Originally Posted by
Ghrumpy
I use a 90 degree countersink. Like this one:
https://www.mcmaster.com/#27885a45/=1bi1i5h
Chuck it into a drill if you're brave, and go slow with light pressure. For like a half a second. I usually do it by hand. I mark the direction on the rim with a magic marker. Then I just take a tiny bit off with the countersink, especially with eyelets.
Not a bad idea, although I was thinking more of a simple drill bit the diameter of the sides of the nipples.
The nipple head should be somewhat ball and socket shaped, allowing a little variation in direction. Are there ball and socket shaped nipple washers?
For a big hub like the OP's, one could cut out a disc the size of the spoke circle on the hub. Then use a straight edge, and go around to all the holes and mark the direction of each spoke to one or the other tangent on the hub cuton, and R/L on the sidewall. Then later clean with acetone, or let brakes rub it out.
Heck, it might also help with building the wheel later to know where each spoke is supposed to go.
