The Long day of The Wheel of Austen

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Here is the finished Wheel of Austen currently on stage at Improvboston.  I was asked by John Herman to build this wacky thing (thanks for having faith in me ) . I ended up building this in a day (9am to 1am Long day ). Solid wood construction, nicely sanded and painted. Complete with clacking  sound for the pegs.

Spinner wheel used for the improv show for Jane Austen skits
The Wheel of Austen in all it’s glory!

 

Now while I’m pretty proud of this nutty build it actually started off as one big fat fail on my part. I’ll get to that later in another post but for now here is the construction of the Wheel of Austen.

I give credit to this link with a big thanks to Ehow for pulling my butt out of the fire

 

 

 

 

 

Drawing a circle on Plywood
Making the circle

 

 

 

 

Used a nail and string to make a near-perfect circle.

 

 

 

Cutting out the circle with a power tool
Cutting out the circle

 

 

 

 

Cutting out the Wheel. Very happy with my saw, that blade really cuts like a lights

 

 

 

Marking the pie slices
Marking the pie slices

 

 

Pie slices ( I did fine but I should have probably gone with the instructions)

 

 

 

 

 

Sanding the wheel, top back and edges.
Sanding the wheel, top back and edges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drilling the hole for the dowels
Drilling the hole for the dowels

 

 

Drilling the hole for the dowels. I actually am wearing goggles and a mask for the construction. I removed them for the photo. Safety Drilling the hole for the dowels. I actually am wearing goggles and a mask for the construction. I removed them for the photo. Safety first!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Primed and painted
Primed and painted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Putting in the dowels
Putting in the dowels

 

 

 

Putting in the dowels. Glued then hammered into the wood. They are not going anywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

Painting the Base
Painting the Base

 

 

Working on the base. I used a nice heavy base with mounted with a metal bracket screwed (about 12 screws) into the wood and the post. I later added some nice wood scroll brackets, more for decoration than for support. Painted it all white to give it a nice wholesome clean look.

 

 

 

 

Wheel starting to take shape
Wheel starting to take shape

 

 

 

Putting everything together finally!! Still more work to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Putting the letters on the wheel
Putting the letters on the wheel

 

We need letters now. That is where my lovely and awesome wife (and muse) came in she found the font and tweeked it for our needs and printed it all out. We spend the rest of the nice cutting tiny letters and decoupaging them to the wheel.

 

 

 

 

 

Letters are done at long last and my vision is getting really blurry by this time (1am )and I can feel the burn on my head from being outside all day. Hey I was on a roll so you don’t stop for anything except for 10 minute breaks to keep your brain from shorting out.

THE WHEEL OF AUSTEN!!!

Final Product Wheel of Austin
Finally Done!

VIDEO OF THE FIRST TEST SPIN

 

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