DIY Wheel Wells: A How To

**Daniel M.** · 11-07-2008 10:15 AM

Here is an easy and fast way that I have come up with to do standard wheel wells. I had a smaller drum sander (1") but it was too small to make an appropriate wheel well without manually shaping it. For this you will need either an arbor from another sander (if you're in the same boat that I was) or a similar type bolt that can fits the ID of your standard skateboard bearing and can be tightened accordingly.

Materials:
-Wheel, bigger preferably,
-Grip tape
-siezed bearings
-drum sander arbor
-large washer that come w/ drum sander

Procedure:

First step is to find the circumference of your wheel (Circumference = pi x Diameter) and the width and cut an according piece of griptape.

Put your siezed bearings in the wheel. Slide your arbor or threaded rod through the bearings and tighten with nuts into place. I used an accompanying washer to further hold the wheel in place (it fit perfectly with a s9 BH wheel).

You know have a large drum sander for producing wheel wells quickly and effectively. Chuck it up into your drill or drill press and you are ready to go.

Use a slower RPM and watch to make sure that it does not wear through the griptape but other than that it works very well.

I know i've been pitched off of my board on numerous occasions over the past 8 or 9 years, hopefully this will help save someone a few scars.

Comments and questions welcome and appreciated.

**Daddy Major** · 11-07-2008 10:20 AM

great idea, man!! i'm going to be doing wheel wells on the next board i build and this will help a lot!!

**Archy** · 11-07-2008 10:30 AM

Can I borrow your drill press? jk. I assume you can do something similar (and messier) with a hand drill, no? I knew I saved those seized bearings for something....

**BetterSense** · 11-07-2008 10:56 AM

It would be cool if you had super soft bushings or turny trucks, then you could like put the wheel ON the truck, and then turn the truck till it was wheel biting, and then it would be perfectly sanded to fit the wheel biting profile without removing extra material. I always wanted to make jig that had the same geometry as a randal to do that.

**endzone_bob** · 11-07-2008 02:30 PM

Though the more experienced 'Fishermen will think that this was obvious, methinks this should be Sticky'd for the noobs.

**fluidfruit** · 11-07-2008 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by BetterSense

It would be cool if you had super soft bushings or turny trucks, then you could like put the wheel ON the truck, and then turn the truck till it was wheel biting, and then it would be perfectly sanded to fit the wheel biting profile without removing extra material. I always wanted to make jig that had the same geometry as a randal to do that.

that's exactly how i sand my wheel wells. i use an old indy truck. works perfect.

**Daniel M.** · 11-08-2008 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by Archy

Can I borrow your drill press? jk. I assume you can do something similar (and messier) with a hand drill, no? I knew I saved those seized bearings for something....

Yeah you can use a hand drill too. Just be careful that you sand the wheel well to the board at the same angle on each side.

Originally Posted by BetterSense

It would be cool if you had super soft bushings or turny trucks, then you could like put the wheel ON the truck, and then turn the truck till it was wheel biting, and then it would be perfectly sanded to fit the wheel biting profile without removing extra material. I always wanted to make jig that had the same geometry as a randal to do that.

I have a 75a bushing that's only like .75 in diameter so you could really crank it over easily that would work perfect for that. I also have a randal 180 hanger with no axle in it.... hmmm

i 'll see if i can figure something out later, otherwise constructing a wood jig may be necessary, although worthwhile I'm sure if you build one that would be mounted to bolt holes. The trick would be finding a stable way mount the wheel/axle whatever you have on to the jig while still allowing it to spin freely.

**boarderaholic** · 11-08-2008 10:44 AM

Shoot, this glue does happen to have extra stick to it!

**jspats40** · 11-08-2008 04:49 PM

do you think that putting grip on my wheels will make them slide less?

nice diy.

**arcane** · 11-09-2008 03:58 AM

Just to add. If you're on a budget...

Coarse sandpaper, Can, Time. Bigger the can, bigger the wells.

**Daniel M.** · 11-09-2008 11:00 PM

woohoo sticky status!!

Originally Posted by arcane

Just to add. If you're on a budget...

Coarse sandpaper, Can, Time. Bigger the can, bigger the wells.

ha yeah that always does the trick. i use it quite frequently just to clean up specialized wheel wells done with a dremel.

I have a big American Spirit tobacco can that works amazingly.

