Hi

I am refurbing a set of minilites and the only damage is light scuffing to the rim. Nothing heavy, but just usual grazes.

Is it practical to use a lathe to skim off a few thou just to get back to a smooth rim?

(would machine all wheels to maintain the same profile on all four rims)

If anyone has done this, your experience and advice welcome.

cheers
Richard

You can do it - use a PCD (polycrystalline Diamond) if you want to polished look. I could get hold of an insert for you for a few beer tokens...

I'd fill in the dings with P40 first and machine it out to the profile...

Steve

A local firm has a polishing mop that pulls down onto the rim to to take the curbing out.

He showed me it in action whilst having some new rubber put on. He said he does it to keep his guys busy on slow days. Maybe a firm near you has somthing simlar ?

Ive seen some big lathes but not many that will take a rim.

Some lathes have gap beds, where a section of the slides close to the chuck can be removed. This allows larger diameter work to be turned.

thanks for info - just wondering what my options are really, but using a lathe (assuming I can one large enough ) seems an obvious route.

Not a Diy task then !

quote:

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Originally posted by dickie b

Not a Diy task then !

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That clairetoo sounds like a good type of girl to know, big lathe and all. What other facilities do you have? Milling machines, water jetting, EDM etc Wire edm perhaps, I can thing of a few jobs to pass your way!

Adrian

Hi Claire

The rims are 6 x 14 Minilite replicas - Rather than a quick spray, have decided to strip them right down and refurb them.

Not a job I would do again in a hurry, but miles cheaper than a professional job.

If you can help on the lathe front?

Just a couple of dimensions that would need checking - outside diameter , and offset from mounting face to outside face of rim - to be sure they will fit in my lathe ?
Where about's are you ? I'm just north of Leicester...

Having done some brake discs on my last lathe I found the the best way to get them true in the lathe was to make up a mount from an old hub that you could mount in the chuck and support with the tail stock live center.

I wouldnt want to spin a rim just on the center spigot

Hi Claire - will check dims and get back to you, but good point on the hub.. will see what can be done

I am in wycombe bucks, but go up the lovely M1 to sheffield on a fairly routine basis.

Hi Claire

Dims are :

Wheel Diameter : 390mm
Width of wheel : 180mm
Mounting face (back) of wheel to front rim edge : 65mm
Mounting face (back) of wheel to rear rim edge : 114mm

Hope this helps clarify if will fit on lathe?

ta
richard