Wheel Blanks Options

[Ruroniarc]

Hey, I don't know if this is in the right section, or even possible, but I figured I would ask.

I am going to college next year, and I'm going to be attending Worcester Polytech Institute. Which means, I have access to about 13 CNC machines. I'd like to machine my own rims for my Celica. Does anyone here know of a place where I can get wheel blanks, like ready-made rims but nothing cut out of them?

Once again, I'm not sure if they even do this outside of the motorcycle realm. But if at all possible, I want to CNC my own rims, for something a little more unique.

Thanks guys.

Small Edit For Picture: This is a motorcycle rim.



This post has been edited by Ruroniarc: May 19, 2009 - 5:14 PM

[97lestyousay]

Any thing is possible but the blanks to make such wheels are likely going to cost as much as a set of gram lights,
you are talking about a 17 to 18 in dia or square block that size and 7 1/2 inches thick. Most motorcycle
rims are thinner so avalability is much more common. I would look at alluminum makers like alcoa or
someone like that, I am sure you can find it but very expensive and a specialty item also heavy as hell
so shipping isn't going to be cheap.



As a first year machining student you may think of a different project. I have been machining on CNC mills for 17 years,
I do extremely close tolerence prototype work and I can tell you it is not going to be some simple thing, whipping out a set
of wheels. If you just can't let the idea go, start with a design. What you want the end result to be is going to determine how
it should be made. A 17 inch slug with five holes would not be that hard to make but they would weigh about 80 lbs each.

Edit: After looking at the picture above you can see about 80% of the material has been removed from the inside back
(look a the thickness of the center hole) The blank above was done on a cnc lathe before it ever hits a mill, and the
outside will probably be cut again to finished size also on a lathe because removing more material is going to make it relieve.

Also as was stated by Dan above most wheels are forged, and with good reason, it is much stronger than extruded alluminum
of the same weight.

This post has been edited by 97lestyousay: Jun 12, 2009 - 12:55 AM