sweeks

Thanks. I enjoyed building them, and as an amateur bike mechanic I get a good deal of satisfaction out of riding on wheels I put together.
The valve thing is actually why I started doing this. I had worn out a rim and took the wheel to a (rather exclusive, I thought) bike shop. The re-built wheel was beautiful at first glance, but when I got it home (30 minute drive) and tried to put the tire on, I discovered that spokes were crossing over the valve. I *could* just get the pump on, but it was vexing. Back to the shop, where the owner told me the mechanic had quit and that I would have to pay for a re-do. I declined the offer, probably too politely, and never darkened the door of that shop again. But, in truth, the guy did me a favor, because I learned how to do it myself.