**rodgon** · 11-10-2008 02:37 AM

a router with a wide piece on it will work wonders as well. i might try the can approach too. ^_^

**Loki440** · 11-10-2008 12:30 PM

cough* cough*

may i suggest say a variable speed polisher/sander with an 8" sanding disk on it

you can have a varying degree of shapes and takes me roughly 3.5 to 4.5mins a board to do all 4 wheel wells

**MentalOrigami** · 11-16-2008 03:56 PM

This method scares me a lot. Putting anything into a drill press that's not designed for it is incredibly unsafe. Go to home depot and pick up a rubber sanding drum and some replacement sleeves for it. The drum will run you about $12 and the sleeves are about a buck a piece, far less than a trip to the hospital.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great idea in terms of diy but shop safety trumps ease and cost any day.

**HailStorm101** · 11-16-2008 03:59 PM

I think it it may have been said and shown, but as mentioned (for sure) before you can use something round with sandpaper/grip tape, but you can also use a hand drill - same idea. Good plan, always good to be innovative.

**Daniel M.** · 11-17-2008 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by Loki440

cough* cough*

may i suggest say a variable speed polisher/sander with an 8" sanding disk on it

you can have a varying degree of shapes and takes me roughly 3.5 to 4.5mins a board to do all 4 wheel wells

i dont have one of those but i use a belt sander alot depending on the type of well i am doing, as well as other methods.

Originally Posted by MentalOrigami

This method scares me a lot. Putting anything into a drill press that's not designed for it is incredibly unsafe. Go to home depot and pick up a rubber sanding drum and some replacement sleeves for it. The drum will run you about $12 and the sleeves are about a buck a piece, far less than a trip to the hospital.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great idea in terms of diy but shop safety trumps ease and cost any day.

I didnt see a drum sander larger than 1 1/2" or so and they're not that cheap online:
Large Sanding Drums - Rockler Woodworking Tools

I can understand the concern but i also dont really see a way that this is going to fail. the worst that would happen is your griptape will come of or you might wear into your wheel or something dumb. If you are using an arbor as mentioned i dont see why there would be a reason for it to do so.

I'd recommend getting a drum sander if you have the cash or can find one. Finding one was the problem for me.

Remember to wear safety goggles when doing this though!

**krayola** · 11-19-2008 12:52 AM

Just so's you knows, in the industry we don't use any of the stuff you guys showed.

It's more simplistic then you might think.

But I cannot tell, skate mafia stuff.

**arcane** · 11-19-2008 01:11 AM

Originally Posted by krayola

Just so's you knows, in the industry we don't use any of the stuff you guys showed.

It's more simplistic then you might think.

But I cannot tell, skate mafia stuff.

You mean a drum sander/attachment? Other than wishing the wood away it's pretty much the only way to get wells IMO on a reliable production level like the ones in "the industry" unless you rig up your own thing.

Note, the drum does not have to be sideways.

**krayola** · 11-19-2008 04:20 AM

Originally Posted by arcane

You mean a drum sander/attachment? Other than wishing the wood away it's pretty much the only way to get wells IMO on a reliable production level like the ones in "the industry" unless you rig up your own thing.

Note, the drum does not have to be sideways.

Close! Very. It's actually a complete built tool that creates the angle instead of guessing and is consistent through in through and is manufactured and hard to find. Used in making decorative bed post. A specialty tool and it's a sander but nothing like anything you guys have shown that has a twist nob that increases the size of the barrel that is digging the hole.

I first found one in 1983 and recommended it to various skateboard manufacturers because at the time various makers all had there own secret way of doing it. Each rig was different and exclusive.

Yet in a pinch a drum sander head or spray-can will work.

**arcane** · 11-19-2008 04:32 AM

Originally Posted by krayola

Close! Very. It's actually a complete built tool that creates the angle instead of guessing and is consistent through in through and is manufactured and hard to find. Used in making decorative bed post. A specialty tool and it's a sander but nothing like anything you guys have shown that has a twist nob that increases the size of the barrel that is digging the hole.

I first found one in 1983 and recommended it to various skateboard manufacturers because at the time various makers all had there own secret way of doing it. Each rig was different and exclusive.

Yet in a pinch a drum sander head or spray-can will work.

Damn you and your fancy equipment Kray! Off to Google.

Really though. I have been working on a jig that would provide same depth wells consistently every time using my drum sander. Haven't actually had it work yet but maybe someday.