I suggest you contact Helen Smithers at Sovereign Hill in Ballarat (Victoria,
Australia). Among its other attractions, Sovereign Hill has a marvellous
working wheel-making factory, using equipment of US manufacture from the later
19th century, for which the Smithsonian would give their eyeteeth  (or maybe
the elephant from the natural History museum!).

Various machines cut and shape the hubs, another cuts the slots for the spokes,
others make the spokes and rims and the tires are compressed onto the rims,
rather than being shrunk onto them the old way. I believe they told me that,
fully staffed, the factory could produce 200 wheels or more a day, but I might
be exaggerating. Even with only two staff doing everything and xplaining it to
the visitors, it's truly fascinating. Everything is run using overhead shafts
and belts as you describe. I am sure they would be willing to help you.

Contact Helen at:

+61 53 311944 (voice)
+61 53 311528 (fax)

Harry Needham
Canadian War Museum