Recommendations or help to modify bike wheel hub and straighten axle?

Machine Shop
#1

Hi All,

Moved to TX, and lost my machine shop in the process. Looking for help or a source for a couple things. I’m restoring a fairly rare Sinclair C5 electric “car”/bike thingy.

  1. I have 3 plastic bicycle wheels (12" and 16") and I need to open up the bearing pockets 1mm (bore on lathe)
  2. I have a ~3/4" axle that has a slight bend it in and need it straightened (probably press, then check in the lathe)

Any pointers on a place to take them (I’m up in Frisco, so nearby preferable) or that would be willing to tackle for me? Its about 30min work total I imagine but I don’t have the stuff to do it anymore.

#2

It’s doubtful that you’ll be mounting a 16" wheel on the lathe. This can easily be mounted flat on the mill (like the haas), find the center, then extrapolate the hole 1mm using standard endmills. Sorry, don’t know anything about unbending the axle. There aren’t a lot of machine shops that want to tackle such small jobs. You say 30min, they say $200 minimum just to look at it.

#3

Of course you can use DMS’ machine shop with a membership if you get signed off on our equipment. The self-study portion should be simple if you’re familiar with machining.

Many of our instructors can do one-on-one time if a class isn’t available.

For the bike wheel could probably chuck on the Bridgeport and use the boring bar box. We additionally have a rotary indexer that, if it fits, would also allow using an endmill.

For the axel might be able to work on our press for it but we don’t have many holders/pushers for straightening things out. What’s the axel made of? Know it’s hardness?

#4

I think the Shark lathe with the way removal would allow for it. I wouldn’t recommend it, but I believe the tool will do it.

I agree with the CNC mill option. You’ll get better results with less chance of throwing your part IMO.