Thanks for all the responses!

I'm just finishing reading Brandt's wheel book, and then I'll begin attempting my own wheel work. Personally, I've had really nothing but so-so/bad experiences with the lbs(S) so, I'm pretty much in the mindset of learning/(getting all the tools i need) so that I can just do all my work myself. (and maybe in the future my roommates work as well). Wheels are my last hurdle, so this is a good experience in a motivational sense. (Wheels are last until I start getting bikes with gears and all that jazz again).