Wheel lacing question - nipple threading

[estilley]

Built my first set of wheels last night (major tom's to CK classic with DT Swiss, 2x both sides)

After lacing the trailing spokes, it seemed pretty tough to get the leading spokes to go far enough into the rim to get the nipple threaded easily.

Ended up having to insert the nipple with the driver first so it would thread on to the spoke, which was pretty difficult considering that there isn't a very solid connection between the driver head and the nipple.

Any suggestions? Gave the wheel a good turn to get the spokes oriented right but some were still really hard to reach.


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[ColonelJLloyd]

A nipple driver isn't of much use there. You want an Alchemy Nippler or equivalent. You can make a cheater with a spoke and two nipples.

[guido]

This thing does the job for me:

https://www.amazon.com/EVT-Mulfinger-Nipple-Loader/dp/B00DII5K10/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1474651444&sr=8-4&keywords=nipple+driver

The VAR ones are 3x the price but this works fine.

[bicycletricycle]

assuming your spokes are sized correctly.

When I have had problems like this in the past it hast mostly been with deep section rims.

I take a spoke and thread it into the back of the nipple one or two threads and use that to insert the nipple.

it automatically comes out when you start threading the nipple onto the spoke.

a little time consuming but works

[estilley]

Great solutions! Thanks as always!


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[carpediemracing]

I take a spoke and thread it into the back of the nipple one or two threads and use that to insert the nipple.

it automatically comes out when you start threading the nipple onto the spoke.

+1

Also I have a tiny claw like thing I think it was a DT tool for holding the nipple. Got it when DT was doing their wheel building certificate thing.

The "thread onto another spoke" is easier for me than the claw tool, which drops nipples every now and then.

If you crimp a spoke nipple onto your "threading spoke" it creates a stop, make sure there are enough threads so you can hold the nipple in place. You can turn the spoke nipple and thread the nipple onto the actual spoke.

[Mark McM]

The special nipple starting tools suggested here will do an excellent job. But for occasional use, a split tip screw-holding screwdriver can work just fine to hold onto the nipple when you insert it into the rim and start the threads.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/images/item/woodworking/screwdrivers/88k2001i.jpg

These screwdrivers can be had for just a few dollars at any decent hardware or tool store.

[estilley]

Going to open this up again....

I feel like there must be something odd going on with either the spoke calculator or perhaps just my own method.

Attempted to lace the rear wheel tonight and while all the pull spokes went fine, when it came to the leads it seemed like the spokes were WAY too short. I couldn't get a single one to thread even after inserting the nipple into the rim and twisting the hub as far clockwise as possible.

It's a velocity major tom rim and Chris King Classic High Flange rear.

I used those spoke calculators and it yielded 281.8mm drive side and 283mm non drive.

I rounded up to 284mm and 282mm respectively.

Not sure what could be going on as most calculators yield these lengths.

[estilley]

Well just realized I made a nice lacing error...

Going to fix that tomorrow and hopefully all goes to plan. But not until after racing some cross in the morning!


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[ultraman6970]

u did 3x instead of 2x?

[oldpotatoe]

u did 3x instead of 2x?

That's my guess...:D

[ultraman6970]

Done that a few times :D But i been in those cases when it happened exactly what the op is saying, all looks ok and the spokes are short. Started from zero and everytihng worked out just fine :) never knew what I did wrong.