This page of the website will be used to feature projects underway at Rafter K Wheelwright. Updated photos will be posted as work progresses and, as these vintage vehicles are completely restored, new photos will take their place. The following photo shows a custom sewing job in progress.
Watch us on YouTube:
Franck Calloch from Brittany, France worked as an apprentice with Rafter K for 6 weeks. Franck previously worked in a boatyard building large wooden boats and is now learning the craft of wheelwrighting so he can return to his farm which he works with a team of draft horses and oxen.
Cart wheels have been repaired and shafts shortened to fit horse. The cart has also been repainted.
Tin Body Cutter Rebuild
Rebuilding a tin body cutter.
Replacing much of the wood frame.
Salvaged a set of wood bobs from an old road sleigh for the running gear.
Double Chandelier
Double Chandelier - 60" wheel on bottom;
36" wheel on top.
1924 Buick Wheels
Chandelier
Just finished 6 foot wagon wheel which will be used for a chandelier..
Chuckwagon Rebuild
Photos show progression from original wheels in bottom photo to new wheels and complete running gear. and finally to completion. The chuckwagon was rebuilt as a grain wagon for farm use, and includes a pole as well as shafts. It was custom built to customer's plans.
Express Sleigh
To be rebuilt.
Baby Carriage
Restoration has now been completed on this Victorian baby carriage from the 1800s. Top left photo shows carriage at the start of restoration; bottom left shows top liner being installed. The completed carriage is shown in photos at right.
Saloon Doors Repaired
Wagon Wheel Chandelier
This custom order 36" oak wagon wheel chandelier is ready to be wired. See Sale page.
McLaughlin Buggy, Circa 1900
Buggy is now fully restored and painted, and is in nice condition. See details on Sale Page.
Century Old Buggy Top Refurbishment
It has two small oval mirrors in the back panels, along with the oval window in the roll up curtain.
Wood Frame Doors and Door Posts
These are being built for a 1928 Ford Model AA Truck.
Bobsleigh with axle
This bobsleigh is designed with an axle system that works very well. It also includes a quick attach system for the pole to save pushing the queen rod through the roller. This allows the pole to attach in tight quarters such as a trailer. The runners are built from 2” square tubing and are coated with teflon. It has a 5ft x 8ft deck built with 5/4” radius decking (pressure treated).
Adams Wagon
The running gear has been repaired and a new floor built for the grain box. The final destination of this wagon will be a yard where it will serve a decorative purpose. See Sale page.
Bobsleigh
John Deere Wagon
The wheels on this John Deere Wagon were rebuilt a few years ago; now everything but the axles have been rebuilt. After a paint job, it will be ready to go to work.
Mini-Sleigh
This cutter was converted to a sleigh for minis to haul grain to the horses. The runners were repaired with new shoeing. The rebuild also included a new pole with neck yoke and eveners. The back seat is removable and there is room for 12 five-gallon pails of grain.
Cutter Re-Upholstery
Cutter was re-upholstered in red crushed velvet.
Milk Wagon
The Milk Wagon is now complete, including a conversion to accommodate passenger seating as well as milk cans. The project has been a complete rebuild on an original Studebaker running gear. Photos show progress from the bottom up, prior to disassembly. The wagon was completely stripped down, and the undercarriage sandblasted and painted. The box and seat were rebuilt, with storage added under the driver's seat. The wagon has a new floor, and a hinged rear folding step with large castors to prevent digging in if the horses step back.
Rebuilding an Adams Wagon
Rebuilding this Adams Wagon included repairing the hubs, installing new felloes and re-setting the tires. Much of the running gear was repaired and painted. The pole was 6” too short and was replaced. The wagon is now complete and is shown below right.
Rafter K Original Furniture
Hand-crafted one-of-kind furniture.
Pot Racks
Variety of pot racks for your kitchen.
Custom-built Two Seater Bench
Cutter Pole
Custom-built pole for cutter; comes with eveners and neck yoke.
Massey Bobsleighs
Photo at right shows a Massey bobsleigh that has been totally rebuilt. It was finished in linseed oil and turpentine. The iron was sandblasted and finished with an Industrial plastic paint. It should last for many more years
Photos below show another bobsleigh when it came into the shop (left) and the rebuilt bobsleigh (right). Restoration included new hardwood benches, bunk, bolster, box stakes, front and rear rollers, reach and pole.
It has been painted red and black.
1902 McLaughlin Undercut Buggy
Photo at top left shows the buggy as it came into the shop; top right photo shows the process of welding on new bearing style hub spindles. The completed 1902 McLaughlin with new CBSL hubs and wheels is shown at bottom right.
Munro McIntosh Cutter
Restoration of this cutter involved building a new dash, tightening up the upholstery, a paint job (shown in photo at left) and pinstriping. The completed cutter is shown above.
Quebec Cutter
Restoration of this Quebec Cutter has now been completed after approximately 165 hours of work. The two photos below show its condition when it arrived in the shop.
The next row of photos shows the special marine plywood designed for bending that was glued and clamped into place (left), resulting in a new moulded plywood body (right). All the old plywood had to be stripped down, and hundreds of nails were removed to get down to the frame.
The following shots show the finishing touches being applied, as the upholstery and painting are completed, including gold fleur-de-lis at the corners. The restored cutter is going to a private collection in southern Alberta.
Top Buggy
The top frame has been repaired with a new liner and top which comes with a rear window and roll up curtain. The wheels have been repaired and rubber tires installed. In repairing the body (see photo at left), the buggy top and box were removed in order to strip the paint for re-painting. The seat frame is being repaired with new upholtstery for the top and seat, and new shafts.
Doctor's Buggy
Rafter K has two Doctor's buggies to rebuild. Photos below show the process of restoring one of these buggies to completion. The process includes stripping down and repainting, rebuilding and upholstering the top, repairing the wheels and installing rubber tires. The leather seat was able to be saved.
