8 replies to this topic

[Ken Bryan]

I have a Sherline lathe that I have occasionally used to true tires. It is not quite as fast as other truers because it sands against a flat piece of sandpaper and not a rotating disk. Does anyone know of way to adapt the lathe to turn tires faster? Or would I be better off to simply buy a tire truer?

Ken Bryan

[Rob Voska]

Mount a die grinder with a sanding drum on the tool post.

[dbs]

I use this little air powered die grinder that was about $20. While figuring out how to
mount it, I found that it fits right into the boring bar holder that came with the quick change tool post.

It works OK for the occasional stuff I do, but it would be nice to have something portable.

[Phil Irvin]

I have had 2 tire truers in 15 years. My latest is the HUDY with the KNOB JOB on it. After you get the JOB. Follow the instructions and you will have a machine that you can walk away from and not worry about. You can duplicate sizes too.....I sold my other one for $40...And ain't lookin back..

AND... The Hudy can fit in your slot box too....

PHIL

[Steve Deiters]

I'm looking for some ideas along the same lines using a Unimat lathe. I want to be able to trim tires from wheel mounted doughnut to finished tire. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[Duffy]

Dunno how much you've tried already with your Unimat, so this may be redundant. I'm currently messing around with tire stuff and learning a lot from my mistakes. I'll add my limited stuff to what you've got so far and maybe we can shake loose some other comments.

Below is a shot of my first paste-up tire truer. [EDIT: here's the pic! Runs off a 3/8 hand drill, which is too slow. I'll be mounting a die grinder to this next, and a needle parting tool to get large amounts of rubber off before grinding.

For your app, I'm guessing maybe 1600-2000 revs would be better, and MUCH better would be a turning grinding wheel. Can you strap your Moto-Tool to the toolpost to try? Duct Tape if necessary, just try it out. Run reverse of how your lathe's turning, which means run the lathe in reverse, I think...

Question for anybody: the outside flat surface of the donut stock is a different texture--is the rubber there a different consistency, and should I remove that face a good way back? I'm trying to conserve, and I could possibly get two 1/2" tires by parting down the middle, IF this crust isn't too thick. Tell me?

Duffy

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[Phil Irvin]

I'm looking for some ideas along the same lines using a Unimat lathe. I want to be able to trim tires from wheel mounted doughnut to finished tire. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Back in the late 60s. I had a good friend who had a full hobby shop. He had a unimat with every tool, all posts and grinders and holders you could think of. He had a friend with a complete machine shop so could build anything needed.

He made a holder for a no.11 zactro blade so that he could cut tires and have a whole peice and not need a vacum to get all the rubber dust. He got good enough that he could cut, trim and tru a SET of tires in less than 5 min. He also made a tool, with 2 no. 11 blades, that was adjustable, to trim both sides of the tires in one movement. All were mounted in tool post holders that could be lifted out and replaced with what ever tool was needed. When he retired in 75. There were no tracks around and what happened to his 'shop' tools... .I wish.........

OLPHRT.
PHIL

[Ecurie Martini]

I'm looking for some ideas along the same lines using a Unimat lathe. I want to be able to trim tires from wheel mounted doughnut to finished tire. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Before I bought a tire truer (the storied but generally unavailable "Reifenschieffmachin"), I used my Unimat PC to true tires - don't have a photo but it is so simple I think an explanation will do:

I bought a Dremel flexible shaft attachment and bored a hole in a piece of hard maple to just fit - wedged the handpiece of the flex shaft into it and clamped the other end in the tool post - mounted wheel on axle and chucked the axle in a 3/32" collet - mount a sanding drum in the flex tool and grind away!

EM

[Steve Deiters]

Any ideas for the grit size on the grinding wheel/drum?