AU - TS Wheels

[GlennMckenzie]

Thought I would share this information with fellow forum members.
I wanted to have a go at rebuilding the Wheels for my 1922 TS myself, mainly due to the cost and 4 week turn around of the local Wheel builders. I did a bit of hunting online and found 11 Gauge Spokes at a very good price for sale at Husky Bicycles online store in the US for $14.55 US per box of 50. Yes for 50 Spokes including nipples. So I bought 150 spokes at that price. The Length I ordered was 266 mm and they turned out to be the perfect length.
Link to Husky Bicycles online Store http://www.huskybicycles.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=hb&Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=11G
I also purchased some beautifully crafted and well priced rims from Steve Hood of Vintage Rims at Kingaroy Qld. His email is vintagerimsaus@gmail.com
I had a wheel to copy but it still took me Three attempts due to the slight hole offset between Left and Right sides of the hub. Once I worked that out it was a breeze.
Results below, built for less than $200 including the brand new rim.

Added note: Postage of the Spokes from the US was a bit steep, but still worked out cheaper than locally sourced Spokes.

[cardan]

Well done Glenn. I have a lot of fun building wheels and it's always good to see others having a go. Perhaps a hint: make sure you stress relieve the wheel before the final tensioning of the spokes. It's usually enough to go around the wheel one side at a time, grabbing adjacent cross-over points and giving them a good hard squeeze. This helps the whole wheel to bed in.

By the way, the spoke holes are always offset by half a hole from one flange to the other; without this offset you'd need two different length spokes.

Cheers

Leon

[kev]

heres another supplier in Sydney  glow worm pushy,s

looks like they may be limited to 12g spokes...

https://www.glowwormbicycles.com.au/products/sapim-leader-12g-silver-with-brass-nipple

theirs are advertised at $1.50 cut to size...I have measured the rusty spokes on an old ew wheel...looks like 12g to me....anybody know better???

[cardan]

I've used these guys in the past - if you contact them via ebay, or through their website, they'll supply whatever number/length/gauge/colour you want. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/172657489390

Re EW, keep in mind the original rims are problematic because 25x3 BE tyres as used originally are no longer available.

Re gauge, 12g is pretty light for later 1920s. If they are 12g (0.104"), check that they're not butted - fatter at the hub end, of perhaps both ends. If they are butted, you can get them at a price, or just use a heavier gauge.

Leon

[ian scott]

Nice work.