Oh no I want to do stuff again

[Woz]

Had my dose to 3/4 level so I can expand a bit. Normally, I'm a tool freak, but really all the jig needs to do is provide a repeatable (read mechanical stable) reference point. Hell, some of the greatest works of man have been done with bit of wood or whatever as a reference point. Truing is a bit 0 or 1 according to your own tolerance measurement - by eye or by other measurement means. For road wheels I'll take an extra step and take the financial expense of slapping on some Rizla fag papers on the rim. I have no issue revisiting the wheel over and over again and eventually it all stabilises and will remain true in the normal course of duty.

If I was doing loads and loads of wheels, I would invest in a proper cast iron jig, and not the crap often proposed on the market.

The thing not to save money on and buy cheap nasty crap is the spoke key. Get the best you can afford.

Somebody further up mentioned about getting a wheel, de-lacing it, and re-building. Top advice that was!!!!!

 

[Woz]

@longun how does that single sided thing work? I'm drawing blanks how the hub is held in place. Help, I feel retarded.

 

[old_coyote_pedaller]

I can see the free end of spindle/axle is cone shaped and I assume the other end is as well which allows it to self-centre in hub axle.
Once the spindle is passed through hub axle the black thumb screw tightens it all up similar to a QR.
Not seen this type before but looking at it tells me that's the way it works. Could be wrong though.......

 

[Woz]

I can see the free end of spindle/axle is cone shaped and I assume the other end is as well which allows it to self-centre in hub axle.
Once the spindle is passed through hub axle the black thumb screw tightens it all up similar to a QR.
Not seen this type before but looking at it tells me that's the way it works. Could be wrong though.......

OK. Starting to see that now. Thanks. Interesting.

* STROKES BEARD, REMEMBERS 2 x 2 cm BOX SECTION STEEL IN THE MAN-CAVE, HITS THE DRINK CABINET TO HELP HYPOTHESISE *

 

[hookooekoo]

I've never used a wheel dishing tool. Surely if you measure the hubs and rims accurately, and do the spoke length calculations right, then the dishing automatically comes right. Certainly works for me.

 

[hookooekoo]

No to the spoke tension meter too. If you're not totally tone deaf you can pluck the spokes and listen to the sound. Just don't compare thick gauge spoke pitch to fine gauge spoke pitch, or DS pitch to NDS pitch.

 

[Imlach]

I've never used a wheel dishing tool. Surely if you measure the hubs and rims accurately, and do the spoke length calculations right, then the dishing automatically comes right. Certainly works for me.

No to the spoke tension meter too. If you're not totally tone deaf you can pluck the spokes and listen to the sound. Just don't compare thick gauge spoke pitch to fine gauge spoke pitch, or DS pitch to NDS pitch.

Appreciate the input. I'll see how I get along when I try to put something together. I reckon it's a learning on the job kind of experience, I'll get tools as I go along if I feel a need for them.

 

[Jamesbike]

If I can build wheels anyone can.

Worse part is measuring the spoke lengths tbh.

 

[Imlach]

I am going to set up my makeshift front fork truing jig this coming week and find an old battered wheel to play around with. Very excited. I will be putting on some late 80's techno and ambient tracks, become one with the wheels. Be the finest wheelbuilder the world has seen. Yes, I'm talking myself up - never down.

Will be getting that dishing tool though because I can get it cheap

 

[Gtpulse]

While I’ve got all sorts of tools and gadgets for wheel building I’ve found the most used and most important is the right size right quality spoke key. The Park ones are good as is the red disc style one, mines dtswiss.

Building/truing jig I’ve got an old Cinelli one cos it was cheap and an engineers dial indicator, again cheap at a boot sale. Neither are really essential to me.

That said I usually end up doing most of my truing in the most sturdy of jigs - the bike the wheel is going on and the brakes themselves to gauge it.

One luxury tool I guess is a nipple driver, I’ve got a Bicycle Research one which is pretty much the same as this DTswiss one. Great for that first bit of threading. Only got this as it was in a job lot of stuff, don’t think I’d pay the price for a new one!