I love the plywood home made truing stand. I made mine from aluminum angle bars with stainless steel fasteners. And these things are not all that hard to make. Even easier if one has plans.

And, if you are going to get into building wheels, get good tools: a good truing stand, even if it is home built, a set of spoke wrenches and get good ones, a dishing tool if your truing stand does not have one included, and a decent light to work with. And don't forget the hub rebuilding tools you will need also. No sense truing up a rim if the hub is shot.

I used Sheldon Brown's article as a starter and recommend it highly. He took the magic out of the activity and replace it with instruction. That said, I am sure there are other sources of how to do it instruction that might work as well or better for others.

Hope this is a help.