wheel building

[sjpt]

The 5 year old Woosh XF07 wheel on the front of our tandem stopped being as true as it should be, and when I went to true it I found two broken spokes. (Very neglectful of me not to have kept more careful track of spokes all along.) Oddly they weren't broken at the J curve, but at the point a few mm above that where the spokes touch the edge of the rim.

Anyway, I've ordered a few new spokes from Ryan who I've seen lauded here and will replace them, but I know that once spoke breakage starts it may be rebuild time.

A couple of questions;
Do the wheel builders (Nealh?) here use a jig?
Do they use any spoke tension measuring tools, or just do it by ear/eye?

I've built one wheel before (far from perfect but not too bad) without either and just wondered how more regular builders feel about them.

p.s. His site says
Aargh! I'm having a baby and it's early! I will be taking paternity time over the coming weeks and working part time hours, there will be cover from one of the team during this period but please bear with us.
I hope his wife/partner's delivery is satisfactory, and ours is not too late!

 

[Nealh]

I use a trueing stand I made out of wood. though one can use and old fork or rear triangle of a bike as a trueing stand. All you need ot do is mount them in some way to be practicle.

I usually ping test for tension but also do have one of those manual spoke tensionomaters that one squeezes to get it on the spoke for a reading.

If replacing a couple of spokes and the rim is a little untrue, true it in situ.
On one side place a cable tie around the drop out tube at the rim edge and then cut the tale end so it just touchs the rim ( select an area that you know to be pretty true) , then use that tale as the marker for the rim to just about rub on to use as your guide/pointer. On a trueing stand the guide will be a metal pointer of some sort.

I don't over fuss about true as long as it is < 1mm.

 

[saneagle]

I never use a truing stand. Instead, I build the wheel and tighten the spokes evenly, then put it in the frame or forks for truing. Actually, I have a spare frame and forks that I often use if I want to do it in the house. Turn the bike upside down and put a stool at the end of the bike. With one leg either side of the bike, you're in the perfect position to do the truing. Fix a cable tie or two to the frame or forks and trim it to a bit longer than enough to reach the rim. Any wobble in the rim makes the end of the cable tie go backwards and forwards, or if you have rim brakes, you can use them to check for central and trueness.

If you must have a truing stand, you can easily make one out of two triangles and one rectangle of plywood, and screw through some long screws as pointers for trueness.

 

[sjpt]

Thanks for the replies.
In the short term I expect to true in situ; even using the old nipples to save removing the tyre.

Marathon Plus; for some reason easier to fit on that Woosh XF07 rim than it is on most, but to compensate the rim somehow makes it awkward to seat properly. I think maybe the outer flanges are slightly lower on that rim than on most.