Somehow I knew those wheels were going to give me problems. Even though I used the strongest wood glue to bond the splices in the bamboo, and clamped it in a circle for hours to set, two if them started coming loose slightly. I used superglue to rebond them, but I am afraid that heat and humidity over time, will weaken them again.
My cousin had purchased leather in the hopes that one day she would redo the wheels and secure them by gluing skived leather onto the outside of the wheels. Unfortunately, I think the leather will be too pliable. In the end, the expanding joint will overcome the strength of the leather, and the joint will still deform. Leather also becomes brittle over time, so it's not a permanent fix. After thinking about this, I've come up with a solution I will try. I can purchase thin strips of brass and fashion a hoop. The lap splice can be secured with solder. Once I clean the surface and buff it, I can add a patina to the brass hoop to darken it to look like iron. If I make the hoop the slightest hair smaller than the bamboo hoop, I can borrow a technique from the old wheelwrights: Heat the brass hoop in boiling water to expand it, and then quickly slip it over the bamboo hoop. As it cools, it will contract for a friction fit. The metal will not allow the bamboo joint to deform and it should hold it in a circle.
While not in the original intent of my Grandfather, it is in keeping with the technique and look of wagons from his childhood, which he used to pattern his replicas.
The thing is, I'll have to be precise in my measurement, and quick in applying the hoop. If I fail, I have to come up with a different solution.
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