VPIW making custom wheels

The finished rear wheel.

Photo by: Submitted

By: MICHAEL BORDELON
News Editor

Everyone has seen the television shows where custom motorcycle builders design and fabricate $200,000 bikes for their customers. Anyone who has seen these programs knows immediately that one of the most important aspects of all the bikes built are the wheels. And one might be surprised to learn Ville Platte Iron Works (VPIW) is now involved in making some of these custom wheels.

Nick Manuel, head of the CNC manufacturing side of VPIW, and son of owner David Manuel, said the company recently fabricated its first set of custom wheels for a high-end custom chopper shop in Virginia. It was the first time the company took on such a project.

“Everyone was excited because it was something new,” Manuel said. “They had seen television shows with this kind of work, but now we were doing it. Everyone watched the project closely.”

VPIW was established April 1, 1949, by Ashland and “Chicken” Manuel and David Deshotel. Most of its work is done for companies in the oil field industry, so the opportunity to make custom motorcycle wheels was something they were eager to sink their teeth into.

The work began when VPIW received three-dimensional designs for the front and rear wheels from the custom chopper shop. With these 3D designs, VPIW was able to program its machines to begin work on the wheels.

“It’s a very time-consuming process,” Manuel said. “It started out with a solid piece of aluminum, 19-inches in diameter, for the rear wheel and a 23-inch piece for the front wheel.”

The CNC in CNC machines stands for Computer Numerical Control. These devices use a cutting tool to carve and shape various designs into solid metal blocks. VPIW used a lathe and mill to form the wheels. The lathe was used to make the basic shape of the wheels and the mill was used to finish the wheels.

VPIW was given two weeks to complete the project.

“Since we knew we had over 100 hours of machine time ahead of us, considering no complications, we knew this would not be an easy task,” Manuel said.

The finished rear wheel was a massive 18 inches in diameter and 13.375 inches wide. The front wheel was 22 inches in diameter and three-and-a-half inches wide.

Like everything else made for these custom choppers, the wheels were not cheap. Manuel said they cost approximately $25,000 to fabricate. Manuel added the finished chopper, which is a show bike, is expected to be featured on a magazine cover.

VPIW are already getting ready to begin work on a new set of wheels. Manuel said he expects to be given new custom wheel designs on an ongoing basis.

“The feedback from the custom chopper shop was good. They were really happy with the work and we expect this to be a long-term deal. We are glad to have the opportunity and look forward to this venture into a different industry.”