Wheelwrights make steel and wood wheels for wagons and carriages.
wheels
As wheel-makers, wheelwrights made wheels for all purposes. For example, wheels on cars, whees for starting pumps, etc.
A colonial wheelwright made wheels for all purposes.
A colonial wheelwright made wheels for all purposes.
Jocelyn Bailey has written: 'Village Blacksmith' 'The village wheelwright and carpenter' -- subject(s): Carriage and wagon making, Wheels, Wheelwrights 'Country wheelwright' -- subject(s): Carriage and wagon making, Wheels, Wheelwrights
Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights was created in 1670.
Wheelwrights use tools like hammers, saws, chisels, spoke shaves, and wheel jigs to craft and repair wooden wheels. These tools help them shape and smooth the wood, cut spokes to size, and assemble the wheel to fit securely on an axle. Additionally, wheelwrights use specialized tools for tasks like bending metal rims or fitting steel tire treads.
Wheelwrights use leg lifts to elevate the wooden wheels they are working on, allowing for easier access to the entire wheel for shaping and assembly. This technique helps reduce physical strain on the wheelwright, making it more efficient to work on the wheels at a comfortable height. Additionally, leg lifts can improve precision during the crafting process, ensuring better quality in the finished product.
Wheelwrights used tools such as hammers, chisels, spoke shaves, adzes, and augers to craft and repair wooden wagon wheels. They also used specialized implements like a wheelwright's reamer for drilling holes in the wheel hub and a felloe cutter for shaping the curved outer rim of the wheel.
In the Middle Ages, the bodies of the carts were made by people called cartwrights. The wheels required special skills and were made by people called wheelwrights.
"Wright" is a word that means - or meant - "maker". So a "wheelwright" is a "wheel maker". "Wain" is an obsolete word for "wagon", so a "wainwright" is a wagon maker. A wainwright would almost certainly employ wheelwrights to make the wheels for the wagons.
Wheelwrights use tools such as draw knives, spoke shaves, tenon saws, and hammers to shape and assemble wooden wagon wheels. They also use tools like augers, drills, and chisels to create holes for fitting the spokes and axles. Additionally, they may use specialized tools like wheel jacks and trussing plates to properly align and strengthen the wheels.