I am on day 2 of my first EVER wheel build. I actually just finished it. Lacing was quick - like 45 minutes. It was the fine tensioning/truing that took the longest (in part because my hub had become loose unbeknownst to me and the side to side true I was trying for was actually caused by the hub being loose!!!!!). Don't ask how many hour I wasted because of that. Anyway I'm done.
Tomorrow I will install new pawl springs on the planet cage pawls as well as the gear ring pawls of my Sturmey Archer Dyno-Three 1955 hub! I rebuilt it the other day and found the springs lacked "oomph" and the axle key was worn.