An English wheel is a tool consisting of a small frame and two rollers which hammers, shapes and works sheet metal. The tool was not invented in England, but is very popular there and therefore became known as the English wheel.

Features

An English Wheel is a sheet metalworking tool. The base frame is a "C" shape form and is made of fabricated steel or cast iron. At both ends of the "C" frame are two wheels, the rolling wheel on top and the anvil wheel directly below. It works by pushing and pulling a piece of steel between the wheels, creating a smooth sheet of metal.

Types

The "full-sized English machines" are named Edwards, Brown, Boggs, Kendrick and Ranalah. The wheels are sized by the depth measurement of the C-shape frame, called the throat. There are larger 48-inch throat models, and smaller and lighter 24- to 28-inch throat machines.

History

The English wheel is a simple machine, evolving out of water-powered grinding wheels. A jewelry smith in Central Europe is noted to have put a small rolling mill (used for making wire stock) on a frame with two rollers and using it to flatten metal.

Function

The English wheel is used mainly in auto and aircraft industries and sometimes yacht construction. It is used for car prototypes as well as in hot rod and coach building, car restoration, and racing car construction.

Misconceptions

The wheel is a man-powered simple tool. It does not use electric, hydraulic or pneumatic power.

Considerations

An English wheel is a machine that uses manually set pressure to smooth and change the form of metal. As the thickness of the metal changes, so does the pressure. You may need to reset the pressure as you work. The more you work a piece of metal, the larger and thinner it will become.

Source:

TM Technologies--About the English Wheel

The English Wheel

Aircraft Maintenance Technology--The English Wheel

More Information:

Make Your Own English Wheel