Andy_K 

Does anyone have pictures of the shop setup you use for wheel building?

I'm in the process of trying to get my shop organized. Having cleaned the Augean stable that is my man cave, I can finally get to my workbench and vise again, However, the workbench surface is over three feet off the floor (not my doing). By the time I put my truing stand in the vise, I have to be standing to have the hub at eye level. Even with a proper drafting chair at full extension, I can't sit high enough to get a good viewing angle. So, I'm goin to have to figure out something different. I was thinking maybe I'd build a table for this. But I need inspiration. What have you got?

SurferRosa

I like to sit on my living room floor and lace wheels, then true 'em up in an upside-down frame right there in front of the tv with an old TCM movie on, like McCabe and Mrs Miller. I jog over to the kitchen counter to perfect dish using a couple stacks of indie cd jewel cases, like Wilco's Summerteeth.

Spaghetti Legs 

I recognize this is a bike frame and not a wheel but this is where I do my wheel building. I bring my Park truing stand up from the basement and sit on the sofa. The lighting is better and more comfortable.

Imagine, if you will, a Park truing stand, a rim, hub and some spokes here

Classtime 

What truing stand are you using? I have the Park 2.whatever and use a pair of c clamps and clamp it at the edge of the work bench. That might do it.


edit: building a dedicated table sounds like fun. Consider that some procedures IME are more easily done standing while others are done sitting.

P!N20

I usually do mine here.

JaccoW

The assembly:



My wheel dishing tool:



Tensioning:

merziac

How about a drop bolt shelf, might have to hang out a ways from or slot the bench for clearance.

There's also the old bench grinder stand made out of an old car, wheel, big pipe and plate for mounting.

nlerner

I lace at the kitchen table and then true on my Park stand down in the basement. I have the stand bolted to its own platform, and I drag it out and put it on my workbench. That’s a good height for me.

3alarmer 

.....I lace at the kitchen table, too, using one of the chairs to sit in, and the other chair to sometimes rest one end of the rim on.
I use a portable, folding truing stand (the one that Performance used to sell) for the truing, set up on that same table, because the light is very good there.

When I'm not using this stuff, it all hangs on a pegboard in a tool closet in the garage.

Andy_K 

I've got a Park 2.2. Nice and hefty. Recently my practice has been to plunk it on the coffee table in front of the couch. That puts the base of it about knee level when I'm seated and gives me a pretty good view but maybe has me crouching over too much. That's the reason I am asking for pictures. I'd like to visualize what work surface height works well for other people.

Andy_K 

That's pretty similar to the setup I've been using, but the frame I keep on the table when I'm not building wheels isn't as nice.

Andy_K 

Love the dishing tool!

plonz 

I have an old desk in my bike cave where I can sit and labor over oval-shaped vintage rims for hours. I’ve moved on from string, ruler and tuning forks to the fancy blue implements.

seedsbelize 

I build using the Roger Musson method, complete with his home built truing stand and dishing tool. That setup gets moved to a convenient location on the bench when the time comes. I enjoy truing standing up. My lacing program leaves a lot to be desired. The coffee table idea has promise. I'll look into building such a thing. I'll post pics of the stand and dishing tool in a bit. The system works very well.

easyupbug 

Same for me other than I have a bench in the shop for lacing which is helpful as I also keep Roger's book near every time.

Moe Zhoost

Here is a lacing stand I built a few years ago. It makes the whole lacing process much easier. For truing, I use a standard Park TS2 + an old Minoura dishing gauge.

gugie 

Similar, I'll lace in the living room, true in the Atelier. My Park truing stand goes into my main vise which puts my working height at eye level while standing. Like most things, you want to be in a comfortable position while doing the work.

seedsbelize 

Dishing guage takes handheld pointer

Lateral truing guide on the left; radial on the right

SJX426 

Andy_K My bench is 37" tall at the surface. I am 5'11" using a Spin Doctor stand. It works well for me in terms of working and position. I typically stand up. Bench is a mess but here is a pic......oops wrong computer.

OK so here it is:

eom 

This deserves a thread of it's own! Very nice.

SurferRosa

^ Wondering if he has a similar looking tool to mount tires on that rim.

@Lascauxcaveman knows what I'm talkin' 'bout!

Andy_K 

See now, this is exactly the sort of useful perspective you get by asking for help. Your bench is about the same height as mine. I'm just a couple of inches shorter. When I put the truing stand in the vice, it was too high, but that's what I had in mind and it blocked me from seeing the obvious solution. If I put the stand on the bench, it's at a good height if I'm standing, and I can get the drafting chair to a good height for working seated. Doh! Now I just need to decide if I want to sit at the workbench often enoguh to justify keeping the drafting chair around. I've got a desk (fully occupied with equipment for my day job) in the same room that's too low for the drafting chair. First world problems.

Andy_K 

I kind of dismissed this idea at first, but after thinking about it some more, this could really work.Thanks for the suggestion!

Salamandrine 

For me it's a folding Minoura, usually stored in a closet with my other bike tools. I don't seem to have a need to build more than a wheel or so a year on average. While I'm sure I'm not as quick a wheelbuilder as I once was, it still does not take me long at all. Therefore, no point in having a dedicated workbench set up for it. I do have an all purpose project table for stuff like that. No photos today, cuz it's currently too messy and littered with guitar stuff. For minor truing I'm often lazy and get it good enuff with the brake blocks.

Anyhow, WRT your problem, I tend to go for the simplest solution. How about a taller stool?

mstateglfr 

First, great rim! Im sold on them, which is why I have a couple wheelsets with Archetype rims and a wheelset with Hydra rims.
I saw this pic and my first thought was 'well thats not an American house'. Not meaning for it to be good or bad, but rather simply an observation for which I lack the words as to why I thought that.