Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades rubber for contact wheel

where to purchase rubber to make contact wheels from plywood.

Walgreens, but you're gonna need a lot of them.

I used horse trailer mat. Miller has used it 10 years I think.

Really? I haven't needed any for years .

Still going.

anybody got any suitable horse trailor mat pieces for sale?

Try Tractor Supply Co. If you have one in your area. I know they sell a pickup bed liner in 36 inch width and could shear you a 2 inch piece. That would be 2 by 36 inches long. It is 1/4 inch thick at least.

Thank you.

How are you fellas attaching the rubber to the plywood? epoxy?

It depends on hard of a backing material you need or want but an exercise mat or backpack sleeping pad might be a good choice. Whatever material you go with can be glued on with contact cement.

Fish Head

Could you post a photo of what your plywood contact wheel looks like please.

just curious, are you actually trying to build yourself a wheel? Do you have a grinder already?

I do not have a grinder. I want to build one. But I do not want to pay $300 for a contact wheel. I have seen photos of wood contact wheels and have heard that they work very well.

Do you have a machine you want to sell?

Rick made a wonderful 18 inch wheel but I sometimes wish it had been a 20 or 24 inch wheel. His 14 will fit inside the 18.

Don't have a plywood contact wheel so no pics.

I've used grinders a time or two though.

If my first suggestion sounds too soft look at yoga mats. They come in a .120" thickness for about $20.00 and are far less spongy.

The only reason I chimed in is I've been looking for rubber materials (they're hard to find) to use as sound dampening and these are what I've came with so far. I thought they might be useful for your purpose but ... I dunno.

No on the machine to sell, but could suggest that you can get a 10" direct drive wheel from grizzly for cheap. You can easily machine it for bearings if needed and be well ahead on having a good wheel ready to go for a lot less effort than you'll probably put into building your own wooden wheel. I do have a 14" wheel with bearings, spindle and aluminum Tool Arm that I'll sell but it ain't gonna be real cheap. Good luck whatever direction you go.

I have considered the grizzly. cheap enough by itself, but expensive to modify, and only comes in one size.

Plywood. can get it for very cheap. Easy to cut, easy to screw and glue. Can make any size. Don't need a bearing if I use pillow blocks. Etc.

What is "real cheap"?

Had my grizzly cut for bearings for 25 or 30 bucks by a local machinist. Great way to get into a 10" wheel for the money.

Would sell the whole 14" setup for about $350 which is probably half what it would cost to replace it.

probably a great deal, but on my measly budget I need to build the whole damn thing for less than that, including the motor.