Originally Posted by
thook
fair enough. i read, though, on mtbr where spokes being a little too long is a bigger problem than being a little too short. you lose the ability of using a screwdriver. of course, there wasn't anything more specific quantifying length, but the more i read seems 1mm is enough
i also just read this thread on mtbr:
https://forums.mtbr.com/wheels-tires...ay-108163.html
this post
#23 was particularly hopeful for me :
I found this little ditty on spokeanwheel.stormpages.com/lacing.htm
Nipples and spokes have enough threads on them that spokes will work fine if they are 2mm or so too short. The only real problem with spokes being short is that a nipple-driver screwdriver would not work to get the spokes started when you started building the wheel. The first spokes that you tightened up would work, but once you were about half way around the wheel, the screwdriver would tighten the spokes to their limit before it reaches it's spin-off point. The other problem with spokes that are a little too short is that the threads might show a little, but if you don't care about this, the wheel will work just fine and be as reliable as if the spokes were longer.
If your spokes are too short and you will have to get the wheel started using only a nipple wrench, try this. About the easiest way for starting all of the spokes evenly in a case like this is to take an extra unneeded spoke (maybe an old one), cut it so it's about two inches long off the threaded end, and wrap a piece of tape around the spoke about 4mm or 5mm from the end that's threaded. Make sure to use enough tape that it will stop the spoke from threading into the nipples for the whole build, 5 or 6 layers worth. Thread this spoke into the nipple from the 'inside' until the tape just touches the nipple. After starting a spoke, tighten the nipple to the point where the wheel's spoke touches the taped spoke. You might be able to do this by twisting on the cut spoke, if the spoke threads turn smoothly enough and you cut the starter spoke long enough to grab well. If you do this properly you will have a starting point where all of the spokes are evenly seated in their nipples around the wheel. Tighten the spokes 1 turn at a time in passes around the rim until the wheel starts to tighten up. Then finish building the wheel like normal.
probably safe to assume these guys know what they are talking about. so, assuming this info is true and reliable, then i'm going to assume i can get spokes at 301mm all around without trying to fudge with longer nipples and using too short of spokes in an attempt to avoid buying two lots of different lengths and wind up with waaaaay more spokes than i need.
there's an auction on ebay for a lot of 36 count SS (!!) spokes at the 301mm length. i buy two lots and wind up paying about equal to cheaping out on galvanized. really, it's been difficult finding galv. spokes....or any spokes....at the lengths i've originally stated needing
anyway, please correct me if i'm misunderstanding before i go buying
That doesn't sound to me like good advice - spokes that do not come up to the head of the nipple have plenty of threads engaged, yes. They just pop the heads off. Spokes that are so long the thread bottoms out and you cannot get sufficient tension are obviously bad but spokes that are long enough that a screwdriver doesn't tighten them all the way just means you have to spend a few more minutes with a spoke wrench. Unless your time is worth huge amounts of money, so what? (And if it is,what are you doing building wheels?)
I consider the perfect build to have spokes that come to between the screwdriver slot bottom and the top of the nipple. A mm or so over is just fine. (Yes, if these are not box rims, you will have to file off the spokes to the tops of the nipples to protect the rim strip and tube as noglider pointed out.)
I use that guy's trick to starting nipples; not because the spokes are too short but because many of the rims I use are box section without the ferrules for the nipples. (Velocity Aeros) Losing a nipple in those rims , especially after the wheel is almost all laced, is a PITA. Only I make my nipple starter by screwing on a nipple backwards all the way. That leaves the perfect starter amount of threads. Much more durable than tape. I cut the spoke in the middle and bend a nice handle. Have one for each gauge nipple I use.
Ben