However, I've let the 'workshop' get into a bit of a state, so before assembly can commence, some tidying up is in order. I've started that and almost finished, but I got distracted and decided to make a spoke holder.
Sub-Project (spoke holder)
I haven't built with bladed spokes before, but I've read that having some way of holding them during tensioning to stop wind-up is helpful. Some people use pliers possibly with a layer or two of tape over the grips so as not to scratch the spokes and some people use a specific tool sold by the spoke manufacturers. I think paying £5~15 for a bit of plastic with a slit in it is a bit silly. So I decided to make my own.
I wasn't sure what shape to make it at first, so I bought some plasticine to play with and consider different comfortable shapes. After this I quickly decided that actually some of the nicest tools to use are the ones that aren't particularly shaped to accommodate the human hand but have that straight lines, angles and fewer curves, for example a screwdriver with a hexagonal handle versus one with a circular handle.
Anyway, I decided to amputate one of the legs from a chair falling apart where I live and use that for raw material. Here is the thing, in the rough:
The spokes have arrived!
However, I've let the 'workshop' get into a bit of a state, so before assembly can commence, some tidying up is in order. I've started that and almost finished, but I got distracted and decided to make a spoke holder.
Sub-Project (spoke holder)
I haven't built with bladed spokes before, but I've read that having some way of holding them during tensioning to stop wind-up is helpful. Some people use pliers possibly with a layer or two of tape over the grips so as not to scratch the spokes and some people use a specific tool sold by the spoke manufacturers. I think paying £5~15 for a bit of plastic with a slit in it is a bit silly. So I decided to make my own.
I wasn't sure what shape to make it at first, so I bought some plasticine to play with and consider different comfortable shapes. After this I quickly decided that actually some of the nicest tools to use are the ones that aren't particularly shaped to accommodate the human hand but have that straight lines, angles and fewer curves, for example a screwdriver with a hexagonal handle versus one with a circular handle.
Anyway, I decided to amputate one of the legs from a chair falling apart where I live and use that for raw material. Here is the thing, in the rough: