Wood to Wagon

Wood to Wagon. . The Wheelwright used a variety of woodworking tools to shape hardwoods into anything from tool handles to wagon parts. The work is precision and labor intensive. Templates were used to create duplicate pieces like wheel spokes., 1. The wood makes all the difference , The wheelwright began with a general length of hardwood from the local forest. Tool handles were generally made from ash or hickory because they have long grains and are flexible under pressure. Wagons were mostly made of oak because the wood is strong, rot-resistant, and can be heat-bent when soaked in water. The shape of the finished piece determined the general size and thickness., 2. Look Ma! No Hands! , The shaving horse is a simple machine that allows the worker the use of both hands to shave down a piece of wood. Pressure from a foot pedal held the wood firmly in place., 3. The right tool for the task , From sawing to planting, the wheelwright used a wide variety of custom tools to shape wood into workable parts. a wheelwright's shop had to be organized and dry. Moisture on the iron parts caused rust and could mold or rot the wooden handles., 4. Tool Time , A variety of tools go into making a wagon. The wheelwright may use a foot-operated treadle lathe to create the barrel of the hub. Gouges and chisels would be used to cut out the precision spoke holes. The center had to be expertly drilled with a hand auger or brace and bit drill. Each spoke that fits into the hub holes would be shaved and shaped with a draw knife and the flat boards would be shaved down with a hand plane., 5. The danger of dull tools , Any wood worker knows that his tools must be kept sharp. A dull tool was inefficient and could cause the workers to injure themselves. Small tools were sharpened on hand-held whet stones while hand-crank sharpening wheels were used for bigger cutting edges., 6. A wood and metal dance , The wheelwright and Blacksmith worked together piece by piece to assemble the custom parts of a wagon. One couldn't be done without the other.