Originally Posted by g_taco
No offense, but you folks portray wheelbuilding as harder than it really is. I followed Sheldon's instructions and there was not much to it. There are caclulators to accurately compute the spoke length, and then all you do is follow instructions, step by step. It requires patience to screw down all the spokes and true the wheels, but that is just grunt work you repeat again and again. In the whole process you are not required to make any significant independent decisions. Everything is already figured out by someone and written down. I am not saying it is a piece-of-cake (and I can very well imagine anyone, including myself not interpreting things correctly for the first time), but I think it is a straighforward process and there is little avenue to screw up if you follow the instructions, and most screwups are reversible.
You're right that it's mostly grunt work once you get it laced, even for more esoteric lacing patterns. It does take time, though, so it's not as if you'll sit down in front of your first wheel and have it done in twenty minutes. Referring back and forth etc. to instructions, relacing if you misplaced a spoke etc. etc. I find some folks figure they'll build a wheel because it's cheaper than buying one. If one is all their going to build, that's not likely if you consider the time that goes into it. I can get a handbuilt wheel from my LBS for $85 and up, depending on what I need. When you factor in the cost of a stand, tensiometer if you use one (I don't), the rim, spokes, hub and tape, you'd have to build a few wheels to make it worthwhile financially. This latter point was what I was trying to get across.