Originally Posted by
obrentharris
I want to see a picture of this!
Cheap solutions are great for finding out if building wheels is really how you want to spend your time... unless you are a tool junky: then the task becomes just an excuse for owning the tool. I built my first few wheels using nothing more complicated than my bicycle turned upside down. The brake pads are your guides and, as [MENTION=424205]Salamandrine[/MENTION] points out above, you can flip the wheel to check centering.
1st purchase - spoke wrenches.
2nd purchase - dishing tool.
3rd purchase - truing stand.
By the time you get to the third purchase you will know whether this is something you want to splurge on.
Brent
I'll take a picture next time I build a wheel, or true one with the tire off
But basically...trainer on the coffee table. Empty beer can next to the wheel which of course is in the trainer. Works great to gauge lateral trueness. If your eyes aren't good...the beer can makes a nice screeching sound when the wheel makes contact with the can .
The steel adjustable roller of the trainer is used to measure radial roundness. Also makes a great screech when contact is made.
In all honesty...I can't see how a commercially made one would be all that much better aside from having the lateral gauge fixed, rather than having to tap the can over a couple millimeters every now and then. But then again...mine is basically free. Aside from being forced to drink a beer before I build a wheel. The horror!
