Yes. It’s the only way that I can get the wheels I want. But that’s the key. If you build something you can buy, just buy it. If you can’t buy something off the peg, build it. Want purple hubs, you probably have to build them
Untitled by
Stuart Black, on Flickr
Want Phil Wood hubs, you’ll probably have to build them
Untitled by
Stuart Black, on Flickr
Untitled by
Stuart Black, on Flickr
I also build all my wheels with spokes that are heavier and stronger at the head, usually DT Alpine III. It cuts down on broken spokes...like down to zero.
I also teach wheel building. Many people who take my course never build another wheel but many of them say that the course helps them with truing wheels as it lets them understand the process better.