Make Your Own Decorative Wood Wagon Wheel

Make a decorative wood wagon wheel; tricky, but doable!

To make a wood wagon wheel is no simple task; but it is certainly doable, and with some patience and attention to details, your decorative wooden wagon wheel will grace your landscaping or garden area.

Planning:
To make a useful, decorative wood wagon wheel, you will need to make some decisions:
1. What diameter wagon wheel do you want to make?
2. How thick do you want your wagon wheel to be?
3. How 'authentic' do you want your wagon wheel to be?

This article makes a few simple assumptions; such as:
A. This wood wagon wheel is for decoration only; no structural claims are made for functional use.
B. This design and fabrication for a decorative wood wagon wheel is just one of a variety of possible designs.
C. Materials, material thicknesses, assembly, attachments, and finishing of this decorative wood wagon wheel is by personal choices.

Recommendations:
Wheel diameter: At least 36", up to 60".
Wheel rim-segments: At least 1 1/4" thick; up to 4" across; length is determined by dividing the chosen wheel circumference into the eight segments. Rim-segments to be glued and screwed to each other as shown in diagram.
Wheel hub: At least 1 1/4" thick; at least 4", up to 8" across.
Wheel spokes: Length is determined by wheel diameter and hub size; diameter of spokes is determined by the chosen thickness of rim-segments and wheel hub. Spokes need to be able to be glued into the holes in those items.

Make a full-scale layout of your wagon wheel.

Setting up:
The first thing to do is to make a layout of your chosen size wagon wheel on a piece of plywood or other panel large enough for the full scale drawing. See image for approximation of such a layout. Be careful to keep your layout to scale, and be as accurate as you can when you layout the spokes and rim segments.

Create a pattern for rim-segments:
In order to make your wagon wheel rim-segments all alike, it's a good idea to make a cardboard pattern, to trace and cut each piece the same.

Cut out the center hub:
Using your chosen wagon wheel dimensions from your planning stages, layout and cut the center hub section from whatever material you chose to use for that.

Be careful to cut each of the eight sides as squarely as possible. Once cut, layout and drill appropriately sized spoke-dowel holes at the center of each of the eight sides; penetrating at least 3/4 of an inch. Also, drill a large hole through the center of the hub itself, as the 'axle hole'.

Pay close attention to the details.

Layout and cut the rim-segments:
You will need eight rim-segments; all alike. Using the cardboard template/pattern you made, layout the rim-segment shape onto your chosen wagon wheel material, and cut the eight segments. Keep cuts as square as possible.

Drill a spoke-dowel hole at the center of the flat side of the rim-segments; penetrating at least 3/4 of an inch. Also, drill small, angled screw holes on the outer side of the rim-segments, for attaching each rim-segment to the next. See diagram.

Cut spokes:
Using your original layout pattern as a guide, cut the eight spokes to the length needed; taking into account the depths of your drilled spoke holes in the rim-segments and wheel hub.

Sanding:
After everything is cut out, drilled, and otherwise fabricated, it's time to do some sanding of the pieces so the finished product will look better. Remove the burs left from the saw-cutting; square up any edges needing to be squared.

Assemble your decorative wood wagon wheel:
Now that everything is cut out and sanded, lay the pieces onto your full-sized drawing to ensure they will all fit appropriately.

If everything checks out, start gluing the spokes into the center hub; then glue the rim-segments onto the other ends of the spokes, clamping as required. Also, carefully screw each rim-segment to the next, to tie them all together.

Wipe away excess glue, and allow to dry at least eight hours.

You can finish your wood wagon wheel however you choose!

Finishing:
Finishing your decorative wood wagon wheel is, of course, strictly up to you. You might wish to make it look like an antique; or perhaps you'd prefer something more colorful; or maybe jet black; or white; or whatever suits your personal tastes!

Tips & Warnings

• To help fit dowels into snug holes, gently taper the ends with a sander or file.
• Read and follow all manufacturers' instructions and guidelines for safe handling, use, installation, operation and maintenance of equipment, tools, and products.