Making a wooden car steering wheel. Correct steering wheel with your own hands. The wood trim on the steering wheel is of practical value. How to make a wooden steering wheel with your own hands Insert wood into the steering wheel with your own hands

In the first part of the article about a wooden steering wheel, we glued wood onto the steering wheel. Not on a rubber rim, but on special wood-look inserts, which we will make from fiberglass in this part. And also, we will glue and tuck the edges of the leather into the cracks at the junction of the leather and the wood.

We evaluate the craftsman and his work based on the quality of the wood insert and the leather fold at the border with the wood on the steering wheel. But the steering wheel and wood, as a rule, are made not by one, but by three craftsmen. The first will make wood-look inserts from fiberglass, the second will glue and varnish the wood onto the steering wheel, the third will cover the steering wheel with leather and shape the joint between the leather and the wood.

The layout designer begins. Task: to make upper and lower wood-look inserts from fiberglass on the steering wheel rim. The dimensions (diameter and shape) of the wood insert should not differ from the factory dimensions of the rim, i.e. you need to repeat the shape of the original steering wheel rim, only from hard material.

01. Wood for the steering wheel begins with preparing the steering wheel for molding a fiberglass insert to look like wood, and even earlier. First of all, I peel off the leather braid from the steering wheel.

02. If you're not sure you can finish the wood inserts, don't gut the steering wheel. For example, I already have a matrix for this wooden steering wheel and I can safely cut off the rubber fragments. The rim rubber is easy to cut and tear.

03. The steering wheel, with the rim frame bare in the places where the wood inserts are inserted, I insert into the matrix to clarify the edges of the joint on the wood leather steering wheel. In the matrix, on the plane of the flanges, it is more convenient to mark symmetrical cutting lines. Using the marks in the matrix, I trim the edge of the wood-leather insert on the steering wheel.

04. I showed how to make a fiberglass crust on different examples tuning. We also tried how to make a “monolithic” piece of fiberglass, the same blank of an anatomical steering wheel, so I will glue the wood-look inserts onto the steering wheel in the same way. But unlike anatomy, where I partially left the rubber under the fiberglass, the blank of the wood insert is molded directly onto metal carcass steering wheel Even on my first steering wheel with wood, the veneer maker sternly warned me: no rubber - only a monolith... Since then, I have been obediently stuffing the matrix of the wood-look insert with “hairy mess” (polyester resin, Aerosil, fiberglass).

05. And this is what a fiberglass tree looks like on a steering wheel.) The matrix, once removed from the original rim of this steering wheel, repeated the shape as on the factory one. Only now it's solid foundation for insertion under wood. The matrix halves are tightly connected by flanges and only a thin film of flash remains on the fiberglass imprint of the wood-look insert.

06. But it happens that the half-forms of the matrix are slightly shifted and, in addition to the flash, a step is formed. For wood inserts, this defect is not a critical error - it can be easily eliminated with putty. Large shells in fiberglass are also puttied, and the entire surface of the steering wheel wood insert is sanded with coarse sandpaper. The release wax must be completely removed before wrapping the handlebars in wood.

07. In the first part about the wooden steering wheel, one reader asked for clarification: “how the edge of the leather ends at the junction with the veneer.” The joint is made on the wood leather steering wheel through a gap sawn in the rim. The edge of the leather should fit into this gap, tightly adjacent to the end of the wood insert. The steering wheel is sharpened using a needle file or, as I like to do it, a ruler with sandpaper. At the same time, the end from the side of the ruler is not sanded off, and the sandpaper does not bend. Such preparation of the joint gaps on the leather-wood steering wheel will help a careful and responsible veneer worker - it will not spoil the work of the modeler.

08. But the work of an irresponsible, I can’t call him a craftsman, a veneerer who doesn’t care about the layout designer and his working hours = (and, most importantly, quality. But I, as usual, prepared for him beautiful leather-wood gaps on the steering wheel. After him you have to re-align and restore the end of the wood insert to the required width.

First, I leveled the end of the insert itself to look like wood - and it was already under varnish... - I first masked it with masking tape. I machined the slot to the required depth and inserted pieces of leather into it, pressing them against the end of the wood insert. The steering wheel was puttied close to the skin, pressing the putty even more firmly against the skin against the end of the wood-look insert. And then not everything is simple. A bad veneerer did not work the end of the wood insert correctly. The edges of the wood steering wheel should be slightly tucked inwards at the end and before varnishing the end itself must be painted (in our case with black paint). The painted end and the rolled edges of the wood-look insert should be under a layer of varnish. The work of this poor veneerer is dangerous due to the formation of cracks and chips at the edges of the end of the wood insert.

Why am I talking in such detail? Moreover, the wood steering wheel will be made faster if each stage of the work is carried out without damaging the results of the work of other craftsmen.

