of buying one to use on your yacht ask yourself the following questions:
■ Will the hub fit your yacht helm’s stub axle?
■ Is the glue waterproof and of structural quality?
■ Is the wood rot-proof?
■ Has the wood been seasoned to ensure joints won’t open after a few months in the marine environment?
■ Are all the fixings, nails and screws of corrosion-resistant metals?
■ How weatherproof is the varnish?
Even if you’re satisfied with the answers to
