This made me really "Tired"......UPDATE

[HomeRacingWorld]

That is pretty cool thinking. Well done Dave.

[dge467]

That's cool Dave. I need to find someone to make tires for my bus, hint hint!

[dge467]

[Vintage 1/24]

Cool project - Can you flesh out the particulars? What materials are you using etc. ?

It might be fun to try to bring back some vintage tires back from the dead - especially odd ball pieces that have long since cracked, dried out or been otherwise damaged by the last 50 years or so.

[btaylor]

Very Cool Stuff Dave! looks like you have it down pretty good!
Some tires are headed your way.

Bob

[Audi1]

Very cool project!

Allan

[mattb]

Making good tires is really not too hard. I happen to like silicone over urethane, but the process is somewhat similiar. Urethane tires are the easiest, use some silicone to glue a tire in a small disposable cup. Back side of tire the part you glue down. Cover the tire with Oomoo or some similiar low shore hardness 2 part silicone rubber. Allow to cure and pull the silicone plug out of the cup or just cut the cup away. The tire may stay in the rubber or may come out with the bottom of the cut. Next mix up some urethane rubber, and spread the new tire mold open and pour urethane in. A coffee stirrer helps to spread the rubber in the mold and get the air out. Let cure and flex it open to remove your new tire. This is as easy as it sounds. You can get all the rubbers and the dye to make the rubber black from smoothon.com. There are nice articles with pix on youtube and all across the web.

Making silicone is a little more involved, if you try to make a mold from silicone or urethane, the silicone you would pour in that mold will either not cure when in contact with urethane or it will stick to the silicone mold. There is a mold release/sealer for two part silicone molds, but it must be painted on completely, 2 coats and allowed to dry overnite. Not sure if it would have to be replaced every time or not. My tire molds are actually machined from aluminum and I put the wheel in the mold with an axle out the back side 1/8 inch hole and a nut to pull it tight. Then I pour silicone in the mold and get a nice tire. Instructions for this are on the internet, also. I have made molds with plastic from the tire only. The tires are hard to get out of this type mold, but it will work, I do use plenty of mold release with the plastic molds. None of this is very hard, but the outlay in money will be $70 or more to get started.

If you like urethane, it is easy to just order up a variety of tires and have some stock on hand!!!

[btaylor]

Mattb, I think Shotgun was referring to making tires that could not be purchased through any known source. They are special tires that would not be a very profitable item for a manufacturer to make. Sometimes that has to be done to get what you want for a project.
Its all a matter of what you are willing to do for the level of detail you want to achieve. I am very glad to see anyone take the initiative to produce something that is needed on such a limited quantity. It says a lot for the individual.


Bob

[mattb]

I understand completely why we do this stuff ourselves. I am having the guys in next week for a play nite and while they are here, I am going to cast a Strombecker Dirt Track racer body. I want to show them how easy it is and that I can do it in minutes while they are here. Also, I would like for us to each build a dirt racer with a brass inline chassis or a Dynamic inline. Those cars especially call for a custom made tire. Nothing made today that is remotelyt like what should be on them. I have various tire molds that George Lowe made me and one of them is for a 1 1/4 inch tire, 3/8 wide. That is perfect fit for the old big wheels nobody wants anymore. I will need 12 tires if we build 6 cars. Not much call for anybody to offer tires in that size.

[dreinecke]

Those look great on the roadster!!!

[Dangermouse]

"Smooth-On Vytaflex 40 that I put black dye in. It seems to work great so far. I guess the proof will be once I put them on the track."

I make my own tyres. I use the Reoflex 40 and find it great. About the only surface I have raced on where it didn't grip so well was a rough paint called Ferrordor (feels like 300grit wet and dry sandpaper)

I either copy the original tyres from the car or find a 'like' tyre that I have already made up. Paul Gage got me started he sent me a tyre making kit with some moulds and some urethane.

I use smooth-on Oomoo silicone or Pinkysil for the moulds

cheers
David

[Dangermouse]

I have heard the Vytaulex is better than the Reoflex - I believe the Vytafelx is used for making concrete moulds and may be a slightly different chemical make up than the reoflex. I would stick with the Vytaflex.

The clear part of the urethane can go off and harden - try to keep the container as air tight as you can.

It usually only lasts a few months up to 6 months depending on weather etc...

[dge467]

Those look great Dave! Excited to see how those bus tires come out.

[HomeRacingWorld]

This is progressing well. They really look great Dave.

[TuscoTodd]

Dave - those are lookin' SWEET!