09. And this is what a wooden steering wheel should look like - the end and the gap are very good master! The leather-wood joint on the steering wheel is built correctly. Again, the leatherworker will be pleased.

10. And a little about the steering wheel cover at the junction of the wood insert. Just like a wooden steering wheel, one begins by cutting out the leather to the shape of the steering wheel. The fitter covers the steering wheel with pieces of leather, leaving allowances at the ends. At the joints of the steering wheel there is leather - wood, the leather is pressed through the crack and marked with a line.

11. The cut out flaps of leather are stitched along the edge with a decorative stitch using thread No. 20. The edge of the leather that will be inserted into the slot of the wood insert is trimmed at a distance of approximately 6mm from the marking line.

12. Before covering, the leather is coated with glue. Now we again wrap the wood around the steering wheel with leather, preferably in the same place as during cutting (for this they place it on the leather and steering wheel, photo 03).

13. The edge of the leather is tucked into the gap at the junction of the wood leather steering wheel. The craftsman tightens the leather with thread No. 20, threading it under the stitches with a curved needle (). At the end, the excess leather on the steering wheel spokes is trimmed and glued. You can tighten and smooth the skin by slightly drying it with a stream of hot air from a hairdryer.

Now you have an idea of how they glue wood onto the steering wheel, cover the steering wheel with wood-effect inserts in leather, and decorate the joint on the steering wheel with leather and wood. All that remains is to study the process of selecting the shade of veneer and varnishing the wood insert.

More articles about steering wheel tuning

More articles about steering wheel tuning:

Why is a steering wheel with wood-effect inserts called wooden? In a modern car (I've never seen one) they rarely make wooden inserts from solid wood - usually it's veneering. The veneer inserts on the steering wheel look like a real wooden steering wheel.

I myself really like all the finishing beauty that brings the mock-up blanks to life.

After all, what is a wooden steering wheel without veneer? It’s scary to pick it up... One car owner, having seen the model of my steering wheel, became so worried that he began to doubt whether he needed a wooden steering wheel. I myself thought that he would refuse the order.) But it was too late - the steering wheel was in operation and he had to worry. The result exceeded, as they say, all his expectations - I was as happy with the wooden steering wheel as a child! And then I rolled up all the inserts in the car’s interior to look like wood.

But now I have to paint the steering wheel with wood-effect inserts with black paint before covering it with leather, so that the customer does not get scared.) But the glue does not stick to this paint, and after showing the wooden steering wheel the owner needs to wash it off.

01.And this is what this piece of driftwood looks like without veneer or leather. Where there should be wood-look inserts on the rim there are monolithic fiberglass inserts. So, now you understand what it really is - a wooden steering wheel... In general, in a modern car interior, all wood-look inserts are made using veneer technology. This is the name for gluing a part with veneer - a thin sheet of natural wood. Let's look at this process using the example of making a wooden steering wheel.

Making wood-look inserts on the steering wheel requires a solid base, since after gluing, during drying, the veneer contracts strongly and tends to deform the part (the effort is colossal). I will tell you about making wood-look inserts from fiberglass later, in another article.

02. Let me immediately note that this signature “East Indian rosewood” veneer on the Range Rover Sport is far from a gift for veneering. Unlike veneer of any “curly” roots, it does not lie so easily on a curved surface. The master will have to suffer with him.

Wood inserts begin with cutting out veneer sheets to fit the sectors of the upper and lower parts of the wooden steering wheel. And even earlier, the veneer specialist warned me that the size of the upper wood-look insert on the steering wheel should match the width of the veneer strip (veneer is sold in a certain size).

The veneer master cut a piece of veneer in the shape of a trapezoid for the top wood insert.

03. As with any gluing, in veneering both surfaces are coated with glue. We apply a brush to the fiberglass of the upper wood-look insert and the underside of the veneer blank in the area adjacent to the steering wheel.

04. We take aim and apply the steering wheel to the veneer. It is more convenient to place the wood-look insert on the steering wheel on a piece of veneer located on the table - this way you can better see the pattern of the wood relative to the steering wheel.

05. On the wooden steering wheel turned upside down towards us, it is already clear that it is impossible to veneer the wood insert in a circle with one piece of veneer - wood is not rubber and will not stretch over a curved cylinder. Especially a tree with long, hard fibers like ours. Therefore, we will paste over the fiberglass wood-look inserts from the front and back sides in separate pieces and join them along the outer and inner sides of the steering wheel. The photo shows the beginning of the work, when the craftsman cuts the veneer along the fibers to lay them. There are also transverse cuts outside the sticker area - simply to provide greater flexibility to the lower section of the veneer, separating unnecessary fragments.

06. So, cutting the tree lengthwise and crosswise, we gradually wrap the upper half of the wood insert “fiber-wise.” For now, we do not pay attention to the overlaps and discrepancies of the wood fragments. Roughly, with a small allowance, we trim the hanging edges of the veneer outside and inside the wooden steering wheel.

