Grizzly english wheel review and mods

[@m3cca_station394]

I welded a new tube on the bottom of mine that was tighter on the anvil holder. I also got metric round stock to get rid of the play in the bearing shaft. the bearing are metric but the shafts they supply you with are standard. I also took about .05 run out of the top wheel by sanding it on the high spots. Now my Grisly wheel works great

[@fishhuntadventure]

2:02 That’s not where the wobbly comes from. A new frame won’t fix it either. Your inserts are a good quick answer. I have a competing fake brand chinese twin to yours on order right now. I’m going to use a short length of 1/4” wall square tube and polish down a chunk of 1/4” wall to fit tightly inside. That fabricates a square shouldered guide to weld the die pin keeper to, off center slightly to so it stays oriented and true by forcing contact with the sleeve just like an offset wrist pin does in a motor. I make a plate to attach the upper wheel and and gusset to remove stretch. That should let it perform well and make the bottom wheel fast so it doesn’t walk or fall out. FWIW Department

[@echologged85]

Very helpful video, thanks for shooting it! Cheers!

[@cratecruncher6687]

I always assume Chinese manufactured goods will need a bit of "adjustment" before using. Grizzly is just repackaging this stuff. You can find the same kit on Ebay under different brands. It ALL comes from a little factory somewhere in Central China. Remember, you always get great value and just think how hard it would have been to make all those hardened dies. Compared to that a couple of shims ain't no biggy.

[@lucasleon5036]

I just got mine yesterday and have the exact same trouble. I'll try your spacer idea while I'm waiting on grizzly, if nothing works out then I'm going to weld my own frame and just use the upper wheel and the lower wheels, as it would save me 100$. Also $129 was the cost before shipping I think, the anvils alone are about $100 so grizzly doesn't have much markup.

[@minskmade]

i thumb screw might take up the slack...and its tooless....thanx for taking the time to do the video...very imformative

[@66mybeat]

Thank you for watching and commenting! I did wind up using wing nuts that I welded to the end of a bolt and it works without tools! I plan on making an update video on how it has been working. I have done a search and haven't found to many videos on this brand of English wheel, that's why I made it. It is still the best value out there for a small wheel and gets you started.

[@minskmade]

i bought the grizzly sheetmetal finger box bender. kinda nice...but i grew out of it

[@jasonmiller1499]

The lower wheel bracket I received with mine was too narrow and would not hold any of the lower wheels. I ordered and received a bracket that does fit but with the same slop that you had.

[@66mybeat]

It sucks. I don't think they are going to fix it. I am still using mine and have made mounts for it now to bolt down to a table with my planishing hammer. I am saving up to get the Eastwood bench top English wheel..

[@Rudderify]

Great vid! What is your impression of the wheel now that you've owned it for about a year? Does what you need? Needs a stand? Quality parts can be made with it? Thanks for your time.

[@66mybeat]

For the price, it really is a great tool. I have used it to make a few trans tunnels and odd shaped patch panels. So it is defiantly does what I need it to do.As far as a stand, as long as your vice is mounted to something heavy, it works great. I would buy it again, Its a great tool that can do what you need it to do, also small enough to hang on the wall when not using it so it saves shop space!

[@fishhuntadventure]

@@66mybeatI’m curious now that it’s 7 years ago and you’ve had a chance to abuse it. How do you feel about it now? Other mods done?

[@brendenfullmer1052]

how wide are the dies? The harbor frieght english wheel dies aren't being made anymore- but I bought one of their english wheels. I'm trying to find some anvil dies that will work- even if it requires me to mod my machine.

[@66mybeat]

They are 1 inch wide and 2inch across, They wont work very good on the larger wheels. Check Eastwood company, there bench top English wheel uses the bigger dies. Thanks for watching!

