Mickeyspinn
rBotM Winner
First thing I'd recommend if you haven't built a wheel before is doing a simple rim swap.....hub and spokes stay put 
A flat head screwdriver and a good nipple wrench is you all need to get started !
Learn the feel of tension first....practice on old wheels spokes hubs and nipples then when confidence grows spend money on fancy spokes etc...
Don't rush....small grooves no big moves
A flat head screwdriver and a good nipple wrench is you all need to get started !
Learn the feel of tension first....practice on old wheels spokes hubs and nipples then when confidence grows spend money on fancy spokes etc...
Don't rush....small grooves no big moves
Was awaiting input from my drunken brother. Duly noted. Will tear off some old wheels from one of the scrap frames laying about in the bogFirst thing I'd recommend if you haven't built a wheel before is doing a simple rim swap.....hub and spokes stay put
A flat head screwdriver and a good nipple wrench is you all need to get started !
Learn the feel of tension first....practice on old wheels spokes hubs and nipples then when confidence grows spend money on fancy spokes etc...
Don't rush....small grooves no big moves
Mickeyspinn
rBotM Winner
Attempting to straighten the unstraightenable is also good practice..
Once you've had enough to drink and you begin to wobble along with the wheel, in perfect sync, you'll have perfectly trued yourself.Attempting to straighten the unstraightenable is also good practice..
Mickeyspinn
rBotM Winner
Your learning fast
I find when I want to build a wheel it works out well.....when I need to build a wheel it's an ass !
It's defo a thing of being in the zone
novocaine
Old School Grand Master
tools you need vs tools you think you need.
cheap jig is fine, they are a bit flimsy but I've built 10-15 wheels on one in the past few years without issue (my previous jig died in a freak accident). you can make them a bit less flimsy easily enough. I bolted mine to a steel plate (I had it from something else) and used my dial test indicator and mag base last time because I could, it was nice but not really needed.
screwdriver is preferred to a spoke driver. I did 3d print a thingy for getting spokes in to deep dish wheels that has helped. bluetac is the other option.
decent spoke wrenchs, there is no substitute for these, once you've rounded of a few nipples you soon figure out why. I have 2 types, the park style loop one and a couple of old cyclo ones that are really deep for fine torquing of nipples.
dishing, I use 2 tea cups and a ruler. place the close to true wheel on the 2 tea cups one either side and measure the gap to the table from the end of the axle. flip and repeat. adjust spoke tension till they match and true the wheel again.
set of forks will get you going at least and don't cost anything if you already have them.
thats it.
everything else is a nice to have, a spoke tension meter is great, if you are building race spec wheels that must match all the time. otherwise it's not needed (again, printed my own, it's useful for comparision on the wheel but little else and that can be done in other ways).
go take a few wheels apart, then put them back together. follow sheldon browns method and you can't go far wrong.
cheap jig is fine, they are a bit flimsy but I've built 10-15 wheels on one in the past few years without issue (my previous jig died in a freak accident). you can make them a bit less flimsy easily enough. I bolted mine to a steel plate (I had it from something else) and used my dial test indicator and mag base last time because I could, it was nice but not really needed.
screwdriver is preferred to a spoke driver. I did 3d print a thingy for getting spokes in to deep dish wheels that has helped. bluetac is the other option.
decent spoke wrenchs, there is no substitute for these, once you've rounded of a few nipples you soon figure out why. I have 2 types, the park style loop one and a couple of old cyclo ones that are really deep for fine torquing of nipples.
dishing, I use 2 tea cups and a ruler. place the close to true wheel on the 2 tea cups one either side and measure the gap to the table from the end of the axle. flip and repeat. adjust spoke tension till they match and true the wheel again.
set of forks will get you going at least and don't cost anything if you already have them.
thats it.
everything else is a nice to have, a spoke tension meter is great, if you are building race spec wheels that must match all the time. otherwise it's not needed (again, printed my own, it's useful for comparision on the wheel but little else and that can be done in other ways).
go take a few wheels apart, then put them back together. follow sheldon browns method and you can't go far wrong.
Namaste
You reckon I should go for a cheap jig or just use my old steel forks that I don't need anymore? Was thinking to fasten them into a hole in a solid thick wooden board to stop any kind of movement, then put one of these on the forks:
I was offered one of these cheapo things for half price by a fella:
https://www.cykelgear.dk/vaerktoj/v...VMwIGAB3mQQJQEAQYASABEgLCgfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
So about 40 quid-ish
But it looks so cheap I don't even dare
https://www.cykelgear.dk/vaerktoj/v...VMwIGAB3mQQJQEAQYASABEgLCgfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
So about 40 quid-ish
But it looks so cheap I don't even dare
