How to Make Wood Spindles
- 1). Select a wooden car wheel. You are looking for one that is 2 to 3 inches in diameter, but it can be as thick as you like. Not only will the car wheel provide a weight that keeps your spindle moving, but the perfect roundness of the wheel will also give it an even spin.
- 2). Select a wooden dowel. The dowel must fit snugly into the hole in the center of your car wheel.
- 3). Measure out a segment of your wooden dowel that is about 10 inches, and mark it with a pencil. An inch either way won't be a problem. Cut the dowel at the indicated mark. You now have the shaft of your spindle.
- 4). Sand the wheel and the shaft with a fine-grit sandpaper to eliminate splinters that could catch on your spinning and tear it. A little bit of roughness in the wood will help you grab the fiber, but too much roughness will hamper your efforts.
- 5). Push the dowel through the center hole of your wheel. There should be about 2 inches sticking through the other side. Mark where the wheel sits with a pencil, and then remove the wheel.
- 6). Apply wood glue to the place where the wheel sits. Slide the wheel back on. Wipe up any smeared glue quickly while it is still wet.
- 7). Allow the glue to cure. The packaging on your wood glue will tell you how long to wait.
- 8). Drill a small hole in the center of the shaft on the short end. A 5/64-inch drill bit will be suitable for this purpose. Screw a ¼-inch cup hook into the shaft.
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