Need an idea to fix this

[Anthony Whitesell]

The MIL wanted a wheelbarrow planter. I found a plan online for one, just what she was looking for. I made it of spanish cedar so it wouldn't rot out as quickly. She loves it. Un fortunately as I was making the wheel, I realized that it had some thin cross grain section and would probably break. Well, guess what. It did. So I have to make another. Not a big deal I know I would when I made the first. But I don't like to make the same mistake twice. What options do you guess have for preventing the wheel from breaking again?

I was thinking of resawing a piece of spanish cedar then rotating it 90 degrees and glueing it back together. But my experience with glueing spanish cedar has been, well let's just say I haven't had a piece stay glued yet. If the cut, rotate, and glue is the answer, which glue should I use? I have TB, TBIII, and epoxy. But will buy what I need to if I know that it will work.

See the attached pictures for the pattern and finished wheel, both from the website.

189127

189128

[Dick Bringhurst]

I think that's the easiest solution if the thickness you end up with is acceptable. Dick B.

[Peter Quinn]

Is this a stationary decorative item or is the wheel intended to bear weight in motion? I'd guess making it like a proper wheel with five long grain spokes and segmented rims with a cylindrical center would add considerably to the strength, though I'm not sure that is warranted if its mostly decorative. You don't mention the thickness but I would think the best bet for the glue and rotate method would be to use an odd number of multiple plies, perhaps five thin plies, sort of making your own plywood, then doing the scroll work with that. I've had good luck using tite bond III on oily woods like ipe and teak, and pretty much everything else. Never tried it on spanish cedar, but It seems it would work. Epoxy works with pretty much anything but don't over clamp, it doesn't like or need excessive clamp pressure.

[Mike Davis NC]

I built 100 antique repro wheel barrows for NM in the early 80s. I made the wheel with bent white oak strips. They held up very well and the one I still have is very strong.

Make a form to clamp the strips to, cut thin strips (about 1/8 inch thick) bend around the form, glue and clamp. With Titebond III you can add a strip every couple hours.

Peg the first three or four strips to your hub then build up solid after that. After it all dries plane the edges smooth.

I just noticed your wheel is only 7 1/2 inch diameter. You will probably have to cut 1/16 inch thick strips or maybe even steam the strips to bend that tight circle.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Steam bending is going to be a little more involved than I care for right now.

This is a decoration, the wheel does not have to bear weight while in motion.

The thickness should be about 3/4" finished. I was thinking of 2 plys but I should be able to do 3 plys.

According to my notes, the diagram and design comes out a bit small and my notes indicate I should up it an inch in diameter. Not that it should matter to your ideas but the more info the better.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

resaw the wheel in half, insert a thin piece with the grain oriented perpendicular to the current pieces and glue it together with TB III. then use the current wheel profile as a router template to remove the excess.