[@markman63]

When I got mine it was so twisted and bent that I had to cut three of the welds and weld it back together

[@Mystic0Dreamer]

I'm thinking of fabricating a replica of a 1932 Ford. I'm wondering whether this English Wheel would be large enough to do the fenders? I will be working with thinner sheet metal from the original Fords. My idea is to use sheet metal off modern junk cars to fabricate the fenders from. I would then use reinforcement braces inside the fenders. But I'm wondering if this Grizzly Wheel would work for something as large as a 1932 Ford front or rear fender. I would even consider doing them in pieces and then welding the pieces together. It's just a hobby and I don't expect them to turn out perfect. But is this machine large enough to do this? With a 15" throat I'm thinking it might work. I've never used an English Wheel before so I don't know.

[@kisoia]

So after almost 5 years, are you still happy with it? Thanks

[@66mybeat]

Its still holding up great. I use it for small pieces I cant get done on my large english wheel. The smaller dies work great for little patch panels. As a back up and wheel I learned on it has worked great.

[@kisoia]

@@66mybeat Thanks for the update, I'll have to order one :)

[@jasonwalker5051]

Set screws? So to adjust tension between the wheels you have to loosen set screws or bolts, adjust wheel up or down, then tighten set screws? That isn't a realistic fix.

[@bolowong7430]

Use sandpaper to smooth the end of the set screws or bolts so that it can slide up and down. Do not overtight the set screws and add a little bit of grease on it.

[@flynnpaul26]

You fixed the cheap English wheel, good job. I hope you didn't call Grizzly back as you said you were. I'd just move on, unless you like you like to be consumed with such Micky Mouse.

[@OutlawEdge]

What about cutting some thin neoprene plastic? Its a cheap english wheel so u cant complain i guess. To be honest thats why i built mine bro. Cant wait till u get yours built👍 you gotta do a build video on it 👍

[@4speed3pedals]

I purchased one of these and they are a horror story. For a beginner, it is a horrible tool. The frame is made with 3 sections of 1x2 rectangular tube. Apparently the frame is welded with out the use of a jig or clamping to a flat surface. Placing a straight edge on the lower frame tube reveals about 1/4" gap at the upper frame tube. The upper and lower frame rails have a 1/4" difference between the back of the yoke and the front. (nothing is parallel). The upper and lower wheels are offset in 2 directions. The 2 gussets are there for looks as the frame flexes miserably when applying pressure to the wheels with the adjusting screw. All this misalignment causes a rolled piece of sheet metal to have tracks which require more work to eliminate by sanding. If making patch panels you can see what I call ruts. The bearings in all the wheels have a 12mm/0.47244" I.D. but the axle pins are undersized - 0.471"- and the upper wheel uses a clevis pin and it is .007" smaller yet. The adjustable lower wheel mount is the exact same crap you have. The square tube used as a receiver is welded on crooked. The tubes have over .016" clearance between them and the mismatch gets worse at the wheels. Keep in mind, this is over 0.016" in 2 directions because it is a square tube. I have not placed a dial indicator on the wheels to check for runout and I suspect this will be another problem. They have been selling this since 2012. I called customer service. The rep told me they get no complaints concerning this unit. Yeah, that warm feeling going down my leg must be rain. It will cost over $65.00 for steel tubing, acme threaded rod, acme nuts and a keyed rotary shaft to imporve the lower wheel mount, cutting, welding and possibly 2 full days to repair this, plus paint. McMaster-Carr has just everything but, Aircraft Spruce has the best price on 4130 tube. The initial idea of a small English wheel is nice. Execution is horrendous. One last thing, you cannot get a rubber wheel cover for a wheel of this diameter so any panel you roll will be curved in 2 directions. IMHO- DONT PURCHASE THIS. If you need an English wheel, go to a larger one from anyone but Grizzley or Harbor Freight. All English wheels manufactured in China will be of identical quality.

[@oliviersegers8249]

you get wath you pay that wheels are also shit at al they wil be not made out of good steel ,normal they are forge that wheel back in time but we are talking aboud the real stuff its not bad you get there for the money but its not made in uk but in china

[@Rj_Mcgraw]

Bro it’s a shim

[@irisandfredpearce7233]

F