Wheel Building - great!

I went to a wheel building workshop yesterday down in Limehouse.

Bloody brilliant!

check out my new shiny front wheel.

velocity rim on a formula hub

cost me £82 for the bits and bobs from BLB, which was kind of pricey, but much cheaper and much more fun than buying a ready made one.

We learnt all about the dark arts of wheel building, the 4 dimensions, the alchemy of it all. Although at the end, we realised it's not that hard, and a big deep rim helps do half of the straightening for you.

then after de-stressing and re-trueing our wheels, I got to ride into work on my new shiny wheel.

ACE.

now for the rear one.

What or who was this workshop run by, please?

Ace!

It was arranged by a friend of mine, I've forgotten what the lady who was running it was called (I've a memory like a sieve) but I think it was charlotte.

I'll try and find out some more details, I think it was through some kind of cycle club, the rest of the wheels were a mix of racer ones, one with a dynamo and all sorts. Mine was definitely the prettiest!

Yeah, it's surpisingly not that hard, I've built a few wheels now, even some fancy shmancy lacing on the rear (double crows foot).

Tower Hamlets Wheelers used to run a wheelbuilding workshop in Limehouse

the pattern really is nice....the alloy nipples if they are alloy are not:-)
and i would definitely put some more tension on the spokes........and im not ridiculing ...just offering advice
take care

i'd love to do something like this, awesome, really nice wheel!

I'm interested too, could be have some more info, please?

The course was organised by Charlotte Barnes and was set up through the "Yet Another Cycling Forum", forum. Google for them. A great resource and some great people.

the pattern really is nice....the alloy nipples if they are alloy are not:-)
and i would definitely put some more tension on the spokes........and im not ridiculing ...just offering advice
take care

Yeah, these pics were straight after lacing pretty much, there's more tension in there now (not bowed spokes) and it is well solid. Alloy nipples: to each their own...

I'm going to be rebuilding my back wheel later this month, it's 3 cross at the mo. Is there any funkier lacing pattern I can do re-using the same spokes?

Oh, and can I re-use brass nipples?

You can re-use brass nipples, but soak them in WD40 thoroughly first.
Personally, I'd be tempted to buy new ones (5p each from Condor).

As for funky patterns with the same spokes, you're limited to 3 leading 3 trailing and there's a thread all about that in this section!