Originally Posted by BikeWise1

When I tell a customer that, according to my calibrated tensiometer, their wheel is not properly tensioned, it goes a lot further than "your wheel isn't tensioned right-I can just feel it".

I wouldn't put up with a mechanic who told me he just "knew" by "feel" how tight my cylinder head bolts or lug nuts were on my car. I expect mechanics to be able to demonstrate the ability and confidence to measure their work and produce repeatable results.

Can I build wheels without a tensiometer? Sure. Would they hold up? Yep. Does demonstrating the ability to measure my work objectively inspire customer confidence? Absolutely.