Current Projects chat and miscellany

I suppose its the nipples which are under torque the same way a bolt would be?

Interesting, thanks for the link, wheel building and frame building are two things I really wanna try. But as frame building requires expensive equipment, suitable space I don't currently have and at least an introduction into how things work, wheel building will work for now.

I think you're getting slightly confused - you apply torque to a bolt or a spoke nipple in order to turn it but it's not under a twisting force any more once you stop applying that force. The potential energy, (that is, the stored force) in the wheel is due to the threads of the nipples that are engaged with the threads in the spokes pulling the spoke lengthways against the elbow (or flat head in a straight pull spoke) in the hub flange at the other end, thus tensioning it.

Torque = twisting force, not pulling force.

Anyway. Wheel building is very satisfying. Take your time and be patient with it and it will all turn out well.