I've been reading threads, and reading books, and reading Sheldon...and I'm thinking I'm ready to try building a wheel. It's going to be a rear wheel, a new Mavic 26" rim laced up to an old Deore DX 7-speed hub, 32 holes. However, there are inevitable questions...

1. Nipples. Are there any advantages of alloy over brass besides weight? Are alloy more prone to galled threads than brass? I'm building for strength, since I'm a fat bastard, so the few grams that brass would cost me are irrelevant. I want to use whatever will hold up the best.

2. Spokes. Do I want straight for strength, or butted for springiness?

3. Spoke length. Using DT Swiss' spoke calculator, I came up with lengths within 1.5mm between left and right. I checked and rechecked my input, but I can't help but think I buggered something up somewhere. I haven't checked against any tables yet. Do I need to recheck my numbers, or is it normal to have spoke lengths that close?

Any other advice would be helpful, including "Just let a shop do it" if you think I'm headed for heartbreak.