Cart and wheel makers

What it is and technique

Construction of carts and, above all, wheels: hub (boixa), spokes (bréndoles), wooden corbes and the iron rim that embraces them. In Mallorca the cars were made by the fusters d'obra grossa (the col·legi de fusters distinguished them from those of small work, who made furniture); The ferrer put wheels and hardware. The official repertoire of artisan trades of the Government preserves the master category of cars.

Process step by step

1. Turn the boixa (cube) and open the spoke mortises.

2. Fit the bréndoles (spokes) into the box.

3. Assemble the corbes (pine cones) that form the wooden ring.

4. Tire: the ferrer heats the iron frame, places it and cools it so that it tightens the wheel (general technique; Mallorcan detail to be verified).

5. Dins la boixa: cast iron piece that houses the fusell (axle) cap.

Forms and objects

• Spoke wheel and full wheel (disc, used in Mallorca until the mid-19th century).
• Types of cars: see Mallorcan cars .
• Tools: see eines de fuster , enclusa and manxa .

Vocabulary

• boixa: central piece of the wheel; in Mall., piece of iron that goes inside the hub and shelters the shaft.
• bréndola: each spoke that joins the hub to the circumference of the wheel (Mall.); fig., crazy person.
• corba: curved wooden piece of the hoop (to verify Mallorcan use).
• llanta / llanda: iron fence that surrounds the wheel.
• fusell: car axle.
• roder: in Mallorca, a worker who works on the gerrer wheel (DCVB); in Andorra, carpenter.
• fuster d'obra grossa: carpenter of scaffolding, ladders and carts.
• mestre de carros: category of the repertoire of artisan trades.

Geography

• Fusters and ferrers workshops in each town; no documented specialized location.

Short story

• 14th century: documents that mention the community of fusters of Mallorca.
• 1499: foundation of the col·legi de fusters (gross work and small work); patron Saint Joseph.
• 19th century: imported prefabricated metal parts (see Mallorcan cart).
• 1960s: the tractor removes the car.

State

Virtually extinct. In the consultation of the registry of artisans (10/13/2026) there is no registration in Mallorca with the trade "master of cars". He survives in carriage restoration (category "vehicle rehabilitator", to verify).

Why is it design

• Compression structure: the hot tire squeezes the wheel as it cools; iron closes wood.
• Standard repairable part: spokes and hubs are replaced one by one.
• Collaboration of trades: fuster + ferrer in the same object.

For the project

• Exploded drawing of a Majorcan wheel with its vocabulary (boixa, bréndoles, llanta).
• Locate carriage restorers to document the tire.

Sources

• ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuster
• dcvb.iec.cat/results.asp?Word=roder
• dcvb.iec.cat/results.asp?Word=boixa
• dcvb.iec.cat/results.asp?Word=br%E8ndola
• dcvb.iec.cat/results.asp?Word=llanta
• caib.es/siciefront/artesania/index.jsp?idioma=ct

Working text from the Disseny Indígena knowledge base, machine-translated from Spanish.

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