07. Paper masking tape will help you create a precise, even edge on the top of the wood-look veneer insert. Place tape on the edge of the veneer and cut it off sharp knife excess wood sticking out from under the tape.

08. The outer part of the veneer lay with overlaps, but the veneer fibers inside The wood-look inserts came apart and wedge-shaped gaps formed. And in the middle there is generally a “hole” in the form of a tick.

09. The problem is solved simply. We cut out a piece of veneer in the shape of a “tick” and glue it into the gap on the wood insert. The professionalism of the master is precisely manifested in the selection of the pattern and color of this piece of veneer for the patch.

10. But the steering wheel will become wooden after we veneer the lower half of the wood insert. The gluing procedure is the same as above, you just need to carefully join the edges of the veneer.

11. This is where skill comes in! Carefully trim the edge of the veneer to align the cut line of the top plate of wood with the bottom.

12. Interesting point a compromise solution in veneering the inconspicuous side of a wooden steering wheel. The craftsman cut the lower fragment of veneer not along the grain, but across it??? This is so as not to close up the “tick” of the gap between the fibers (see photos No. 08 and 09)... On the steering wheel installed in the car, this place is not visible. This is the compromise.

13. Pasted and dried wood-look inserts on a wooden steering wheel are processed with sandpaper. On a wood-look insert prepared for varnishing, it is very difficult for a person uninitiated in the secrets of veneering to distinguish the glued pieces of veneer, and even more so, then to notice something under the shine of the varnish.

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More articles about steering wheel tuning:

Articles about tuning with your own hands.

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The correct steering wheel is never round. And it is never subtle. And even more so without wooden or carbon overlays and anatomical bumps covered with perforated leather. Many owners of tuned cars think so. And on my own behalf, I’ll add that it’s useful for a good steering wheel to have a certified design with an airbag. This means that the correct steering wheel can be obtained by tuning the factory steering wheel.

Various specialists practice various ways making inserts and anatomy on the steering wheel. I suggest using matrix technology based on a plasticine model. The advantage of plasticine is the ease of finding the shape of the model. The advantage of the matrix is the possibility reuse when making the same steering wheel or fragments of crusts for steering wheels of other sizes.

The middle part of the steering wheel does not require the intervention of a tuner; the airbag should work properly. Only the rim and partially the spokes can be modernized.

01. You can simply try to copy the rim design from an existing steering wheel, but you can get creative with the shape yourself. The easiest way to imagine the desired steering wheel is to draw your contours on the image of the donor steering wheel. But, in my opinion, you shouldn’t linger on paper for too long, because ergonomic requirements and the design of the steering wheel can destroy your unbridled fantasies.

02. It’s especially nice to improve the expensive steering wheel of a prestigious car, although you should try your hand at something simpler.

03. Most steering wheels of modern cars are covered with leather, which is the first thing I remove. Beneath the skin, the soft rubber shell of the rim is revealed.

04. If we plan to change the outer contour of the steering wheel, then we will have to cut off the excess rubber from the rim frame. But you shouldn’t get carried away with cleaning the frame from rubber; it’s better to leave it in places where it doesn’t interfere with the change in shape.

05. And now, in a free manner, we try to search correct proportions and hand-friendly shape configurations on the plasticine steering wheel. Let's compare the ergonomic cast of a hand obtained from plasticine with the original drawing of the steering wheel. We transfer the characteristic bumps, dents and connectors from the drawing to the plasticine and again “pump” the comfort of the steering wheel in the hand.

06. We begin to work out the approximately molded shape of the steering wheel in detail on one of the sides. At the same time, I resolve the eternal debate about whether plasticine or putty is more important in favor of putty. This means that I will not polish the clay until mirror shine to remove the almost finished matrix, and I will finish the irregularities left on the plasticine on the finished steering wheel with putty. But on plasticine we need to mark the cracks for sealing the skin with lines, and the fractures of the plastic form with pointed ribs. From the finished plasticine of one half of the steering wheel, we remove templates made of thick cardboard.

07. Transfer the contours, slot lines and edges of the shape through the templates to the plasticine on the other side of the steering wheel. The lateral thickness of the steering wheel can be controlled with a caliper, comparing the corresponding places on the right and left.

08. And now the form is built, but do not rush to throw away the outline templates. With their help, we need to make formwork for molding the connector flanges of the matrix halves.

Like any closed volume, a solid steering wheel can be obtained by gluing together the upper and lower crusts of the mold. To make these halves from fiberglass, we must first make a matrix-cast from a plasticine model. The flange connector will divide the steering wheel matrix into two separate halves, in which it is easy to make the upper and lower crusts of the steering wheel parts themselves.

09. The flange formwork must be installed strictly in the plane of the widest longitudinal section of the rudder. I usually fix the cardboard formwork plate with pieces of plasticine on the back side.

