# Ships wheel identification



## saltybobuk (Oct 12, 2012)

I have restored a 42 inch, 8 spoke ships wheel found in a salvage yard Hull. The brass keyed hub is stamped 664. Any ideas on which vessel it may have come from, thanks.


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## Wismajorvik (Dec 29, 2011)

Possibly a yard number? The local Earle's yard number 664 relates to a Grimsby trawler lost in WW2 so unlikely to be that.


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## Wismajorvik (Dec 29, 2011)

Correction. The 'Windsor' was Selby built...


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## saltybobuk (Oct 12, 2012)

This is an old wheel, the outer ring was totally rotten but the spokes were fine.
I have found several yards 664 so do not think it's unique to a specific shipyard.


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## oldbosun (Jul 8, 2004)

You have to be careful about buying a ship's wheel. There are many wheels out there that never were on a ship, any ship. They are made specially for the wall decoration trade. Many of us that have a 'man cave' have a ships wheel in there. Mine is now a coffee table with a glass top. (a beer table more like it.) I told my friend who is looking for one to check the tops of the spokes if its a wooden wheel. The Midship spoke of a merchant ship usually has a cross cut into it and the half turn spoke one line cut in any way. This is to tell in the dark by feel of thumb the position of the wheel. Some wheels have (the sacrilege of) initials cut into them. Fake ships wheels don't have this indication of it being a real ship's wheel.


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## Bill.B (Oct 19, 2013)

The fact it has a lazy spoke is interesting. Haven't seen many on coasters or barges. Plenty of them on the continent though.


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## TommyRob (Nov 14, 2010)

I also recall that in the 60's Huntings and Common Bros(?) had a couple of dozen each in their Newcastle stores. These must have finished up somewhere when times got hard.


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## saltybobuk (Oct 12, 2012)

The centre brass hub is 6"od x 1-1/2 id with 1/2" keyway. There's still hammer marks by the fitters. The salvage yard hoping the seller will return with more info.


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## stoker (Jul 18, 2005)

You have done a very nice job on the restoration Saltybobuk, I would beinterested to know how yoy joined the sections and machined the curves.


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## saltybobuk (Oct 12, 2012)

As you can hopefully see the wheel was rotten but good enough to measure. The outer ring collapsed on stripping except 1 section which we used as a template to make up the 8 sections. All cut by hand.
Varnish removed from spokes, all rubbed down and finished with danish oil.


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## Colin P Wood (May 28, 2017)

Fun with wheels. On the @Scottish [email protected] in Thessalonica, as 3rd. mate went to bridge to test gear before sailing and 2nd mate went to steering flat. 
ON phone 2nd. asked for wheel to put hard a starboard, but I told I could not as there was no wheel. He was not amused and rather abusive, but eventually came to the wheel house. His moth dropped open and he told me to go and tell the mate which I did. He also needed some convincing that the wheel had been stolen and ordered me to go and tell the captain. The agent was called as were the police who quickly found the wheel in a bar with one of our greasers drinking the proceeds.


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