Circumferential tire treads

[CrowTRobot]

I'm looking for a reliable way to re-scribe circumferential tire treads. Many kits have the main gear tires molded in separate halves that you have to glue together, and this can leave a nasty seam (I'm looking in your direction Monogram F-105D). In sanding away this seam I invariably obliterate some tire tread detail. I want to restore it, but I want the treads to be straight and true. Wobbly treads would be worse than none at all.

What do y'all do in this situation?

[Skii]

I'm looking for a reliable way to re-scribe circumferential tire treads. Many kits have the main gear tires molded in separate halves that you have to glue together, and this can leave a nasty seam (I'm looking in your direction Monogram F-105D). In sanding away this seam I invariably obliterate some tire tread detail. I want to restore it, but I want the treads to be straight and true. Wobbly treads would be worse than none at all.

What do y'all do in this situation?

I lay my scriber flat on the work bench, and then prop up the blunt end with a thin object, like a drinks coaster or a ruler - its a good idea to secure with a blob of bluetack or tape. Hold the wheel flat on the table against the scriber tip and rotate it gently but firmly against it, start light and build up pressure, creating a straight groove around the circumference of the tyre. Then move the coaster / ruler further away so that the scriber tip raises slightly for the next tread, and repeat. Flip the wheel over if you need to.

Incidentally my scriber is a sewing needle tip held in a xacto handle :)

[niart17]

if you can attach the tire temporarily but securely to a shaft you can chuck it into a rotary (Dremel) tool. if you're careful and can get it to turn true, then all you have to do is secure the rotary tool horizontally like a lathe and turn the threads with whatever scribing tool you prefer. that's how i've done them and they seem to come out pretty clean. the trick is getting the wheel on to a suitable shaft.

Bill

[Scott R Wilson]

You could just not worry about it. Fighter tires wear very quickly, and when I worked on F-4Cs and Es it was very common to see main gear tires with ALL of the tread worn off. They didn't get changed until several layers of cords were showing through, unless there was predicted to be a lengthy time of wet weather. Then they wanted tread. As I recall ( been a few years) there was one layer of cords that was red, when those showed the tire had to be changed. Cuts deeper than a certain limit also called for a tire change. But treadless and near-treadless tires were quite common. I'm sure it was the same way for Thuds.

Scott Wilson

[CrowTRobot]

I lay my scriber flat on the work bench, and then prop up the blunt end with a thin object, like a drinks coaster or a ruler - its a good idea to secure with a blob of bluetack or tape. Hold the wheel flat on the table against the scriber tip and rotate it gently but firmly against it, start light and build up pressure, creating a straight groove around the circumference of the tyre. Then move the coaster / ruler further away so that the scriber tip raises slightly for the next tread, and repeat. Flip the wheel over if you need to.

Interesting idea; I'll give it a try- thanks!

[CrowTRobot]

You could just not worry about it. Fighter tires wear very quickly, and when I worked on F-4Cs and Es it was very common to see main gear tires with ALL of the tread worn off. They didn't get changed until several layers of cords were showing through, unless there was predicted to be a lengthy time of wet weather. Then they wanted tread. As I recall ( been a few years) there was one layer of cords that was red, when those showed the tire had to be changed. Cuts deeper than a certain limit also called for a tire change. But treadless and near-treadless tires were quite common. I'm sure it was the same way for Thuds.

It's funny you should mention the worn tires. In one of the books I just finished reading (either "Palace Cobra" or "Phantom Over Vietnam"- can't remember which) the author mentions badly worn tires on Vietnam-based F-4s. Most of the Thud photos I have show good tread remaining, but then again, most of these photos are of museum or stateside ANG birds. The Thuds based in Takhli and Korat probably had it much worse.

[CrowTRobot]

if you can attach the tire temporarily but securely to a shaft you can chuck it into a rotary (Dremel) tool. if you're careful and can get it to turn true, then all you have to do is secure the rotary tool horizontally like a lathe and turn the threads with whatever scribing tool you prefer. that's how i've done them and they seem to come out pretty clean. the trick is getting the wheel on to a suitable shaft.

I thought of this, but I have visions of the wheel flying off the shaft at 5,000 RPM and embedding itself in the wall. I may give it try anyway.

[pookie]

I thought of this, but I have visions of the wheel flying off the shaft at 5,000 RPM and embedding itself in the wall. I may give it try anyway.

Do not try the dremmel tool for this purpose. It spins too fast even in the slowest setting.

What I have used is the dremmel cut off wheel chuck. The screw is very small and it works very well. I use my cordless drill at the slowest speed and it works perfectly.

I'll post pictures tonight.