my first wheel!!

[55ColumbiaBuilt]

Uncle Stretch, can you link us to the video you used for your wheels or a decent lacing video. There are so many out there and it just confuses me even more. :?

Thanks

I'm not Uncle Stretch but In April I completed rebuilding the original wheels from my wife's Columbia, and I'd like to share my observations from a "first -time" perspective. I used the three-part youtube video series seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTb3x5VO69Y&feature=fvwrel

This was very informative and I wouldn't have done it without this tutorial, but there are a few things that got overlooked that you should know.

1.) Using this technique, your valve stem ends up between those spokes that cross closest to the rim, not the two running almost parallel....no biggie, but less desirable for sure.

2.) Assuming all of the spokes hit at the center of your rim, this tutorial is great, but if they are off-set like the older ones are, you might get into trouble...I did.

3.) "Over-Over-Under" might be the norm today, but in the days that my wheels were built, the last set of spokes all reside on the OUTSIDE of the pattern...that is, "over-over-over".

My best advice would be to have an old wheel, like the old rear wheel while you prep the front wheel handy. Use the old wheel as a reference along with this video series to maintain a "sanity check".

If you're thinking about relacing wheels...GO AHEAD! After all, it was only human beings like us that built the pyramids....how hard can it be?? Hey, if I can do it, it can't be that hard.

 

[rydr1]

^^^ Thanks for the information. Any great info is appreciated.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Want to have fun, lace a motorcycle wheel. They are a cross two and every spoke is pointed towards a hole built for it. Can't go wrong. Yeah right. I tried like a bike wheel and when I flipped it over to do the other side , you couldn't get the spokes in. So unlace it and then stick all the spokes in. It makes it a nightmare trying not to scratch your new rims with all the other spokes flopping around. I longed for an easier time with a bike rim. :lol: Got them done though.

 

[rydr1]

55Columbiabuilt, thanks for all the info. I set up my first wheel and I thought, "WOW, this is great its easier than I thought!"
I got to the second wheel and I took several hours ust to lace it, but that was completely my fault in trying to be picky in what direction I wanted to turn the hub so the first set of spokes face a certain way on both wheels. I have a front drum brake, and a rear coaster brake that requires the mechanism all on the left side so I needed the spokes to match direction, was I being picky about it?

The second wheel I screwed myself over because I did over, over, under skip one and since I was trying to check if the spokes length would work for my 7 speed i mounted several over, over under on each side making it look like a spoke from each side needed to land on the same hole. It took me several hours after counting all spokes making sure they were all in the right holes. Once i figured out that I was the problem It took me less than 10 minutes to finish it. :roll:

Would I do it again, yes I would. Im even considering a truing stand. :mrgreen:

Pics coming soon.

@Columbia, if you get a chance can you upload pics of the over, over, over pattern? I stuck to the video pattern because that is how my felt wheels were set up.

@Uncle stretch, I know what it feels like getting scratches on the new wheels, my wheels no longer look new. :x

 

[Unchained]

Congrats. Wheel lacing is a lot of fun, at least for me. I learned by copying other wheels and via this lovely forum we have here. :mrgreen: To anyone that is afraid to try... be afraid no more! It's really not as scary as it seems at first. There are some super accurate spoke calculators on line, basically takes all the thought out of the equation. Lacing is the easy part, once you've got the right length spokes...

 

[Elmer]

Sheldon Brown was great, but the wheel building article gave me a headache and frightened me more. The youtube video I watched has me thinking I might try it. I plan on watching the video a few more times first. I want black rims, so I plan to use epoxy paint. I'm hoping it will resist scratching better, and watching the video until I'm ready will give it a few days (weeks?) to cure. These posts have given good advice and a boost of courage. Thank you!

This is the best group and most helpful on line.