10. Working with fiberglass, and in particular contact molding of glass fiber impregnated with polyester resin, presents almost limitless possibilities for the production of three-dimensional forms. The material in a liquid state freely envelops surfaces of any curvature and configuration. And the hardened composite can be fully used for its intended purpose. When molding rough matrices, I usually do not use gelcoats (a special thick resin for the working surface) or expensive matrix resins. But I admit that sometimes I “abuse” the thickener Aerosil (glass powder). My relatively thick resin covers up the model's unevenness well and fills sharp corners on the mold. But the quality of molding is also affected by the reinforcing material. I cover the first couple of layers, especially on a complex surface, with glass mat grade 150 or 300. I do not recommend applying many layers at once - this will inevitably lead to deformation of the fiberglass. After just an hour or an hour and a half, the resin becomes solid, but the polymerization process is still ongoing.

11. While the first mold is polymerizing, I turn the steering wheel over and remove the cardboard formwork. To prevent the resin from sticking to the formwork, I first coated it with a wax-based release agent (Teflon auto-plyrol).

12. When I don’t have a separator at hand and time is pressing, I cover the contact surface with masking tape. It can be easily removed from hardened polyester. So this time I closed the flange.

13.The underside of the model is also covered with one layer of fiberglass. After the resin “stood”, that is, first it went from liquid to jelly-like, and then solid state, I turn the steering wheel again. On the front side of the model I apply a layer of thick 600 grade glass mat, having previously sanded the previous layer of plastic with sandpaper. So, by alternately applying layers, I increase the thickness of the matrix crust to 2-2.5 mm (which corresponds to 1 layer of glass mat grade 300 and 2 layers of grade 600).

14. A fully glued matrix is maintained for approximately 24 hours, although in conditions of constant rush in the evening, the molded matrix goes to work the next morning.

15. Pliable and soft in a liquid state, fiberglass, when hardened, reveals its insidiousness. Looking at its candy-like surface, you want to run your hand over it. But invisible, protruding glass needles can seriously injure your hand. Therefore, first of all, I lightly clean the surface of the matrix with sandpaper. The shaggy, prickly edge of the matrix must be trimmed, leaving a flange 25-30 mm wide. At a distance of 10 mm from the edge of the model, it is necessary to drill mounting holes for self-tapping screws in the flanges. In this form, the matrix is ready for removal.

16. Using a knife blade or a thin steel ruler, separate the flanges along the entire contour. Then we widen the resulting gap between the flanges and separate the matrix halves. A thin layer of model plasticine is destroyed during the removal of the matrix, partially remaining in the mold halves.

17. Plasticine residues can be easily removed from the matrix. Then the inner surface can be wiped with kerosene. I clean the contours of the flanges with sandpaper. On the working surface of the cleaned matrix, defects in the plasticine model are clearly visible, which I correct with the same sandpaper.
Even using this rough matrix, several dozen rudders can be made. But who will give you so many identical steering wheels for tuning? But exclusive works with plasticine and fiberglass are in great demand.

Part two:

A rough matrix made using a conventional polyester resin(unlike the finished one made from matrix resin) has significant shrinkage and tightening, leading to distortion of the original shape. Moreover, the smaller and more complex the part, the more noticeable the deformation. Particularly strong displacements occur in the corners, as in our case along the entire arc of the cross-section of the half-mold.

So that in the steering wheel parts themselves, by the time they are completely polymerized, visible discrepancies of one half-form relative to the other along the contour accumulate. But that’s why it’s a rough matrix, just to help us translate a plasticine idea into a fiberglass blank future form, or serve as temporary (inexpensive) equipment to study the demand for a new product.

01. Before I start making the steering wheel halves, I prepare the steering wheel itself for pasting. Gradually cutting off excess rubber from the rim and spokes, I place the steering wheel into the matrix halves. At the same time, I try to leave as much less space between the rim and the surface of the gluing matrix.

02. You can glue the steering wheel skins in one go, immediately laying two layers of glass mat grade 300. The main thing is to try to mold “dry”, i.e. remove excess resin with a wrung-out brush. Before gluing, the working surface of the matrix must be covered with a separator.

03. A part with a thickness of two layers of thin glass mat turns out to be fragile, so it must be removed from the matrix with care. I press the fiberglass edges sticking out at the edges of the matrix towards each other and carefully pull out the crust.

04.The uneven edges of the removed parts must be trimmed according to the imprint left on the part by the edges of the matrix. For trimming, you can use a power tool, or you can cut it off with a hacksaw blade.

05. I try the treated peels on the steering wheel while cutting the steering wheel rubber, if necessary. For a better fit of the parts, the inner surface of the fiberglass should be cleaned with coarse sandpaper, removing protruding fiberglass needles and resin deposits.

