Originally Posted by
CliffordK
If you have a 42" lathe (horizontal or vertical), then one should be able to chuck up the fully built wheel, although the rim will still have to run straight (no taco).
If using a fixed cutter, then yes, "rigid". But, one could likely break some of the rules if using a rotary cutter (grinder) (noting, of course, potential issues with grinding aluminum).
I have no doubt it would be possible to do with a cheap apparatus if one was slow and cautious. But it still wouldn't be my choice of remedies.
I think we are in violent... agreement. Yes, setting up the wheel to be true on a faceplate would not be my idea of a good time. I agree with your idea of fixturing. perhaps true the wheel really well, put it in a truing stand-like apparatus, and use a block of Teflon(R) to buttress the portion of the rim that you are grinding with a Dremel or an old tool post grinder. But before I ever got to that, I'd buy a new rim!
But in my experience, if something doesn't work that should work then I'm not using the proper technique or tool. The suggestions above (soapy water to lube the tire and rim, get the tire bead in the center of the well in the rim) allowed me to go from "I can't mount this d**m tire! It's too tight! It's a bad design poorly implemented!" to "Gee, that wasn't so hard".