Originally Posted by
mplotkin
go to your lbs and see if you can get a cheap front wheel, maybe used but fairly new. lube the nipples with wd 40 and take the wheel apart, then put it back together again. if you have an old fork you can make a quick truing stand. the only way to learn is to do it!
Good advice...and if the LBS doesn't have a wheel to offer, you can usually pick up a whole bike at a local thrift store for cheap, and jump right in. The thrift bike would also offer the opportunity to learn to build both front AND rear wheels. If possible, try to get a wheel or wheelset (to rebuild) that you have the ability to ride (test) on one of your bikes. This will be easiest if you happen to have an older road or mountain bike that takes freewheels, as these will be much more easily to get your hands on for cheap than the newer cassette body wheelsets. Building and rebuilding will give you practice, but without the ability to test out your build quality through use, you'll be missing out on potential bad habit correction and the higher levels of satisfaction with your work.
-Jeremy