Need some more photos...

Here are some photos of the new way I am doing the Crown Wheel.  Unfortunately, I stopped taking photos later in the process.  When I get back to the forge, I will update with more photos.

Starting with a straight piece of metal, I mark where the spokes will connect to the Crown Wheel.

 

I then punched rectangular holes.

 

I make a quick hacksaw cut through the top.  It is intentionally slanted.  This is to make it easier to fold them back over and have them contact each other.

 

The two top pieces folded open.  This is what I am doing new.  This lets the hub and spokes to just be dropped into the Crown wheel.

 

Finally, this picture shows the wheel being bent into shape using a circle on the layout table as a guide.  Also notice that it has the spokes drawn so I can be sure its lining up.

 

I actually did get to the point where the Crown Wheel is fully formed.  The hub and spoke drop into it nicely.  In fact, the only problem is that I made the openings a little too big.  I think I am going to go ahead and connect the two to make sure the process works, then I will try making it again.  The good news is that I am getting very quick with it and the new job is settling down so I should have more time.

No pictures yet but did get some more work done.

  Due to starting the new job, didn't have as much time this weekend as I would have liked.  However, I did still manage to get some forge work in.  I decided to spend the day trying out some techniques for making a new Crown Wheel.  Basically, it is how I connect up the hub to the outer ring of the Crown Wheel.  I tried a few variations but finally found one that produces good results, is relatively easy and it appears it is a viable way that it may have been done on the original.  I'm planning on next weekend being the weekend I finally remake the Crown Wheel.  I really, really will try to get up some pictures.  Words cannot quite describe how I am doing the Crown Wheel this time.

  A good bit of news on the Crown Wheel.  I did discover a hub that I had made on a previous attempt to remake the Crown Wheel.  A quick glance at it and it looks like it would be perfectly fine to use in the new wheel.  I have to take a better look at it.  This would be good because one of the most time consuming parts is make the hub and spokes.