06. Gradually modifying the edges of the parts and the rim, I adjust the halves to each other on the steering wheel. Well-aligned and loosely fitting crusts on the steering wheel are ready for gluing.

07. There are two ways to glue the half-forms. Typically, the parts to be glued are inserted into a matrix, which, when assembled, aligns them and presses them against the rim. But I decided to assemble the steering wheel without using a die. I wanted to check the accuracy of the alignment of the parts and the quality of filling with adhesive material the entire space inside the steering wheel and at the seams. For gluing, I use a mixture of polyester resin, Aerosil (glass powder) and fiberglass. The result is a porridge similar to glass-filled putty, only its hardening time is much longer. I fill the steering wheel halves with this mixture and press them onto the rim. I remove the excess porridge squeezed out of the seams and fix the half-forms with masking tape. I correct severely deformed areas of the crusts using clamps.

08. Heating of the part indicates an intense polymerization reaction. One and a half to two hours after gluing begins, I remove the tape and remove the remaining resin. After this, the surface of the steering wheel can be processed.

09. Traces of the separating layer remain on any part removed from the matrix. Therefore, the first thing I do is clean all the fiberglass from the remnants of the separator with sandpaper.

10. Traditionally, a tuned steering wheel is lined with carbon fiber (carbon), wood veneer and genuine leather. Solid materials with a varnished surface are placed on the upper and lower sectors of the rim, and the side parts of the steering wheel with spokes are covered with leather. This is what we initially planned to do on our steering wheel. But after we held the almost finished steering wheel in our hands, it became clear to us that the extreme design of the shape requires an unusual finish. And it was decided to do everything the other way around, i.e. leather on top and bottom, veneer on the sides.

11. For greater comfort, a thin layer of porous rubber can be glued under the skin (which greatly increases the cost of the work). An approximate piece bigger size than necessary we glue it onto the fiberglass rim of the steering wheel.

12. The rubber fits tightly around the rim. In places where there are leather inserts under the palms, rubber spots cut out according to the same template are also glued. All rubber fragments are leveled with sandpaper, and defects are sealed with glue mixed crumb rubber. The contours are trimmed according to templates.

13. When we are planning the finishing of the steering wheel, it is necessary to set the correct ratio of the rim sizes at the joints different materials. For example, the thickness of veneer with varnish (up to 2 mm) is equal to the thickness of leather with glue. This means that the rim of our steering wheel must have the same cross-section at the joints. And the rubber glued under the skin formed a 2 mm high step on the rim. Therefore, you will have to level the rim at the joints with putty. In order not to spoil the edges of the rubber stickers with putty, they must be masked with masking tape. For the same purpose, I glue a thin plasticine strip along the contour of the rubber, which will become a gap for sealing the skin.

14. “Hairy” putty is an indispensable material in the work of a layout designer. This putty is made from polyester resin and bonds well with our polyester fiberglass. I also know that many craftsmen make steering wheel tuning entirely from putty. Gradually applying and sanding the putty, the steering wheel is given the desired shape.

15. On the finally constructed surface of the steering wheel, I mark lines of cracks for sealing the skin. It is most convenient to make cuts on the rim using a hacksaw blade for metal. The depth of the gap should be at least 3-4 mm, and the width up to 2 mm. I smooth out the cuts made with the blade using sandpaper. The slots of the inserts under the palms were marked with plasticine strips. After removing the plasticine, the grooves are leveled with putty and sandpaper. It is very convenient to lay out the cracks using a machine.

16. The final touch is installing and adjusting the airbag cover. The main thing is to calculate the gaps correctly. The point is that the movable cover should not rub against the edges of the spokes. In addition, you need to leave room for the thickness of the leather or Alcantara that will cover the airbag cover. For precise fitting, I insert pieces of leather into the gap and “pump” Right place. To adjust the gaps, the same means are used - putty and sandpaper. I pour a primer over the finished fiberglass so that the entire shape appears, because it is difficult to see defects on a surface stained with putty.

This is where the layout designer’s work ends and the product is sent to other specialists. First, one craftsman will glue the veneer and cover it with varnish, then another craftsman will cover it with leather. The final result will depend on the qualifications of the finishers, but the foundation - the form itself with its ergonomics, plasticity, and proportions - is laid by the layout master. That is why the basic specialization in the manufacture of non-standard products has always been breadboard production.

Wood steering wheel trim is becoming increasingly popular among drivers along with the desire to use more natural, “living” materials that carry with them positive energy, look expensive and respectable, have a pleasant “contact” structure.

Wooden steering wheel perfectly reflects the character of the owner of the car. Classic material typical for adherents of a refined, but at the same time, simple style, purposeful and successful.

