Wheel building

[Jacaldo]

Hope this is the right forum to post this. I have recently started wheel building as a side line to my small garage business, I am still practising and have not as yet felt ready to take on paying jobs, I have done a couple for friends. This is a dying art and I am very keen to become a skilled wheel builder, my question is does anyone here know of companies or schools that run courses to anyone willing to pay. I am based in the north west of England, Merseyside, but willing to travel. Thanks

[dogsslober]

I started with bicycle wheels (self taught reading books) and started motorcycle later. I've only know they teach in bicycle wrench schools. Maybe here in the states at MMI

[kubiak]

Originally Posted by Jacaldo

Hope this is the right forum to post this. I have recently started wheel building as a side line to my small garage business, I am still practising and have not as yet felt ready to take on paying jobs, I have done a couple for friends. This is a dying art and I am very keen to become a skilled wheel builder, my question is does anyone here know of companies or schools that run courses to anyone willing to pay. I am based in the north west of England, Merseyside, but willing to travel. Thanks

i think you should just do more and you will get more and more comfy with it. plus you will be able to do it faster too. i have done about a dozen wheels for myself and it takes about 15 minutes to lace one and about 15 minutes to true it. i sit in front of the tv in my shop and do the work as im watching tv even!

[mcma111]

Here ya go:

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=785921

[Jacaldo]

Originally Posted by mcma111

Here ya go:

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=785921

Excellent replies, many thanks.

[Unstable Rider]

Pics of the process?

Do you have the hub mounted on a rotating arbor or stand at the time?

[jar944]

Originally Posted by Unstable Rider

Pics of the process?

Do you have the hub mounted on a rotating arbor or stand at the time?

I've done it on the bike and off, never bothered to use a proper truing stand myself. I have been thinking about machining up a jig to hold the hub and rim in position for quicker truing.

[Unstable Rider]

Looks high tech to me.

[kantuckid]

ask : www.central-wheel.co.uk I use their web page for information on rims/spokes -you need someone thats willing to share their knowledge, not a school & probably some old guy on your island that will do just that. I've done a few of my own and thing is, some are far harder to do than others! All depends on the lace pattern,number of lengths involved. The simple ones you can view YouTube & do OK. The link above states Honda rims as directional which is not always true. Careful what you read . Take pics of rims from both sides and with tape markers for indexing.
I've used a cheapo HF balance stand to spin mine so far. The steel rod is too large for a very small Honda vintage rim.

[mcma111]

Originally Posted by kantuckid

ask : www.central-wheel.co.uk

The link above states Honda rims as directional which is not always true. Careful what you read .

.

So I suppose Honda put this arrow on the rim for shitz 'n giggles

[Jacaldo]

Originally Posted by kantuckid

ask : www.central-wheel.co.uk I use their web page for information on rims/spokes -you need someone thats willing to share their knowledge, not a school & probably some old guy on your island that will do just that. I've done a few of my own and thing is, some are far harder to do than others! All depends on the lace pattern,number of lengths involved. The simple ones you can view YouTube & do OK. The link above states Honda rims as directional which is not always true. Careful what you read . Take pics of rims from both sides and with tape markers for indexing.
I've used a cheapo HF balance stand to spin mine so far. The steel rod is too large for a very small Honda vintage rim.

I have spoken to central wheels already, they do not have the time or staff to run courses, plus they would like to protect their business from competition, not from me but I do hope to start running this alongside my existing business.

[kantuckid]

Yes, I looked at your picture and saw the arrow. No argument please-my point was simple: that not all Honda rims have the arrow. Rims & tires can be directional but not always,end of story.

[kantuckid]

Originally Posted by Jacaldo

I have spoken to central wheels already, they do not have the time or staff to run courses, plus they would like to protect their business from competition, not from me but I do hope to start running this alongside my existing business.

I wasn't thinking of them as the trainer, more so someone that buys from them and ready to get out of work as in older type. Web search in UK for wheel builders???

[Jacaldo]

Originally Posted by kantuckid

I wasn't thinking of them as the trainer, more so someone that buys from them and ready to get out of work as in older type. Web search in UK for wheel builders???

We have lots of classic bike shows here in the UK, actually some of the biggest in Europe and I try to go to a few of them. I speak to few small business wheel builders at these shows and they all seem to be self taught, I just thought it would do no harm to get some training. My intention is to continue on my own, I'm not mechanically stupid, as I run my own small car repair business there is no reason why I should not improve and get faster with each wheel. There is a lack of skilled wheel builders around so fingers crossed work should come my way.

[Jayrod1318]

I've yet to see methods and equipment required to fix bent rims.

Lacing up a true rim is pretty easy.

The best bit of advice I've ever heard is that you cannot fix a bent rim with spokes! Starting with a true rim is paramount!