Morrow Coaster Brake spoke size

[moonbase]

I recently picked up a Morrow Coaster brake, and would like some help confirming some information before I begin my first wheelbuilding project. It's stamped O1 36 13, and my understanding is that means it was made in the first quarter of 1945, and will need to be laced with 13 gauge spokes, 36 of them to be specific. Is this correct? All of them I've seen before appeared to be laced with 14 gauge.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bicycle808]

Good question. 13g is the max spoke size, but you can run 14g or 15g, too. If you're using modern spokes on an old steel hub w/ skinny flanges, you might want to use spoke washers.... especially if you're running lighter gauge spokes.

 

[moonbase]

seems like a smaller spoke diameter would ultimately cause oblong spoke holes in the hub. Thanks for the info, I think I'm going to have to go with the 13g for peace of mind.

 

[Bicycle808]

seems like a smaller spoke diameter would ultimately cause oblong spoke holes in the hub. Thanks for the info, I think I'm going to have to go with the 13g for peace of mind.

It won't be a problem; most shimano hubs are drilled 13g but ppl usually build'm with 14 or 15g spokes. But, yeah, check out holmes hobbies for 13g Sapims in custom lengths:
http://holmeshobbies.com/Sapim-Stainless-Custom-Spokes.html
Unless you ask for the oversized nerps, you'll get regular ones that use the normal black Park spoke wrench....

If you decide you wanna save a lot of money, you can get the 14g Sapims from Danscomp for a quarter each, including the nerps...

 

[moonbase]

I didn't know about Dans......thanks for that.

 

[Bicycle808]

YVW.