Pars 

I am going to be rebuilding a set of wheels, swapping out the hubs. Spokecalc verifies that I can just reuse the spokes (DT, relatively new).

Before unlacing the wheels, any advice on marking spokes, etc. or any other things I should do to make this go smoothly? Wheels are Mavic MA-2 rims, DT ss spokes, and going from shimano to campy NR hubs, 36 hole, 3x.

PlanoFuji

When I have done this, I made sure to remove the spokes one side at a time and keep them separate. After that I continued as if a new build. Swapping rims, is a bit different since you can transfer one spoke at a time to the same hole in the new rim.

rhm

Someone mentioned this a week or two back. Before you build your wheel, make a tool from a 4" piece of an old spoke. Thread a nipple down so 2 or 3 mm of thread sticks out, and hit the nipple with a hammer so it can't move again. Then you use this when building wheels. You thread a nipple onto the little bit of protruding thread, poke it through the hole in the rim and onto the new spoke, and turn it down until it stops. You can spin the spoke between you fingers so it threads on in seconds, and just as fast you can unscrew the tool and move on. When you're done, all the spokes are at the same tension already, depending on how much thread you left sticking out.

I have built countless wheels but i tried this for the first time a couple days ago. Wow, that is a great trick. The wheel went together in no time, and took even less time to true it up.

Does everyone do it this way? The guys I learned wheel building from did not.

seedsbelize 

Never heard of it, but I'm about to swap one rim and build one new. I look forward to trying it. Thanks!

Pars 

Thanks for the advice, and the old spoke tool seems like a good trick, I'll have to try that. Now just need to scrounge up a spoke, as I have none.

I thought I might take a marker and mark the outside spoke heads to keep track of them, and had already planned on keeping the spokes separate from the two sides as well.

Bill Kapaun

IF a rear wheel, the spokes are different length from side to side.

Marking the heads so that you have the same spokes crossing over or under is a good idea. You don't want to have to rebend them.

RobbieTunes

I also take a couple pictures of each wheel, and print them to look at. I get distracted easily. I have also put them on the copy machine and ran each side, saves taking pictures.

I mark the rear spokes on the drive side with a piece of green masking tape. I don't mark the non-drive side.

I build the rear first. I really like the nipple stop tool. Sounds like just what my limited functionality needs.

I don't have a truing stand, so I do all the lacing and try to get them uniform, then spend the $20/wheel at LBS to get them right. I just tell them I want them trued and tensioned. Right now, they are $65/wheel to lace, so I don't mind saving $90, but I like better hands on the final product than mine.

rhm

True (for wheels with multiple cogs) but the difference is often small enough that you can use the same size spokes on both sides. More spoke will be threaded into the nipple on the right side than on the left.

Pars 

Pictures sound like a good idea. My son does a lot of recording, so I thought I would have him record the spoke pitch before I tear these down. I do have my brothers Park truing stand, and his dish gauge, but no tension meter. I also have his copy of Jobst' book on wheels. Thought I would follow Sheldon's guide as well for lacing them. If I have trouble getting them up to tension, I'll do as you suggested Robbie and take them to a shop to finish up.

I laced a set of wheels a long time ago (late '70s). Long enough that I barely remember it

PlanoFuji

I picked up a commercial tool that helps with the same process; however, it doesn't thread onto the nipple (kind of a twist clamp) and works better. Heard about it and the old spoke tip from a wheel building video by Bill Mould. That DVD is great for visually illustrating what is in the books on the subject!

EBH

Heaven sent this thread, as I'm planning to do the exact same thing as the thread starter...

Bill Kapaun

And if his spokes aren't the same length, getting them mixed up is going to cause MAJOR problems.

Pars 

I'll keep the spokes sorted per wheel and side. From spocalc, I get 298.2mm for front, and 297.3/295.6 for rear (L/R). I'll measure the spokes that are in there, but would bet my brother also used spocalc (he pointed it out to me).

afilado

I did a wheel building marathon over the past winter - 6 sets.

I found this to be invaluable in loosening and starting/driving nipples. Speed is perfect.

https://www.toolbarn.com/blackdecker-...FSIV7AodF3UAsg

This is a cheap fine way to determine spoke length. Hook the bend of the spoke over the edge and measure away.

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...9lUIM52OvOM%3A

While the spokes are loose use some fine brass wool to clean/polish. It is softer than the stainless steel and leaves a muted shiny finish that is so nice.

Don't forget to lubricate the threads.

J

Pars 

I have one of the wheels apart now, spokes marked, bundled, etc.

I am noticing some rust on the eyelets in the rim. What is the best way to clean this up, and hopefully protect the eyelets from rusting again? These rims aren't that old, but I know my brother used this bike for wet rides.

unworthy1

I'm sure very few people own one, but I like using my old electric eraser with a "gritty" eraser strip (made for ink, not pencil). The round eraser strip is the perfect size for eyelets and it wears down to fit the contours as you use it...makes quick work of minor rust.
If you didn't do traditional drafting earlier in life, you probably have never seen one.
No reason a short eraser strip couldn't be chucked in an electric drill (or screwdriver) and used the same way, but might be clumsier.
I still have a load of Koh-i-noor eraser strips but if I had to buy more it would be interesting to try to find...maybe another ebay "collectible"! I have seen soft white and pink strips that fit plastic holders in big stationary shops, but you need the gritty ones for rust.

Pars 

Thanks, though I don't own an electric eraser, nor one with a "gritty" eraser strip. I do have a Pentel clik eraser at work (with the white cartridges), and do have some spares. I suppose I could try one of these in a drill.

I am somewhat perplexed as the specs on the rims (Mavic MA2s) seem to indicate that the eylets are 2 piece and supposedly stainless steel?

My other thought had been a rotary brass brush, maybe one for a dremel tool?

Any other thoughts appreciated.

conspiratemus1

Keeping the right and left spokes separate is important, since usually they will be different lengths.

I also keep the "inbound" and "outbound" spokes separate on each side, since the elbows take a different bend in the hub flange as you optimize the spoke line early in the tensioning process and you don't want to re-bend this vulnerable part of the spoke. Spokes that were inbound (heads facing out) in the old hub should be inbound in the new hub, ditto for the outbound.

So after disassembling the old wheel, you have four groups of spokes: left inbound, right inbound, left outbound, right outbound, and if I don't write down which group is which I will surely forget.

Pars 

Thanks. I have 4 bundles of spokes for the 2 wheels, but I marked the spoke heads on the "inbound" spokes and will install them in this manner. I used tie wraps to bundle them and each is marked with a masking tape label as to which wheel/side it is. In my case the right and left front spokes are identical length, and might be the same as the left side rear spokes as well. But I'll be sure not to mix them up.

Pars 

Well, I got a spoke and nipple already put in this configuration from the LBS. Problem is, it doesn't thread into my DT nipples from the back, and barely from the normal side. I think the spokes are straight 15ga, and they are DTs with brass nipples. What do I need to look for for a spoke and nipple to do this? I was thinking all spokes were pretty much the same threading?

peazweag

I don't separate front spokes unless its a disc wheel,and on the rear I will remove a drive and non-drive side then measure each if different I will separate them,if the same I won't

unworthy1

You would think so, but there seem to be different threads (and nipples) for 14 and 15 gauge, plus occasionally I have run into some oddball thread on really old French (or maybe not) spokes that neither will fit!
Try the old GO/NO-GO test...
research shows that the popular spoke thread roller machines have one die that puts a 56tpi thread on whatever gauge spoke you have, but never-the-less in my experience there will be some nipples that fit and some that just don't and I assume that it's a gauge variant...