I splashed out £4.99 on 50m of hemp to bind my Ruby steering wheel.

Two problems:
Difficulty in getting the spiral pattern uniform.
The grip ridges in the wheel are quite pronounced, and the twine slips off to the side of them.

Above photo just shows this if you zoom in.

Has anyone successfully achieved a nice job on this pattern of wheel?

Have a look here...

http://pub25.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=2099944454&frmid=5&msgid=972178&cmd=show

Andrew
I did my Ruby wheel with sash window cord. It's bigger diameter and wound on quite well.
Steve.

Location: South East Cornwall

Thanks Henry
Yes I saw that thread.

Maybe I will try the single thread reversing hitch which doesn't leave the spiral pattern, and live with the gaps over the grips

Here are results of attempt 2:




Grips peeping through!

Andrew in attempt 2 , if you placed the line on the inside instead of the outside, would not the ties hold together? I have not explained it very well but I'm being called for dinner, cheers Russell

Location: Oz

Great " outside the wheel " thinking!
Will give it a try. Many thanks.

Location: Grendon Underwood

If you throw in the odd reversing hitch you can make a zig zag pattern rather than a spiral. Its easier to get even than a spiral. Also, I'd use cotton string rather than hemp - loads of it on Ebay. either 2 or 3mm dia seems to work.

Interesting 'thread', I've been thinking about attempting the same task. Can the lumps be ground back, or is the rim too thin?

Location: Oxfordshire

I think the rim is too thin judging by the rust holes in mine!

Looking a lot neater now.
I am still unsure how to continue the binding past the spokes.
Haven't seen any instructions on the web, I may make a ring of string around the end of the spoke and tighten after the binding has passed. Open to ideas.

Hi the string on the wheel looks very good. There are some good ideas on the web site below on how to get round the spokes, have a look at the wheel half way down the first page showing a ring around the spoke and on the last page showing some other ideas.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/string-wrapping-a-steering-wheel.576060/

Also try this link shows steering wheels and springs.

http://www.triple-mregister.org/uploads/retro/Binding%20springs.pdf

PS how do I post links as links and not just text?

Location: Dorset

I recently bound the steering wheel of the Ulster as an alternative to having it recovered. I went to a traditional upholsterer and bought a big ball of hessian twine of the type used for fixing upholstery springs to the webbing. It is quite coarse and when I tried the MG website method I found the spiral pattern was far too pronounced. Instead I simply bound the wheel rim in three sections. When finished it still looked coarse. I gave it a coat of varnish which soaks in and holds the twine together, stopping it from moving. The varnish when dry gave the twine a very harsh finish not kind on the delicate hands! I lightly sanded the twine and gave it another coat of satin varnish. This gave it a very pleasant nut brown colour and a nice feel. Photo might follow if I can get someone who knows to post them!
Cost of the twine was about £7 and it should do at least six steering wheels.

I managed to get around the spokes, and as it was my first attempt, not completely perfect, but like most of these things the observer sees the overall picture and doesn't hone-in on the small defects.

It wasn't easy so to help anyone else interested I have detailed the steps below.



Make two turns around the spoke tie to make a loop and fix to the sides of the wheel with rubber bands.



Thread the binding cord under this loop, over the top of the wheel and under the part of the loop behind the wheel. Pass back over the top and continue until the spoke is passed. In my case 12 passes over the top.



Now disconnect the bands and pull the loop tight. Tie it off and leave the ends long. You will have to tidy the "passes" up and pull them tight in order. It should look like this:



Cut the end off and plait it to the other two cords. The plait can then be tucked under the turns.



The finished wheel should look like this:



The wheel can be varnished to seal and stiffen it, or I prefer linseed oil thinned with turps as it is a natural product and I have gallons of it which I use to seal quarry floor tiles.

Hope this is of help to anyone considering wrapping a wheel. I used 50 m of hemp 2.5mm cord which came in a two foot hank. My 88 year old uncle helped me roll it into a ball ( it's OK, he was in the navy!) the ball was then put in an old sock with a rubber band around the end to make it easier to pass around the wheel. The knot used each turn was a half hitch reversed each time. You should find this on the frayedknotarts website, called a "single line simple reversing" coxcomb.

Andrew , your perseverance has paid off I salute you.

Location: Piddle valley, Dorchester.

One of the problems with using hemp or indeed any other natural fibre is its hairiness. Hemp is normally used in seamanship terms for whippings and the like but is normally run through a ball of beeswax before use; this tightens up the twine and gathers up the loose fibres and also helps waterproof and preserve the "whipping". It also allows the whipping to be pulled tighter as the individual turns don't slip as easily. It should work similarly when coxcombing.

Location: United Kingdom

Agreed Nick.
I think something like this would be better:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/166169789/beeswaxed-hemp-twine-natural-eco?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_uk_en_gb_craft_supplies_and_tools_low&gclid=CMi1koWsnsQCFRQatAodP1gAuw

I soaked my wheel in boiled linseed this afternoon. It has flattened the hairs a little, and smells nice and old too!



Incidentally, if any moderators are listening, the security letters and numbers needed to post never work first time, am I doing something wrong

Location: Oxfordshire

Wow! Brilliant- looks great. Such patience

Tony.

Location: Malvern, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Looks good to me! my wheel had lost it`s covering and was rusty,the fingergrips were just "tag" welded on so I prised them off (well the ones that had not fallen off!)chemically killed the rust and gave it a coat of matt black and then bound it with black cord and then gave it a couple of coats of aerasol varnish.I`m happy with it!.

Location: down by the trent

I did mine with cotton piping. I used thnner cotton string to just tidy up the bit around the spokes.



I didn't bother to coat it with anything. On the advise of Joss I just wipe my filthy hands on it any time I am working on anything oily and greasy (like anytime I touch the Chummy) and now it has a nice, filthy patina that is quite wateproof! It got totally soaked recently and was fine: http://www.asciimation.co.nz/austin7/?page_id=9&g2_itemId=7975

Simon

Location: Auckland