Originally Posted by
operator
What I didn't quote was how he says that < 24 spoke wheels cannot be handbuilt in another conversation. So he's saying it can be done and can't be done in different posts. Which is it? Spoke unloading - does that only work for box section rims or deeper section ones like deep v's?
If it doesn't work for deeper section rims, how do you unload the spoke then?
If you want to be a jerkbag, go right ahead and do it - but answer the question at the same time.
Sorry if I offended, but the question at the bottom of your original post was answered within the post. It seemed like you were just out to pick on JB, not ask a question. If you have a question for JB, he's over on rec.bikes.tech all the time.
Putting what JB says aside, yes, you can build low count wheels by hand. Deflecting the rim will unload a spokes in the direction of the deflection. With deeper rims, it becomes much more difficult to unload by squeezing adjacent spokes together -- and impossible with low count wheels because adjacent spokes are not anywhere near parallel for squeezing.