# Wood wheel building question



## Nick-theCut (Aug 24, 2013)

I'm going to lace up my 700c CB Italia wood rims.  Using these NOS Torrington spokes 





With the CB Italia rims come with these nipples and washers.



Can anyone tell me how the (2) washers should be aligned, and which direction should they face?
Here's the rim.


I've never worked with washers before and don't want to do it wrong and have to re lace.  Thanks for any input.


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## Machine Age Victim (Aug 24, 2013)

The "cup" should face down and the curved "back" up, both in the same direction.


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## rustjunkie (Aug 24, 2013)

beats me! 
Maybe contact CB Italia?
http://www.cbita.it/?page_id=1299&lang=en


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## sqrly (Aug 24, 2013)

Think if it this way.  The spoke will increase and decrease tension every wheel revolution when riding.  Any hard edge will cut into the spoke (normally at hub) or at the head of the nipple.  Kinda like rocking a knife through something hard.  Both ends of the spoke have a great deal of force applyed to them and easing that should be primary focus.  The washers will spread the force over a much larger area and will seat equally (reguardless of orentation) in the wood rim.  Since the rim dont care, be nice to the spoke.

Also, steel hubs should have bellmouth holes for the spoke bends to seat with less pressure and spoke cutting action.  When using a used hub, try your best to use the same lacing pattern that had been used before.  That way the spoke will lay in the same groove as before and not have to make a new one.



Edit:  the washers should be nested together.  There are two washers for each hole because it is cheaper to manufacture two thin washers than one thick one.  If you clamshell the washers, they will crush as the wheel is tensioned and that will create a whole mess of problems due to them crushing unequally.


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## Iverider (Aug 25, 2013)

I put mine in "backwards" nested. Pushed them flush with a punch. I think putting them in the "right" way would be a nightmare!!! 

I've got around 300 miles on mine and only one flat from a piece of wire and a broken rear spoke because I didn't stop to true my wheel early on. 

I just used rubber rim strips over them to make sure any sharp washer edges would stay out of the tube. So far so good. If you figure out a good way to install them the "right" way let us know!!!

i disassembled an original wheel and the washers were flat but about double the thickness of the cb washers.

pics here http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showth...Roadster-To-refinish-or-not-to-refinish/page3


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## Machine Age Victim (Aug 25, 2013)

I actually picked up washers from Home Depot to build mine, perfect size, also thicker and flat.


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## pedal4416 (Aug 25, 2013)

I prefer thick flat stainless washers, they don't rust into the wood and under proper tension they don't pull into the rim. Just my 2¢


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## Old-Bikes (Aug 27, 2013)

I would put them like on the lower nipple in your picture.


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## filmonger (Aug 28, 2013)

*RE: Wooden wheel build*

This might help...


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Aug 28, 2013)

Will,
Very nice stand. What make is it?
Can you post a close up of the washers?


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## sqrly (Aug 28, 2013)

And what kind of indicators are on that stand?


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## bricycle (Aug 28, 2013)

When I disassemble wood wheels, they only have 1 washer... except one that had 2 per hole.


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## sqrly (Aug 28, 2013)

bricycle said:


> When I disassemble wood wheels, they only have 1 washer... except one that had 2 per hole.




Probably much thicker washers on the old wheels is why only one needed.


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## Machine Age Victim (Aug 28, 2013)

sqrly said:


> And what kind of indicators are on that stand?




Looks like they measure the distance of the rim from being true


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Aug 28, 2013)

Wheel roundness and alignment.


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## sqrly (Aug 28, 2013)

Machine Age Victim said:


> Looks like they measure the distance of the rim from being true




Sorry, I should have clarified better.  They look labratory grade, the roller tips are much wider that what I have for normal machinist use.  The indicator also looks like it may be sealed.  Obviously they look to be very high quality.  I have starret and mitutoyo for good work and a bunch of $10 china ones for general work.


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## filmonger (Aug 28, 2013)

*RE: stand*

It's a PK lie stand out of Germany. I bought mine a few years ago from Berlin. As I live in Ireland a good portion of the year it was a simple transaction.  Wheel fanatyk reps them in the states now. They are by far the best and most accurate stand made today. I have been considering selling mine now that I no longer sell wooden wheels - still thinking about it though. It is a work of art and very very easy to use.


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## GiovanniLiCalsi (Aug 28, 2013)

What a work of genius !


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## sqrly (Aug 28, 2013)

And here I thought I was doing ok with my Park TS-2 and some indicators I put on myself.  Even though I normally dont bother with the indicators too much.


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## Iverider (Aug 29, 2013)

Park TS2 is a very good stand. Really you could true on the bike if you have a dial indicator with a magnetic base. You'd still have to check dish to make sure the rim was centered (something I have never done as I just trust my TS2 to center the rim. So far it hasn't let me down!


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