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ianpallen
10-02-2014, 04:16 AM
Today I received a Karlie wheel 29cm which I won on Ebay for £3.20 + postage of £6.50. Still cheaper than a shop and brand new in box. The first thing i done to it after removing it from the box was to sand it down with fine sand paper so it is smooth all over. I cannot believe he poor finish on an item that is quite dear in the shops. The inside and outside egdes of the rim were the first to be sanded. Then the base. All of it was sanded so it is smoother. Then I sanded the outside and then the inside. I put it back on the stand and thought it is a tiny bit loose on the metal axle bit. I got a 8mm dowel and had to hammer it in the hole in the axle. This gives two options. One is it widens the axle a little bit (not much) which gives it a more secure seating in the hole it fits into and stops it from tilting forward. The next option is drill a tiny hole in the dowel and the centre of the receiving hole (it is marked by the original drill bit) and a small screw with a washer can be put through the back and into the inner wooden dowel where a hole was drilled to prevent splitting. Thie will make sure the wheel will not come off the stand while a hamster is running on it. ;) Safety first where pets are concerned. I have not drilled a hole yet, but if anyone tells me the wheel does come off when hamster (especially a syrian) is running in it, I will definitely drill and screw it to the base. All I have to do now is spray it with a Plastikote Crystal Clear 400ml can I won on ebay for 99p. :p Waiting for it in the post.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx46/ianallen2/diy%20stuff/karliewheel003_zpsf478d08c.jpg (http://s740.photobucket.com/user/ianallen2/media/diy%20stuff/karliewheel003_zpsf478d08c.jpg.html)
The yellow wheel is the standard P@H soze plastic crap ones. lol
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx46/ianallen2/diy%20stuff/karliewheel004_zpsbabf7209.jpg (http://s740.photobucket.com/user/ianallen2/media/diy%20stuff/karliewheel004_zpsbabf7209.jpg.html)
Wooden dowel in. Hamer it in but not all the way then cut off excess flush with metal axle
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx46/ianallen2/diy%20stuff/karliewheel005_zpsbdcca556.jpg (http://s740.photobucket.com/user/ianallen2/media/diy%20stuff/karliewheel005_zpsbdcca556.jpg.html)
The hole it goes into. See the mark in the centre for drilling a small hole if need be. Stand is smoother too.
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx46/ianallen2/diy%20stuff/karliewheel006_zps09166c6e.jpg (http://s740.photobucket.com/user/ianallen2/media/diy%20stuff/karliewheel006_zps09166c6e.jpg.html)
Wheel is smoother
http://i740.photobucket.com/albums/xx46/ianallen2/diy%20stuff/karliewheel007_zps9df2a25d.jpg (http://s740.photobucket.com/user/ianallen2/media/diy%20stuff/karliewheel007_zps9df2a25d.jpg.html)
2LittlePuds
10-02-2014, 04:22 AM
Thats a clevwr idea. Did the wheel just pull off the stand?
ianpallen
10-02-2014, 04:24 AM
Yes. The axle just slots in and is not glued or fixed in any way. I think for the price of them new, it is a shoddy piece of kit. With the modification, it should and will stop the 'tilting' the wheel gets. I remember your wheel tilting before you even got Squibbles
2LittlePuds
10-02-2014, 04:30 AM
Yeah it still does tilt. I paid 9.99 from zooplus so not a bad price but i agree it could be made better and i did have to give the edges a quick sand because i thought he might get splinters.

I havent had a problem with it though and it is still silent :)
Pebbles82
10-02-2014, 09:31 AM
I must have been lucky, mine was nice and smooth, no splinters. Wish I could do diy like you though Ian. I haven't worried about mine coming unscrewed but I do sometime worry it might fall over when he gets going really fast - need to keep checking the base is firm on the cage floor because sometimes he pushes substrate up behind it.
ianpallen
10-02-2014, 10:09 AM
I must have had a reject one as the axle was not 100% for me. I have looked at some reviews and they were all good and one even said the wood was really smooth. Perhaps the examiner who should have examined mine went toilet as this one was approaching on the line. lol.
2LittlePuds
10-02-2014, 10:37 AM
And mine. As the pictures i posted before showed that was also slightly bent. I remember imay saying the same. Perhaps some people dont look at things in the same detail as we do lol. Inspecting every last mm of it!
Pebbles82
10-02-2014, 11:24 AM
I must have had a reject one as the axle was not 100% for me. I have looked at some reviews and they were all good and one even said the wood was really smooth. Perhaps the examiner who should have examined mine went toilet as this one was approaching on the line. lol.

Lol! I didn't inspect mine too closely, but it felt smooth and goes round like it should so seems fine, but I have been unlucky with other hamster products made of wood.
ianpallen
10-02-2014, 11:54 AM
And mine. As the pictures i posted before showed that was also slightly bent. I remember imay saying the same. Perhaps some people dont look at things in the same detail as we do lol. Inspecting every last mm of it!

I remembered the conversation with the tilting, this is why I thought of modifying it. I have not heard of one coming off while a ham is in it, but there is always a first time. Putting a dowel in spreads the axle a bit so it wedges in the hole a bit better. A mod if anyone needs to do it in the future.
2LittlePuds
10-02-2014, 12:18 PM
Lol serendipity i inspect everything .. Im very critical on things i purchase online, i like them to be perfect :roll:
Pebbles82
10-02-2014, 03:05 PM
Ooer - maybe I had better check the axle to see if it looks safe.