Originally Posted by
Banzai
I need to maximize the utility of what I'll have. That means; good thread prep all the way up. Thinking either beeswax, linseed oil, plumbers teflon, or blue loctite. Thoughts?
None of the above.
Anti-seize (zinc based, not copper which will make things worse) will prevent galvanic corrosion between nipples + spokes, prevent galling where the nipples meet the rim, and let the nipples turn easily enough that you don't need to worry about rounding them off with a fully seated 2-sided spoke wrench and 110-120kgf tension. WIth proper tension you won't have problems with nipples coming unscrewed unless you bend the rims. Apply it using an acid brush (any decent wood working or hardware store will have 10-24 packs for a few dollars) with half the bristle length chopped off to both spoke threads and nipple sockets (the fuzz on Q-tips comes off, especially in rims without eyelets even when you remove the left overs from drilling with the angled point of a larger drill bit).
I have 14-15 year old alloy nipples on their second and third rims and the nipples still turned fine on the rim I replaced last year in spite of riding in rain and snow.
I've also had the displeasure of working on wheels not more than five years old where some one didn't use anti-seize and needed a pair of vise grips to get some of the nipples off.