Hoopes Brothers & Darlington were wooden wheel manufacturers in West Chester, Pa. Thanks to reader Phil Neff for referring us to this Smithsonian Institution Film, showing the interesting craft of wooden wheel making, which you will see below, filmed at the wheel maker before they closed in the early 1970s.
With the exception of some of the wagon style wooden hubs seen in the film, the process is quite close to what is involved in making an automobile or truck wheel. The first part of the film takes the process from the log and sawing it, to steaming the wood fellows in an autoclave and the fascinating process of fellow bending and finishing.
The second part starts with making the hubs, it then moves onto assembling the hubs and spokes and next the fellows are installed onto the spokes. The steel fellow band or tire, is then cut to length, formed, welded and installed and compressed to make it tight on the wheel. Take the time to watch both parts as it is quite interesting.
Much of the machinery that you will see in the film is similar to and some of it may possibly be as old as is seen in the 1903 advertisement (above) for the Defiance Machine Works.
Phil Neff had the following to say about the film and company: Here is an interesting film. It’s of Hoopes Bro. & Darlington wheel works. Their plant was two blocks from my shop here in West Chester, PA. They made wheels for many cars in the old days. I went in their abandoned offices in 1976 and found the factory files scattered about the floor. I took a couple folders, but should have rescued more. This film was made shortly before they closed in 1973.
A fascinating look at a lost craft, David. I love seeing all that belt driven equipment. I can hear them in my mind. The company name is just too sweet, too.
If you need wooden wheels either restored or replaced for one of your customers, where do you source them these days?
There is a wheel maker in PA and the Amish still make wheels.
David, I believe that wheelmaker in PA was recently featured on Modern Marvels on the History Channel. Fascinating process. They said he can do about two wheels a day, I believe.
Did those wooden fellows make felloes?
After bending and trimming they are used in half’s to make one fellow. The joint is covered with a piece of steel that covers over the joint and is fastened to the fellow band
This place not only makes their own wagon wheels but wagons of all kinds like from the old days.
http://www.wernerwagonworks.com/
The Smithsonian also did an article featuring the Hoops Bro.&Darlington Company along with many photos of the machinery shown in this video the article was in The Carriage Journal Autimn 1977 Vol 15,No. 2. I was very excited to run across this video as I own the small felloe bending machine with the big gear shown in the Hoops shop the one in which the young man is used as a counterweight .