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You can do it FS! Wheel building and trueing is not easy. It is a learned talent. Well worth your while to finish. I have built many wheels over the years, and my best tip is to 1st buy a trueing stand. Having a stand encourages you to work on wheels..
2nd tip: After lacing it up, place it in the true stand and hand tighten(or loosen) all the spoke nips until the rim spins relatively true horizontally and vertically. Make sure every nipple is tightened during this process by HAND with your fingers only until every one is tightened fully and cannot be any further without a spoke wrench..... Once you do this and the rim is fairly true, grab the SPOKE WRENCH and turn every nip one turn all the way around the wheel. Again adjust trueness in the stand by loosening or tightening individual spokes until it spins mostly true again in the stand.(up and down). Repeat the process again by tightening every spoke nip a 1/2 a turn with the wrench, check for general trueness and when running clean, tighten a 1/4 to 1/2 a turn more each spoke all the way around. Do this over and over until tension is reached and the rim spins true. It generally takes one to three full turns total after HAND tightening them. It is really pretty easy.
A couple of other mentions is linseed oiling the spoke threads to keep them workable before building, and re-check the spoke tensions after your 1st ride because the spokes will "set" into the hub flange and rim, and if the spokes become loose while riding, you may destroy the wheel. You can do it!!
 
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I have a truing device that mounts to my repair stand, and I've been trying to do this but my level of frustration lately has been rediculous.
Plus the owner wants it done pretty soon.

I'll try again today, then take them to my LBS if I can't do it.
 
Ok, so the issue I had with the wheels is because I apparently built them backwards. The pattern was right, except the spokes were pulling the wrong direction?
I don't know how it happened, but my friend at the LBS had the same issue I had before he realized they were pulling the wrong direction.

Anyway, I just finished the bike today. Here's some pics.
6951b38588039e2a452dcf0b4f604828.jpg
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13e3f330c2b76db7a287473c32869b4a.jpg
d0b6e515af444db217b09285f08d7a0a.jpg
458d27cde079b1ad8be1f5752589ba37.jpg
 
Nicely done! Was he happy?
 
Nicely done! Was he happy?
Yes, very happy. But he hasn't seen the bill yet.

I do have to rebuild the rear hub again, it has a noise that I think is bearings not seated proper.

I'll take care of that in the morning, then I'll show him the bill.
 
I like what you did with the rims, bars, stem, fork brace, etc. Any chance you could hit the seat springs / rails, and seat post with that same treatment? That would be the cherry on this very sweetly done rehab! Nice work, Jim!
 
I like what you did with the rims, bars, stem, fork brace, etc. Any chance you could hit the seat springs / rails, and seat post with that same treatment? That would be the cherry on this very sweetly done rehab! Nice work, Jim!
Thanks

I thought about painting the seat frame and springs, but the customer wanted them chrome.

I do have to say though, I'm happy with how it turned out. Even though it's nothing close to what I envisioned for this bike. The colors grew on me, and the aftermarket fender light fits surprisingly well.
 
Forgot to ask, are those Ian's rocket grips? Look good on there.
 
Forgot to ask, are those Ian's rocket grips? Look good on there.
I'm not sure, I picked them up from crazydave last summer.
 
Oh, and now he wants me to try to find new grips that are a closer match to the tires.

Any links to cream colored grips?
 
If you don't have any luck with the creams, I'd go for a tan / brown that might match the seat instead. Cream will be dirty in 5 seconds, assuming he rides the bike....
 
My daughter had a Wally's bike with matching cream grips, seat, and tires. Within a month I couldn't bring myself to touch the grips they looked so nasty...and wouldn't clean up with normal soap and water.

Jason
 
My daughter had a Wally's bike with matching cream grips, seat, and tires. Within a month I couldn't bring myself to touch the grips they looked so nasty...and wouldn't clean up with normal soap and water.

Jason
I learned with my stormtrooper build that light grips suck. But it's not my bike.
 
Maybe show him Ian's coke bottle or ball end grips in red

Coke Bottle Grips, Ball End Grips, Leather seats THOMPSON CLASSIC BICYCLE COMPONENTS

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?share_fid=77973&share_tid=87850&url=http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/Coke-Bottle-Grips,-Ball-End-Grips,-Leather-seats-THOMPSON-CLASSIC-BICYCLE-COMPONENTS.87850/&share_type=t


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That's what we talked about yesterday, he likes the idea of coke bottle grips.
 
Love mine on Desert Rat.....of course, mine were rat-ified a bit....

Desert Rat.jpg
 
You can do it FS! Wheel building and trueing is not easy. It is a learned talent. Well worth your while to finish. I have built many wheels over the years, and my best tip is to 1st buy a trueing stand. Having a stand encourages you to work on wheels..
2nd tip: After lacing it up, place it in the true stand and hand tighten(or loosen) all the spoke nips until the rim spins relatively true horizontally and vertically. Make sure every nipple is tightened during this process by HAND with your fingers only. Once you do this, tighten every nipple with a SPOKE WRENCH one turn all the way around. Again adjust trueness in the stand by loosening or tightening individual spokes until it spins mostly true again in the stand.(up and down). Repeat the process by now by tightening every spoke nip a 1/2 a turn with the spoke wrench. Check the general trueness and when straight again, tighten a 1/2 a turn more all spokes. Do this over and over until tension is reached and the rim spins true. It generally takes one to three full turns after HAND tightening them. It is really pretty easy. A couple of other mentions is linseed oil the spoke threads to keep them free before building, and re-check the spoke tensions after your 1st ride because the spokes will "set" into the hub flange and rim, therefor loosening the spoke tensions...You can do it!!


This is one of the best write ups I've seen on truing. Great job SKPC! Post this in the how to!

I spray the threads with WD-40 but same same. After a few sets it's like riding a bike.. :rofl:
 
Love mine on Desert Rat.....of course, mine were rat-ified a bit....

View attachment 60092
He's decided to hold off on the grips for now, but wants to change the paint scheme a bit...

Not an issue, but no more customer builds.
 
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