mattface 

talk about fudging spokes! It would appear I made a huge miscalculation. (well a $20 miscalculation)

I actually need 292mm spokes for 48 of my 64 spokes with th remaining spokes being 295mm. The problem is I already ordered a pack of 72 295mm spokes. can I just get em cut down at the LBS, or do I need to buy more spokes in the right length now?

MudPie

In addition to cutting to length, you might have to cut additional threads into each spoke.

I'd play it safe and use spokes with the correct length. Too much is dependent upon the spokes.

DannoXYZ 

Yeah, 3mm is a bit much. I think up to 2mm you can get away with cutting a bit off and grinding the tip flat. But 3mm may end up having you bottom out the nipple on the spoke...

mattface 

ys, but can't the LBS cut & thread them?

poopncow

No don't even think about it. It is not worth the trouble

poopncow

Sorry, too blunt and too opinionated ...so....

cutting the spoke length down is not even necessary for most rims as there is a big gap between the top of the nipple (inside the wheel) to the top of the rim. The trouble you may run into is that there is not enough threads and the spoke will bottom on the nipple before you get the proper tension and true-ness. The spoke cutting machine that most bike shops use rolls the threads. There is just too much risk that the threads will get all buggered up while trying to add more on. Of course if you are really nutz, you can find the right size die and case more threads yourself.

But it is your risk to take when you have to rip all the spokes out and buy new spokes and start lacing all over again.

btw: I had DT spokes that were 2.5 mm too long and had to take 6 or 7 of them out while truing due to the spokes bottoming.

Your risk, your call, let us know how it works out

dooley

You can cut new threads, but the orginal threads are rolled and of a larger diameter than the spoke itself. You can also but spoke rollng machines, but they're very expensive.

supcom

Perhaps you can return the spokes you ordered for what you need?

mattface 

I hope so It was an ebay auction, and I already payed for them. I still need a few 295s, so if they can throw in a bag of 293s as well I'll still do alright on price. Of course they may not have a bag of 293s, and then I'm down to buying them at 60¢ + a pop.

Mixing Wheelsmith 14DBs, and DT 14DBs on the same wheel is probably not a great idea huh?

mattface 

My LBS says $5-8 depending upon wether they need threads cut. Sounds good to me. Even if they don't have a thread rolling cutter we're only talking about the last mm that would be recut. the rest would be original threads.

ctp

We used to to do this at my shop on our Phil machine. It always depended on how much I was cutting off, and threading over old threads. Generally if cutting off enough we didn't have a problem. But it's a call someone has to make in person.

supcom

Shouldn't hurt anything. For aesthetic reasons, I'd try to stay with one type. Color/polish may vary between brands.

DannoXYZ 

The Hozan tool does a good job of rolling threads as does the Phil Wood machine; our shop had both. Rolled threads are larger in diameter than the spoke and are forged. Much stronger than cut threads, but I don't know of any one using dies to cut threads this small... So yes, rolling more threads can be done if you've got the tools and know how to use it. Not likely in a shop that doesn't build a lot of wheels. Best bet is to return the spokes if you can and get the right length.