How to Make Wood Wagon Wheels
Adding a rustic, western feel to your home or garden is easy with a wagon wheel focal point. You can use a wagon wheel in your garden's flower beds, in your home by the fireplace or even in a western inspired bedroom as a table top with glass on it. Instead of searching antique stores, you can build one yourself. A wagon wheel is easy to make, easy to maintain and is a fun craft activity you can finish in a few hours.
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Instructions
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Cut eight spoke pieces from your wood that measure 2 inches wide by 10 inches long.
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Cut a large circle that is 14 inches in radius from the center. The edges of the circle should be 4 to 6 inches wide depending on how thick you want your wheel to be.
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Cut out the inner circle of your wheel, 4 inches in diameter. If it helps you to have a pattern, you can create one first out of an old cardboard box, but it is not necessary if you have a steady hand.
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4
Lay all of your cut-out pieces on a flat surface, such as a table. Preassemble them by laying the large wagon wheel outer ring down, placing the small center ring in the middle of the large ring, and arranging the eight spokes at equal intervals between the two rings. Preassembling will help you avoid mistakes when permanently gluing your wagon wheel together.
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Add wood glue to each end of one spoke at a time. Place the spoke so that one end touches the inner ring and one end touches the outer ring. You may use a vice to hold them tightly together if you wish but laying them flat on a nonstick surface and placing a heavy item, such as a thick book, on top will also work well. Do this for all eight spokes. Allow the glue on the wagon wheel to dry completely.
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6
Sand the finished wagon wheel using light-hand pressure in a left to right motion. Get all of the rough edges sanded smooth.
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Paint or stain your wagon wheel. If you are using your wagon wheel outdoors, you can also use a water sealant for wood. Allow to dry completely before placing your finished wagon wheel where you want it.
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Tips & Warnings
Try using spacers and several rim sections for a more authentic feel.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit flowers and wagon wheel image by dvest from Fotolia.com
