crows foot spoke lengths

[spokelacer]

Hi folks,
I am a reasonably experienced wheel builder looking to build a crows foot pattern on a 36 spoke wheel. Anyone have advice(other than to tell me not to do it) on calculating tangential spoke length?

[oldpotatoe]

Hi folks,
I am a reasonably experienced wheel builder looking to build a crows foot pattern on a 36 spoke wheel. Anyone have advice(other than to tell me not to do it) on calculating tangential spoke length?

Really depends on if you do 3 holes together on the flange or skip holes for cross spokes, crossed at flange. I think radial and one cross lengths... But I don't really remember. Ergott??

[Mark McM]

The key is to figure out the spoke angles, which can then be used in standard spoke length formulas.

When calculating the spoke angles of unusual patterns, I find it easiest to draw out the pattern, and then find the angles from the angle between spoke holes, and the number of spoke holes of displacement from the flange to the rim.

For example, if you are lacing a 36 spokes to a 36 hole rim and 36 hole hub (12 groups of three spokes, 6 groups per flange): The center spoke of each group will be radial, so a spoke angle of 0 would be used in the for this spoke. For the two crossing spokes, the spoke on the left at the flange would lace to the spoke hole directly radial from the spoke hole to the right on the flange. The spoke holes are 20 degrees apart on each flange (360 degree/18 spoke holes), so since crossing spokes lead and lag by the equivalent of two spoke holes, the spoke angles of the crossing spokes are 40 degrees.

[tristan]

It's been a long time since I've done this but I used Damon Rinard's lacing pattern and from memory / my notes it looks like I used normal 3x spoke lengths with good results.

http://www.terminalvelocity.demon.co.uk/WheelBuild/

Also worth looking at is the 3-leading, 3-trailing design which to my eyes looks nicer than the crowsfoot.

[bikinchris]

It's been a long time since I've done this but I used Damon Rinard's lacing pattern and from memory / my notes it looks like I used normal 3x spoke lengths with good results.

http://www.terminalvelocity.demon.co.uk/WheelBuild/

Also worth looking at is the 3-leading, 3-trailing design which to my eyes looks nicer than the crowsfoot.

That's what I was going to say. 1/3 of the spokes are zero cross and 2/3 3x lengths.