Mavic A719 rims, or Velocity Dyad rims in 700C size are always a good bet for touring and utility use.

I opt for Shimano hubs in most cases. I've got XT hubs on my touring bike at present, but there have been reported issues about them. LX hubs appear to be a nice option at present. I've also used Ultegra hubs on my randonnee bike... really, I see little difference between them and the MTB hubs.

I use DT Swiss spokes for all my wheelbuilding. I use the straight-gauge spokes. I've never seen the need to use the double butted Alpine spokes DT Swiss offers, despite them offering additional strength. Often it comes down to personal preference. Three-cross for threading the spokes is virtually the standard for touring wheels; it produces a stronger wheel than two-cross.

It can be cost effective to build you own wheels, simply because you get a hub-spoke-rim combination that suits you. Plus you have the knowledge to maintain or repair the wheel anytime you need to.

But you do need to be patient to pick up the best deals on the components. I got two pairs of DT Swiss rims due being a member of Audax Australia which got a ground-floor, knock-me-over-with-a-feather deal on them. Other than that, I use Wiggle and Chain Reaction Cycles in the UK to source components, including spokes (note that Mavic rims are not available through these i-retailers outside the European Union).

I build all my wheels these days, although a pair of Dyads were ready built with the Velocity/Formula hubs. They have been good for the limited use they've had, plus the spoke tension on them is a ready reference for any wheels I build.

As to calculating spoke length, Damon Rinnard has his Spocalc download:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/spocalc.htm

which also includes a database on rim and hub dimensions as well as a method to get the measurements from scratch. The method of getting ERD is very useful, too.

This is the Wheelpro site:

http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/spokecalc/

And one I've used a bit is this DT Swiss site:

http://spokes-calculator.dtswiss.com...px?language=en

This the portal page for the calculator, and you don't have to be a registered user to make use of most of the calculator's functions. I like this one because it is from the guys who make wheel components and they make sure you know about things like nipple length.

Don't get hung up on getting the exact length. Often you'll find the spokes in shops and on-line go in even-numbered mm increment. Using double-wall rims means going slightly too long isn't an issue; going way too short presents problems in getting enough meat on the threads into the nipple.

You won't be able to cut your own spokes to length yourself unless you have a spoke threading machine. The threads are rolled and not cut, so a die won't help you.

To get a good finish on the wheels (true and round and centred) you can get a wheelbuilding stand with gauges, or you can use the bike itself with zipties on the seat stays as guides. You do absolutely need a good quality spoke key/wrench so you don't end up rounding off the nipples when you start with the higher tensions.

Sheldon Brown's site has this wheel-building section:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

I got Jobst Brandt's book on wheel building, and the routine for threading spokes and finding the right holes to start with is handy for me. But you have to buy, beg, steal, or borrow the book. Franky, it's a bit dated now -- I don't know of any wheelbuilder who determines the right spoke tension by tightening them until the rim deforms, then backs them off and tries to get the rim true again. And the fancy patterns and spoke-tying just aren't needed.

Hope this helps. I think it's always useful discussing wheelbuilding irrespective of the threads that have gone before.