Tree- this is one of the best materials, which only Mother Nature came up with. Noble drawing, warm color, pleasant to the touch texture and durability are the undeniable advantages of wood. Its advantages are appreciated by carpenters in furniture making, and by designers in decorative finishing interior parts and personal accessories, as well as drivers who cannot imagine the interior of their car without wooden elements.

A wealth of choice or how to select wood for finishing.

Wooden steering wheel mainly made from valuable wood species such as wenge, Karelian birch, myrtle, walnut and others. In fact, the choice is huge; experts use up to 50 types of wood in car decoration.

Wood steering wheel trim can also carry artistic value. Everyone's drawings individual element unique and inimitable. They fascinate with their beauty and emphasize the style and status of the car.

Wood trim on the steering wheel - vintage or modern?

Everyone knows that along with the popularization natural materials, the fashion for retro details has returned. Artificial abrasions on wood create a special charm; stained wood varieties look nobler and more skillful; also, do not forget that using the “aging” procedure you can play with color and texture.

Wood steering wheel trim looks much more interesting together with other matching details. They can be made in the same or related style.

Wood trim on the steering wheel - colors and shades.

Wood steering wheel trim performed not only in the classic colors that everyone is used to. Wood can sparkle with new colors with the help of all kinds of oils, impregnations, drying oils and varnishes, giving the product an unusual texture or color.

Arctic white, dove, purple, cognac, chocolate - these shades go well with pastel or bright tones of cold or warm tones. You should decide on a color based on your own preferences and the basic trim of the interior.

The wood trim on the steering wheel is of practical value.

Wood steering wheel trim carries not only an aesthetic load, but also a practical one, just imagine how much more pleasant it will be to touch natural wood than synthetic leather or plastic. The material does not slip, this steering wheel fits comfortably in the hand and provides full control of the car.

Different specialists practice different methods of making inserts and anatomy on the steering wheel. I suggest using matrix technology based on a plasticine model. The advantage of plasticine is the ease of finding the shape of the model. The advantage of the matrix is the possibility of reuse in the manufacture of the same steering wheel or fragments of crusts for steering wheels of other sizes.

The middle part of the steering wheel does not require the intervention of a tuner; the airbag should work properly. Only the rim and partially the spokes can be modernized.

02. It’s especially nice to improve the expensive steering wheel of a prestigious car, although you should try your hand at something simpler.

03. Most steering wheels of modern cars are covered with leather, which is the first thing I remove. Beneath the skin, the soft rubber shell of the rim is revealed.

05. And now, in a free manner, we try to look for the correct proportions and hand-friendly shape configurations on the plasticine steering wheel. Let's compare the ergonomic cast of a hand obtained from plasticine with the original drawing of the steering wheel. We transfer the characteristic bumps, dents and connectors from the drawing to the plasticine and again “pump” the comfort of the steering wheel in the hand.

06. We begin to work out the approximately molded shape of the steering wheel in detail on one of the sides. At the same time, I resolve the eternal debate about whether plasticine or putty is more important in favor of putty. This means that I will not polish the plasticine to a mirror shine to remove an almost finished matrix, but will finish off the unevenness left on the plasticine on the finished steering wheel with putty. But on plasticine we need to mark the cracks for sealing the skin with lines, and the fractures of the plastic form with pointed ribs. From the finished plasticine of one half of the steering wheel, we remove templates made of thick cardboard.

08. And now the form is built, but do not rush to throw away the outline templates. With their help, we need to make formwork for molding the connector flanges of the matrix halves.

12. When I don’t have a separator at hand and time is pressing, I cover the contact surface with masking tape. It can be easily removed from hardened polyester. So this time I closed the flange.

13.The underside of the model is also covered with one layer of fiberglass. After the resin has “stood up,” that is, first from a liquid to a jelly-like and then a solid state, I turn the steering wheel over again. On the front side of the model I apply a layer of thick 600 grade glass mat, having previously sanded the previous layer of plastic with sandpaper. So, by alternately applying layers, I increase the thickness of the matrix crust to 2-2.5 mm (which corresponds to 1 layer of glass mat grade 300 and 2 layers of grade 600).

14. A fully glued matrix is maintained for approximately 24 hours, although in conditions of constant rush in the evening, the molded matrix goes to work the next morning.

Part two:

A rough matrix made using conventional polyester resin (as opposed to a finished matrix resin) has significant shrinkage and stretching, leading to distortion of the original shape. Moreover, the smaller and more complex the part, the more noticeable the deformation. Particularly strong displacements occur in the corners, as in our case along the entire arc of the cross-section of the half-mold.

So that in the steering wheel parts themselves, by the time they are completely polymerized, visible discrepancies of one half-form relative to the other along the contour accumulate. But that’s why it’s a rough matrix, just to help us translate a plasticine idea into a fiberglass blank of a future shape, or to serve as temporary (inexpensive) equipment for studying the demand for a new product.

