1:48 Wooden wheels

Wooden wheels in 1:48 scale

This is a set of wheels of wooden construction in 1:48 scale, that is, an accessory for a model. Wheels with a wooden felloe and spokes were carried by wagons, gun carriages and many vehicles of older design, so the set can be used across subjects rather than on one type alone.

What the set solves

On a plastic kit, spoked wheels are split into two halves or molded with thicker spokes so that they will come out of the mold at all. The gaps between the spokes are then blanked off with a web that the modeler has to drill out and clean up. A separately cast wheel saves that work, allows finer relief and has no parting seam across the felloe. The set is a replacement for the kit parts, not an addition to them.

Usage tips

• Assemble the wheels dry on a flat board first and check that the model sits on the surface on all its wheels at once.
• Rather widen the hole in the hub with a drill in small steps than sand the axle stub down. The wheel then sits square to the axle.
• Degrease the parts before painting and spray them with a primer, or the paint will not hold on the smooth surface.
• Wood looks best from a light base, a dark wash into the joints and a fine dry brush along the edges of the felloes. Add dust to the metal tire and the underside of the wheel to suit the terrain.

Who the set is for

• Builders of wagons, gun carriages and vehicles with spoked wheels.
• Modelers who want to rid a model of the parting seam across the felloe.
• Builders of dioramas where a wheel is in the foreground and has to stand up at close range.
• Hobbyists building vehicles from their own parts who are short of ready-made wheels.

The set is supplied unassembled and unpainted. The model, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.