Originally Posted by
furballi
I try to build wheels with +/-0.001" tolerances (axial and radial). Most important requirement is a "round and flat" rim (+/-0.02" or better would be ideal). Many welded and machined rims tend to be very true at the joint seam. Second requirement is patience to lube the rim, spokes, and nipples. Finally, take the time to build up the spoke tension evenly around the rim. Get the rim as true as possible in the radial direction while maintaining +/-0.04" in axial run-out. The final step is to stress relieve all spokes while tightening axial and radial tolerances. I will back-off spoke tension by 1/3 turn when a small increase in spoke tension of a few nipples causes the wheel to "warp".
This strategy tends to favor high spoke tension. One should be careful using this techniques on weaker rims like Mavic Open Pro. I never worry about even spoke tension, because if the rim is true, then the wheel should be true with good spoke tension.
The tighten-to-warpage technique has been highly regarded in the past, and has been recommended by notable wheel building authorities. However with the easy availability of an inexpensive tool like the Park tension meter, I don't see the point in pushing the wheel so close to its failure points, both re: potato chipping and spoke pull through (the rim holes) these days. Keep in mind if the wheel is that close to potato chipping, it won't take much stress from an incident on the road to push it over the edge. My recommendation is build your wheels exactly as you like to up to the point of dialing in final tension. You're happy with that, so why not. But I would apply the tension meter when setting the final tension and choose a well accepted level for the particular rims you are building. This is especially true in the case of radial spoking where over tensioning the spokes can not only cause rim damage but hub damage as well.