wheel truing stand

Eyon
Eyon Posts: 623
edited November 2010 in MTB workshop & tech
Looking at getting a truing stand soon, mostly to keep my wheels strait (as a porky rider I do bend them a little more than most) but maybe looking at making my own wheels in the future.

Park tools seems the best bet, but its massively expensive. I could make my own, but it might not be accurate enough. So what's a good price, sturdy, accurate and reliable to suit my needs?

Ian

Comments

  • Ian,

    why not use an old set of forks, inverted?

    Rigid would be best. You can cut a length of the steerer and mount it on a wooden base easily enough.

    A chap I know does this. His advantage is that he has a workbench that he's routed a
    correctly-sized hole in for the fork to rest in and be anchored to.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Eyon

    download and pay for Munsons wheel building book. It also has guides for all the tools and Jigs you will need.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • cavegiant
    cavegiant Posts: 1,546
    Just true the wheel in its frame.

    I have a PT stand, I do not use it as I can do a better job in frame.

    I use a metal ruler held up against to get a precise measurement.
    Why would I care about 150g of bike weight, I just ate 400g of cookies while reading this?
  • cavegiant
    cavegiant Posts: 1,546
    One tip while I am here, you cannot spend too much on a good spoke tool.
    Why would I care about 150g of bike weight, I just ate 400g of cookies while reading this?
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    nicklouse wrote:
    Eyon

    download and pay for Munsons wheel building book. It also has guides for all the tools and Jigs you will need.

    Think you mean Roger Mussons book. If you do I can agree excellent book and the plans for the wheel jig and alignment tools are very clear and easy to build mine cost me a grand total of £3 for some nuts, bolts and washers all other parts were offcuts and scrap out of a skip. Built 2 wheels and straightened about a dozen so far.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    stubs wrote:
    nicklouse wrote:
    Eyon

    download and pay for Munsons wheel building book. It also has guides for all the tools and Jigs you will need.

    Think you mean Roger Mussons book. If you do I can agree excellent book and the plans for the wheel jig and alignment tools are very clear and easy to build mine cost me a grand total of £3 for some nuts, bolts and washers all other parts were offcuts and scrap out of a skip. Built 2 wheels and straightened about a dozen so far.

    I do indeed, and I always get his name wrong.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Eyon
    Eyon Posts: 623
    just downloaded his guide, will read it tonight and abuse works printer tomorrow to print it all out I think. I really like the idea of making my own wheels as I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to things like this, getting them 100% round and true. OK It's a little more expencive than buying hope hoops but I can choose my colours doing it my own way

    Knocked up this on the computer tonight. Might make it, its all based on 12mm MDF with a few scraps of ply. just need to rely on my dodgy DIY skills to make it! Still, I could cock it up 100 times for the price of a Park Tools one

    p4pb5860802.jpg

    Ian
  • cavegiant
    cavegiant Posts: 1,546
    still stand by you do not need one,
    I make a lot of wheels, they are strong true and dished well.

    Not one of my wheels has come out of true.

    To give you an idea of the abuse I put them through, on my last real ride i cracked both my rear frame triangle and destroyed my hub.

    You do not need a stand, much faster on the bike, and lets you get the dish better (as frames are not always centred well).
    Why would I care about 150g of bike weight, I just ate 400g of cookies while reading this?