I was all excited to finally get my wheel built. I got a killer deal on double butted DT spokes. I got the wheel lace and for the first time I got the logo on the hub to line up perfectly with the valve hole. Then I set to bring the wheel up to tension. Ok so far so good. When I got it tensioned the dish was fairly far off and it was pretty out of true. Nothing I haven't dealt with before. Then I rounded off 3 nipple and trying to get the nipple out with a screw driver just stripped out the top of the nipple. GREAT. Now I have to go get three more spokes cut because I cant get the stupid nipples off. I just had to rant because it really is a let down. Stupid alloy nipples.

When I build with alloy nips i always make sure to grease the inside of the eyelet so the nipple moves easier.
Along with spoke prep I use tri Flo at each nipple for even more friction reduction.
Only time I ever had problems was when I didn't do this.
Loosen the other spokes in the wheel and you can get the stripped nipples off without cutting?

Make sure you're using a 4 sided spoke wrench, they shouldn't round off if you use one.

Your comment reminds me of the Gloria Gaynor song

'NEVER CAN SAY GOODBY'.

'SHOULD HAVE GOT RID OF THAT STUPID LOCK

AND THROWN AWAY THE KEY!'

(rotflmao)


Regards,
J T

If the nipple gets rounded off you can also try using vice grips to loosen them - i've had success this way

I don't use alloy nipples, BUT, it sounds like you brought the tension up too fast. When I build with new stuff, I'm careful to treat every spoke the same as I assemble and tighten; should come out fairly true. Then, once in the stand, get the major side to side wobbles out. Then get it round. Then get it centered or dished. Then start bringing up the tension (which might mean be going around the entire wheel a few times with a half a turn on every spoke) and fine tuning the side to side. Don't forget to seat the spokes at the hub (press the spoke against the flange opposite the head) and occasionally take the wheel out, rest it vertically on the ground and lean your weight on the top of the rim to release spoke windup). Its a process, shouldn't be up to tension until you're finished.

I use only DT alloy nipples, lots of lube, and a Spokey 4 sided wrench if it gets a bit tricky. I've found that other alloy nips are of way lower quality than the DT nips.

There's an old saying, "If its got wheels or nipples, you're gonna have a problem with it!".

DON

YellowJeep = 1st wheel build

dbakl = Has built MANY wheels!

My footnote to dbakl's build is that I drop the alloy nipples in linseed oil before installing.
Acts like lube when building, drys like loc-tite.
Can be released with a drop of mineral spirits before re-trueing.

yeah, with Al nipples it is important to get the wheel round and straight while there is minimal tension on the wheel, then you can start bringing up the tension slowly and it should be pretty easy to keep the wheel true.
the 4sides spoke wrench is key. also, pushing the spoke off the bend of the wrench as you pull the wrench off.
i don't really think Al nipples are worth it after i went to replace a few spokes and had about ten nipples break because they were frozen on the spoke...oh well.

Absolutely +1 with Dr.D! I use blue loc-tite with brass nipples, linseed oil with alloy. Hundreds of wheelbuilds later, still no issues. But this thread brought up another thought...

It seems that with the increasing amount of online customers, and the atrophying number of "older, more experienced" bike shop mechanics, these little "ins and outs" of quality wrenching are starting to wane a bit. Go to a race (heck, any ride really), and a high percentage of riders use pre-built wheels, "plug-n-play" cartridge bearings, etc... Am I alone in this thought? Am I starting to get "grouch syndrome" to a point? I mean, I ride a new, modern bike, but I feel like something is missing when I can build a whole bike from a pile of parts and 45 minutes later be riding down the road.

Nope. I feel the same way. I'm sure I'm younger, but I came around to handbuilt wheels after years of frustration with breaking spokes and wheels that would not stay true. I built my first wheels in 2007.

Machine built wheels are kind of like tube amps with printed circuit boards. Most people don't notice the difference until something goes wrong.

four words

spoke prep

4 more words
Rock N' Roll nipple cream

ok, so it's 4 and a contraction, lets call it 4 and a half, ok?

marty

Personally, I dread re-truing wheels which someone had built up with alloy nipples. If an owner had ever tried to true up a wheel even just a bit by themself, they had probably already rounded the nipples... and then, that's why the wheel comes to me.

Treat alloy nipples as if they are made of glass, lube them as others have advised, tension the wheels gradually, and be sure to use the correct size spoke wrench... "close enough" is very bad.

So many modern day racing wheels have now been built up with alloy nipples, I am seeing a steadily increasing number of "problem" wheels coming through the mill these days. Seems hardly worth the weight difference... IMHO.

yes, and if you want to dissolve away the nipple completely: lye in water. soak nip for a couple days, won't hurt the SS spokes but will hurt your skin or eyes if you aren't careful. so be careful.

Won't that dissolve the rim?

yeah..why try to dissolve anything. cut the damn spoke out and toss in a new one,
unless you aren't rich enough for 10 cents.

yes, if it's an alloy rim it sure will. it was just an oddball observation that might come in handy for some other time or situation. I once had some alloy nipples that had corroded and stuck on some stored and unlaced spokes and it was very satisfying to just melt the whole load of cr*p away.
BTW, if you choose to use BOILED linseed oil (and raw oil wouldn't work anyway) as a spoke prep, be sure to read the warnings about spontaneous combustion of oil soaked rags/paper towels. it's real.

Thanks, I've probably built a few hundred in the last 35 years, and trued a few hundred more... though I must admit the first one I ever built I was pulling nipples through the rim before it was even true! (Ah, no washers on a bare rim! Second for a dumchit only to drilling out my brake calipers!)

lol.
and building with nipple washers is fun that everyone should experience.

I much prefer brass nipples, but I 've got a wheelset with aluminum nipples that's nearly ten years old; I've had to re-true it a few times, no problems. I try and remember to put a drop of light oil on all the spoke/nipple junctions about once a year. That and make sure to use a good, tightly fitting spoke wrench. yellowjeep, could the spoke wrench you used be part of the problem?

Good point!~
I wondering how many others use a Park Tool SW-10 spoke wrench? (The adjustable one that clamps on.)
I've used that for years, but would like to try the "four corner" type. Who makes those?
Sounds like the way they should have always been made.

here's another recommendation for brass nips, linseed oil, and Spokey

Spokey makes the cheapest and probably the most commonly used ones.. (they're nice quality)
other versions made by:
dt swiss
hozan
var