01. Before I start making the steering wheel halves, I prepare the steering wheel itself for pasting. Gradually cutting off excess rubber from the rim and spokes, I place the steering wheel into the matrix halves. At the same time, I try to leave as little space as possible between the rim and the surface of the matrix for gluing.

09. Traces of the separating layer remain on any part removed from the matrix. Therefore, the first thing I do is clean all the fiberglass from the remnants of the separator with sandpaper.

11. For greater comfort, a thin layer of porous rubber can be glued under the skin (which greatly increases the cost of the work). We glue an approximate piece of a slightly larger size than necessary onto the fiberglass rim of the steering wheel.

12. The rubber fits tightly around the rim. In places where there are leather inserts under the palms, rubber spots cut out according to the same template are also glued. All fragments of rubber are leveled with sandpaper, and defects are sealed with rubber crumbs mixed with glue. The contours are trimmed according to templates.

13. When we are planning the finishing of the steering wheel, it is necessary to set the correct ratio of the rim sizes at the junctions of different materials. For example, the thickness of veneer with varnish (up to 2 mm) is equal to the thickness of leather with glue. This means that the rim of our steering wheel must have the same cross-section at the joints. And the rubber glued under the skin formed a 2 mm high step on the rim. Therefore, you will have to level the rim at the joints with putty. In order not to spoil the edges of the rubber stickers with putty, they must be masked with masking tape. For the same purpose, I glue a thin plasticine strip along the contour of the rubber, which will become a gap for sealing the skin.

16. The final touch is installing and adjusting the airbag cover. The main thing is to calculate the gaps correctly. The point is that the movable cover should not rub against the edges of the spokes. In addition, you need to leave room for the thickness of the leather or Alcantara that will cover the airbag cover. To ensure an accurate fit, I insert pieces of leather into the gap and “pump” the desired area. To adjust the gaps, the same means are used - putty and sandpaper. I pour a primer over the finished fiberglass so that the entire shape appears, because it is difficult to see defects on a surface stained with putty.

Today, professional restorers restore a wide variety of wooden products. self made. Some car enthusiasts also join them in decorating the interior of their car. Using wood and a set of tools, you can make a simple wooden steering wheel with your own hands. Read more about how to do this in the material.

Advantages and disadvantages of a wooden steering wheel

The wooden steering wheel gives the car a slightly vintage look. Such products were installed on vintage sports cars, which is why they are so popular among modern car owners. Among the undoubted advantages of such a steering wheel: a pleasant appearance and the ability to impress others. But, like all products, a wooden steering wheel has both advantages and disadvantages.

Did you know?The very first cars did not have a steering wheel. They were controlled by a lever.

Disadvantages of a wooden steering wheel:

Safety experts note that the driver's hands do not have sufficient grip on the surface, which can lead to an accident and injury.
The steering wheel can also attract unwanted attention from thieves to the interior due to its expensive appearance. Besides, wooden crafts really cost more than a regular car steering wheel.

A wooden steering wheel does not affect the quality of control and has no advantages over a conventional one except for its external characteristics, so be guided by your taste and desires if you want to create one.

What you need to make a wooden steering wheel

For work, you can take a steering wheel from your car, but it is advisable to prepare another one so that in case of failure there is no need to purchase a new steering wheel. Look suitable option at your local used parts store.

Did you know?For the first 60 years of its introduction on automobiles, the steering wheel was used to turn the car and also provided a surface on which to place the horn.

In addition, you will need:

a couple of boards of any wood from which the blanks will be made;
drill;
glue;
putty;
wood saw;
sandpaper;
clamps;

How to make it yourself

There are not many ways to make a steering wheel.

And you can do it from:

slats that were glued together;
whole pieces, also connected with glue;
replace part of the steering wheel with a wooden insert.

Important! To make a wheel, it is better to use soft wood, without wires:alder, linden, aspen, pine, larch. It will bend better and be easier to process.

Which method you choose is up to you. You can use a hybrid method, taking the elements that you like. The essence of the first method is to separate the board into thin slats and glue them together. The thickness of an individual strip is 5 mm. Glued together, they should match the diameter of the steering wheel, and the thickness should be comfortable for your hand to grasp.

The second method is to cut from whole piece wood components and glue them around the metal rim. You can also glue the pieces together first to form a hexagon. And then cut it into a circle with a saw. The third method is similar to the second, only you will not need to make a whole steering wheel, but only a small part that will be glued instead of the upper half of your steering wheel.

