Howard Darr and Chuck Schmidt have told of their embarrassing moments with wheel-building, but I can top them in shame. Twice. First time was the first set of wheels I built. Everything loosened up within the first 5 mi. of the first ride. A race. Every spoke was loose.
And even before that, I just could not get one wheel to true-up. The bump seemed to chase itself around the rim. Kindly and wise Ken Caster, Caster's bikes, Warwick RI, was very gentle when he pointed out that it didn't work well with one extra ball in one race, and one ball short on the other side...
Ah, those were the days, around 1970...
harvey sachs
mcLean VA
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>>>> > > in the ol' days we used nothing.<<
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>> I had a wheelset in the early 80s that was very troublesome. I built up
>> Shimano 600 high flange hubs, 36 Torrington spokes laced 3 cross to
>> Montherly Pro tubies. The rear wheel was fine but the front was
>> problematic. The same two spokes on the right side would loosen. I retrued
>> several times, I was embarrassed because I was the hot shot wheel guy at
>> the shop and my own pride was suffering. I went to an industrial show with
>> my father and scored a free vial of loctite blue. No further problems.(cut)
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Reminds me of my most vexing wheel: Mavic Mod. E rim, DT spokes and Maillard 700 small flange 32 hole hubs.
After a ride the wheel would be out of true, I'd true it and after the next ride it would be out of true, I'd true it and after the next ride...
Then I started to check the wheel for trueness during the ride. Sometimes it would be true and sometimes not. Amazing! I talked to a Famouswheelbuilder Steve Aldridge about the problem and he said, "Well consider who built the wheel!" (me).
How could the wheel be true one minute and not the next!?!?!? Something had to be shifting around that wasn't supposed to. I pulled the axle and cones out of the hub and checked the races and sure enough one of the races was moving in the hub shell. Used red Loctite® on the bearing and problem solved.
Chuck Schmidt
South Pasadena, California