Preciray truing stand - they don't make'em like this anymore

[Gsinill]

Got this as part of a combo deal with a Campagnolo tool kit.
Was sitting in a garage for 10 years after a local bike store went out of business.

Needed some TLC, i.e. complete restoration, but came out really nicely at the end.
Thing is heavy like hell, probably 60 lbs.

Apparently it also allows dishing without an additional tool.
Still have to build a wheel with it to judge how well it actually works, but I used it to hold a wheel for removing glue, was perfect for that due to its weight and sturdiness.

Seems like those have been used quite a bit in the 70s, so maybe it triggers memories for the folks that have been around for a while...

[fmradio516]

Just wow....

[ultraman6970]

Always liked that one and actually i know who has one but never asked how much he might want for it because he doesnt even want to mention it ... but have the park TS-3 and that thing is just fantastic specially with the litttle dial thingys... weight a ton too.

What I like about the french one the OP got is that has those rollers, they wont scratch the rims at all.

[unterhausen]

Those are really neat stands. I'm surprised a shop had one.

[Doug Fattic]

My story about the Preciray truing stand started when I got a Var catalog at the New York show in the early 70’s. I saw their sketch of that stand and really wanted one. My truing stand came from Cyclopedia and cost me $6.95. It worked fine (and still does) but I really wanted that fancy one. I started saving my money.

In 1974 I was traveling around England during my summer off from teaching high school and visited various framebuilders looking for a place to learn. During my travels I went to a retail shop in Harrogate that was connected to Ron Kitching a wholesale distributor that carried Var products. I asked the older gent in charge of sales if they could get one for me. He said yes but 1st he had some questions. Was I a bicycle shop owner? No, but I build quite a few wheels and the important question I had was how much does it cost because I brought my traveler’s cheques and I am ready to sign them over. But wait he wasn’t satisfied yet and his follow up question was I a president of a large cycling club? No again but in the school where I teach I am the sponsor of the school’s cycling club and help them with equipping their bikes. Still my answer wasn’t good enough and it became obvious that he was implying I, as a young American man, wasn’t spending my money wisely. He was guarding my pocketbook in my own best interests. I don’t remember much of the rest of our conversation except I kept saying I’ve got money and I want to spend it buying a Var Preciray truing stand and all he needs to do is give me the amount. That didn’t work and I finally gave up and left without the stand thinking I could get one somewhere else where they would only be concerned about their bottom line and not mine. It is still on my bucket list.

In the following years I’ve built hundreds of wheels on my Cyclopedia truing stand. I still do. It works well because I can catch just the most out of round spot. But I’ve never given up on my desire to have that Var stand. I didn’t want that well meaning shop manager to keep me from getting what I want. Want to negotiate?

[homagesilkhope]

Wow, lots of neat toys at your house, GS. I've never seen one of these. Plate implies it was made in Grand Rechain, Belgium - which looks like barely a crossroads east of Liege - so a timely post, racing calendar-wise. Way cool.

Great story, Doug.

Here it is in an old VAR catalog, item #485:

https://sheldonbrown.com/var/pages/var0035.html

[Polyglot]

I worked in a shop that had one of these. I used it perhaps 5 times and then switched back to the old faithful Hozan cast iron stand. The Hozan likely cost but a fraction of the Preciray but it was fr more user friendly when you needed industrial wheel-building.

[ultraman6970]

I was going to mention the Hozan ones... are fantastic. The guy who i learn truing had one.

[Spaghetti Legs]

That is an awesome piece of equipment. That plus a Campy tool kit. You are ready to wrench!

[oliver1850]

Interesting to see both the Var and the Hozan. The cast iron Hozan is in concept just like my home-made stand, which is the only stand I've ever used. Mine is made from flat and round steel and has nylon points for lateral truing.

GS, you should add a Hozan to the collection. This one is in Wheaton:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hozan-Tool-...8AAOSwsqxb~bSG

[ultraman6970]

Hozan makes good stuff. Sometimes way over designed, the nice about them is that they always kept the quality in their tools like VAR.