Step-by-step instruction Making a steering wheel using the gluing method consists of the following steps:

A wooden board is cut into strips 5 mm thick using a circular saw.
They are planed until smooth. The thickness is reduced to 2–3 mm. This will provide a more reliable gluing.
Now on wooden surface a circle of the required diameter is drawn. A piece of metal of the same diameter is selected, and the steering wheel will be assembled around it. You can also drill holes in the wood along the drawn circle and install pins in them, and fasten the strips around them, connecting and sanding.
Now the strips are glued together and compressed using clamps along the required diameter of the circle.
In total, the workpiece will require 4 slats. You can make two semicircles. This will make it easier to connect them.
While the wood dries, the metal rim is prepared. To do this, the factory coating is completely removed from the steering wheel: foam, polyurethane, etc.
If everything went well, then the prepared semicircles are cleaned and glued around the rim.
Unnecessary parts are cut out from the resulting glued circle (basic contour). For example, if you want the wood to “lie on the spokes”.
Take a chisel and make grooves where necessary, i.e. the knitting needles should lie flush with your circle.
Then the joints are sealed with putty, cleaned again and painted with varnish.

Video: DIY wooden steering wheel

Steering wheel with wooden inserts

In order to make a steering wheel with wooden inserts, you will need wood, a circular saw and a drill. First draw out the pieces the right size. Then a groove is cut out with a milling cutter in order to put them on the rim, and then the parts of the future product themselves are cut out.

Important! When working with tools on a glued surface, try not to press too hard so as not to split the fragile plates.

The steering wheel itself is prepared by cutting off the coating from it in the required places down to the metal. Elements that will come into contact with the wood are covered with masking tape. Wooden inserts are placed on the metal rim, glued, cleaned, sanded and painted with varnish.

Restoration of a wooden steering wheel

When you already have a damaged steering wheel, it can be restored or repaired. If we are talking about wood, it can weaken and separate from the inner rim, because this finish is held on by glue. The master will simply glue it back. To do this, he will clean the inner steel rim of glue, clean the grooves and return these parts to their place using epoxy resin. If the varnish coating has worn off, it will also be restored. The surface will be sanded and a new coating will be applied.

But you need to take into account that restoration work Should only be done by a professional cabinetmaker if you don't want the steering wheel to look bad. Please also note that a steering wheel with a combined steering wheel, for example, made of wood and leather, will not be accepted by all craftsmen. Stripping and sanding wood can damage the leather.

Considering the availability of materials and the list of required work that is not too difficult to understand, you can easily take on the task of creating your own wooden steering wheel. But without experience, it will be better if you start experimenting on an old wheel. And if everything works out, then you will move on to creating the one that you will install on the car.

Wood steering wheel trim is becoming increasingly popular among drivers along with the desire to use more natural, “living” materials that carry positive energy, look expensive and respectable, and have a pleasant “contact” structure.

Wooden steering wheel perfectly reflects the character of the owner of the car. Classic material is typical for adherents of a refined, but at the same time, simple style, purposeful and successful.

Tree- this is one of the best materials that Mother Nature has ever come up with. Noble design, warm color, pleasant to the touch texture and durability are the undeniable advantages of wood. Its advantages are appreciated by carpenters in the manufacture of furniture, by designers in the decorative finishing of interior parts and personal accessories, as well as by drivers who cannot imagine the interior of their car without wooden elements.

A wealth of choice or how to select wood for finishing.

Wood steering wheel trim can also carry artistic value. The designs of each individual element are unique and inimitable. They fascinate with their beauty and emphasize the style and status of the car.

Wood trim on the steering wheel - vintage or modern?

Everyone knows that along with the popularization of natural materials, the fashion for retro details has returned. Artificial abrasions on wood create a special charm; stained wood varieties look nobler and more skillful; also, do not forget that using the “aging” procedure you can play with color and texture.

Wood steering wheel trim looks much more interesting together with other matching details. They can be made in the same or related style.

Wood trim on the steering wheel - colors and shades.

The wood trim on the steering wheel is of practical value.

I myself really like all the finishing beauty that brings the mock-up blanks to life.

The veneer master cut a piece of veneer in the shape of a trapezoid for the top wood insert.

07. Paper masking tape will help you create a precise, even edge on the top of the wood-look veneer insert. We glue the tape onto the edge of the veneer and use a sharp knife to cut off the excess wood sticking out from under the tape.

08. The outer part of the veneer lay with overlaps, but the veneer fibers on the inside of the wood insert separated - wedge-shaped gaps formed. And in the middle there is generally a “hole” in the form of a tick.

10. But the steering wheel will become wooden after we veneer the lower half of the wood insert. The gluing procedure is the same as above, you just need to carefully join the edges of the veneer.

11. This is where skill comes in! Carefully trim the edge of the veneer to align the cut line of the top plate of wood with the bottom.

12. An interesting point of compromise in veneering the inconspicuous side of the wooden steering wheel. The craftsman cut the lower fragment of veneer not along the grain, but across it??? This is so as not to close up the “tick” of the gap between the fibers (see photos No. 08 and 09)... On the steering wheel installed in the car, this place is not visible. This is the compromise.

More articles about steering wheel tuning

More articles about steering wheel tuning:

Articles about tuning with your own hands.

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