Wheel Building
I've taught several wheel building classes thus far, and this is how I go about explaining it.
Think of it as writing a paper. You dont try and make it absolutely perfect on the first go-round, unless you like spinning your wheels (ha!) you do multiple drafts.
same with wheel building.
basically, you have four basic parts to each draft.
- Lateral true
- Radial True
- Tension release
- Tighten everything
you need to work dishing in there, of course, and tensioning becomes an issue once the wheel gets about midway to finished. but then, i tend to build my wheels kinda loose, because i have issues with rounding off of spokes. as i become a better wheel builder, I will become a better wheel building teacher.
another point i like to hit is that when tightening everything, or doing anything to the entire wheel, do first one side, then the other. that way, if you fuck up and, say, overtighten, you're not striping spoke nipples in the middle of it and then having to start all over. if you do one side first, you'll know whether that was too much without screwing too much up, and you'll still be able to back everything off.
it's important to stress the PROCEDURE. you apply a procedure over and over again until things are straight.
it's science only insofar as we can compare finished products and see whether, say, higher tension wheels last longer, or give better power transfer, or whatever. the art is in getting to that point.
