farm wagon cast iron skein wood axle removal problem

[cw4Bray]

suggestions please, I'm trying to remove a 100 year old wood axle that burned in a grassland fire from a cast iron skein. It's still really hard wood !
I'd like to save the old wood for a pattern to use on the new axle, but if there's an easy destructive way to clean out the inside of the skein I'm willing to try. I'm thinking of heating it up in the BBQ and using a slide hammer on a 1/2" lag bolt.

 

[Delmer]

You have two problems. There will be rust jacking from the cast iron that is compressing the wood. Probably the wood is wet ad swelled if it was outside, and especially if it was in the dirt. I would dry it out first, like on the dash of an unused car, or a hot attic. Or bake it in an oven at 250 for a day or two.

If that fails, you could soak it in water to crush the wood, THEN dry it. OR dry it longer and hotter. 300-350 is not going to hurt the cast iron, and you're not likely to treck the family to oregon with it.

 

[mitch504]

I would take a big wood bit and drill a hole all the way through the center of it, this relieves some of the pressure by allowing it to collapse a little.

 

[CM1995]

Is it open on both ends?

If so drill through it, insert some 1/2 all-thread with several washers and double nuts on tapered end, secure it with the mini blade and pull it out with the boom.

 

[Truck Shop]

I would guess {White Oak} My dad was a Wheel Wright in the horse drawn artillery
from 1934 to 1938. I remember him saying White Oak was used a lot on old horse
drawn wagon axles. I would think Delmer's way heating burning it is the answer.

Almost forgot--They would bore a hole through it then insert red hot pokers from a forge
inside to burn them out.

 

[cw4Bray]

There’s a solid rod 5/8” or 3/4”diameter that runs under the wood axle and inside the skeins. Not sure if it’s s a truss rod for the axle or a retainer for the skeins.
The small end opening on the skein is 5/8” diameter. The threaded nut on the end of the rod covers the entire end of the skein. CM1995 has a given me a thought…What if I use a 1/2” diameter rod as a “drift” with a hammer at a slight angle from the small end of the skein?

 

[cw4Bray]

I’ll keep you all posted on this.

I’m going to cook it for three hours on the grill. Auger out the big end several inches then try to drive it out from the small end with a drift.

 

[cw4Bray]

Thanks for all the suggestions, advice and encouragement. I tried burning the old wood out, using diesel as a fire accelerant, but I couldn't get a draft going to sustain combustion. Then I tried drilling out the middle but my bit was only six inches. The fuel may have softened the wood, because I was able to use a drift to drive the wood out from the skein. Now I've got a pattern to carve the new axle.

 

[Thomas Penfield]

Thanks for all the suggestions, advice and encouragement. I tried burning the old wood out, using diesel as a fire accelerant, but I couldn't get a draft going to sustain combustion. Then I tried drilling out the middle but my bit was only six inches. The fuel may have softened the wood, because I was able to use a drift to drive the wood out from the skein. Now I've got a pattern to carve the new axle.

Did you start making the wooden axle yet for your farm wagon?

 

[cw4Bray]

I've got the log cut to length and ruff cut it square, but haven't carved the taper yet. Just watching internet videos of carving the new axle taper.

 

[Coaldust]

I have no useful input, but very interested, nevertheless. Is this the oldest wheel end repair ever recorded on the HEF? What’s next, a Rome period chariot?

 

[Thomas Penfield]

I've got the log cut to length and ruff cut it square, but haven't carved the taper yet. Just watching internet videos of carving the new axle taper.

Could you tell me where you got the wood and what type of wood. I am looking for a piece of ash or oak 4x5x72 to make a wooden axle for a farm wagon.

 

[cw4Bray]

Maybe “Ash” ?? I don't know... Last June, a 100 MPH wind, took several truck loads of trees. I’m thinking of going to the lumberyard and using a green treated 4”x6”x6’ my wood isn’t drying right, now it’s splitting. My project is for an ornamental canon, so it doesn’t need to be strong enough to weather the Oregon trail.

 

[cw4Bray]

This might work for you ...

https://www.hansenwheel.com/new-wagon-axle-blank/

 

[crane operator]

I have no useful input, but very interested, nevertheless. Is this the oldest wheel end repair ever recorded on the HEF? What’s next, a Rome period chariot?

I'm working on a new rig.

 

[Delmer]

Most any hardwood is suitable for a mostly ornamental axle. Ash, elm, oak, walnut, hickory etc. Those ash logs are splitting because they're whole, quarter them if you want them to dry without big cracks. Any piece you want solid can't have a boxed heart, the center of the tree is the center of shrinkage so you need a piece cut without the center in it to be more stable.

 

[Camshawn]

I follow Engles Coach Shop on utube. He is a wheelwright/ blacksmith. You might have a look through his playlists to see if there is some helpful information for your project. They are very well organized. https://engelscoachshop.com/ Cam

 

[cw4Bray]

This would've walked off years ago for someone else's yard ornament but it was buried to the hub in silt from 70 years of floods. I had to use my excavator to move it. The original hickory axle was burned out by a grass fire on the 1923 Farm Wagon. I replaced it with Ash from a wind damaged tree. Rather than rebuilding the entire wagon I converted it to something the Biden administration said was illegal to own.
I'm happy with the Gather and Swing which appear correct. (Camber and tow-in). When I removed the remaining burned out hickory it had machining lines from the factory. I've got a yard ornament and 10 hours worth of saw dust now.