SirMike1983 

For those of you who roll your own spokes for repairs or custom wheels, do you use the Cyclo or Hozan home spoke roller? The Phil Wood version is too expensive for my purposes, but the Hozan and Cyclo are both options for me. I'll mainly be rolling old style grey galvanized spokes. I can just buy the stainless ones, but for some projects I need to duplicate a particular look or wheel set and want to roll my own old style grey spokes.

scarlson 

I only bought the rolling head, but I bought a Cyclo. I think it was cheaper. I used it without the rest of the jig, to roll some 24 expensive DT stainless spokes I had leftover to shorten them for another project. I turned it with a wrench, spoke held in the vise I think. It paid for itself right there. Later, I used my machining skills to build the jig and crank and whatnot. I used it for two more wheels (the old gray galvanized spokes, I had to do some single-butted ones for a tandem), not to mention a spoke or two here and there for repairs because I never have the right length to repair a wheel.

I have no complaints about the performance of the Cyclo rolling head, but I will say with any of these tools you MUST keep it oily. Like, dripping with oil. If one of the three beehive-shaped rollers binds and starts to skate or slip, you will quickly grind a flat spot in it and it won't want to turn anymore. Doesn't matter what kind of oil, I use engine oil like for a car or 3-in-1 but you could use Phil's if you like spending money.

RustyJames 

If interested - There was a local (Portland, OR) CL ad with someone selling a Phil Wood threader. It wasn’t cheap but it sounds like he had a ton of attachments if that would interest you. LMK if you want more info.

oneclick 

I used a Cyclo (entire) to shorten spokes for these wheels - frugality + availability + (n+1 tool), winwinwin:

bikamper

I use a Hozan I got at a swap meet 15 years ago for dirt cheap. Great for that one off spoke, doing forty spokes for a DL-1 type wheel because I wanted to go from single speed to SA 3 speed, not so much. Might work better in my new shop as I won't be slamming my elbow into a tool box anymore.

SirMike1983 

Thanks. I ordered a Hozan. The purpose is one-off repairs up to maybe 16-18 spokes. I have all the common lengths on hand, but sometimes you need some weird lengths for asymmetrical hubs like the GH6, AG, FG, AB, etc.

SJX426 

I have had a Hozan for several years. Used it once. The problem is that I need spokes but don't order them for some reason. I have several builds I would like to execute. Where is the best price for DB SS spokes?

scarlson 

Yojimbo's Garage, probably. Their ebay account went away, so now I just place orders via email. Cut out the middle man!

I've ordered from there 4 or 5 times. Excellent service, perfect products. The Sapim spokes are really top-notch. And believe me, I have looked closely! The wheels I've built range from superlight (Hi-e/Kinlin XR200 24h; American Classic 225/Pacenti Brevet 32h) to tandem durability (White MI6/Rigida Sputnik 48h). None have ever broken on me, or come in the wrong length, or anything else.

I favor the triple-butted Sapim Force. It's 14/15/13ga. 13ga is at the elbow, where it's most likely to break. Most hubs are drilled to take 13ga spokes because the rolled thread on a 14ga spoke increases the diameter to 13ga, and must pass through the hole. For this reason, 13ga elbows fill up the holes in the hub better, and may result in less crack-prone flanges. Plus I don't think it adds much weight over the double-butted. About 0.22g per spoke if Sapim's datasheets are to be believed.

bulgie 

I have used both Hozan and Cyclo but too long ago to remember whether I had a favorite. I don't even remember the brand of the one I still own, tho I think it's a Hozan. My Swiss BB taps are Hozan though, so that may be the Hozan box I remember seeing up on a high shelf collecting dust.

Pro tip: replace the hand crank with a variable-speed revrsible drill. I recommend the cordless variety, that have a clutch you can set so it slips when the torque gets above a threshold. I'm not looking at one now, this is from memory, but I think I arranged it so you cranked the drill until the chuck ran up against the frame of the threader, which caused the clutch to instantly slip so the threading stops, at the same place on each spoke. Then reverse at high speed to move on to the next spoke. It was fast enough to make a couple wheels worth that way without going insane from drudgery.

I still have the threader, can dig it out and recreate my method if needed, but I think you'll figure it out.

EDIT:
Almost forgot, pro tip #2, chamfer the ends of ths spokes after cutting, before threading. I used a belt sander, but a bench grinder, dremel or even a file can suffice. If you cut the spokes with any kind of nipper like "dikes" or a small bolt cutter, the end is pinched, making it actually larger than the spoke diameter in one dimension. It doesn't feed into the rolling head so well, and I think it might even damage the rollers. A tiny chamfer is all it takes to make the spoke eagerly feed right in like it wants to have threads.

If you don't have a belt sander, then what are you waiting for? A bike mechanic needs one! Get a little hand-held, whatever's cheapest where you buy tools. I see Home Depot has one for $41. You can clamp the handle in the vise to make an impromptu bench-mounted sander. Push in the button that makes it stay On, and you have both hands free.to twirl the spoke against the moving belt. Something like a half-second per spoke. Also great for flattening the ends of cable housing, removing saw marks from hacksawed things, even some poor-man's lathe work. Spinning a part in a drill while holding it against the belt sander is a powerful and versatile technique. Wear eye, ear and lung protection (dust mask), they're loud and the dust stays in your lungs forever.

EDIT #2:
I shoulda known, there's someone who did this on Yout Ube: That guy doesn't think chamfering is necessary, and maybe he's right. It sure threads fast for him, no prob Bob.

Mark B

T-Mar

I have the Hozan. I don't recall ever using a Cyclo, so I can't offer a comparison.

Reynolds 

Same here. I have used the Hozan for 5 or 6 wheels (yes, all 36 spokes each), it worked OK.