Help...How do you lace a Hi-Lo drum?

[ballooney]

I just want to make sure I get the correct spoke length. When lacing a Hi-Lo drum, is it still a 4x pattern on the 'Lo' side with 10 5/8" spokes? If not, what is the pattern and spoke length? Assumption is the 'Hi' side is a 4x pattern with 10 5/8" spoke length. Drum is from 1940 so not the larger early drum.

 

[cyclingday]

Typically, the answer is yes.
But I just did a first generation Hi/Lo Fore-brake and the spokes wouldn't allow for a cross four pattern on the low side, so I had to go with a cross three and file off the extra length that protruded out of the spoke nipple.
I haven't had that problem with the 1940 version, so maybe that was typical for the early ones.
I'm not sure.
Inserting the spokes on the low flange side is kind of a pain, so I used little wads of tissue paper jammed in the slots of the flange to keep the spoke elbows in place during the lacing.

 

[catfish]

Very carefully.

 

[catfish]

There are some videos on youtube that show how to do it. Watch them a few times. I have to re watch them every time I have to lace up a rim.

 

[ballooney]

Typically, the answer is yes.
But I just did a first generation Hi/Lo Fore-brake and the spokes wouldn't allow for a cross four pattern on the low side, so I had to go with a cross three and file off the extra length that protruded out of the spoke nipple.
I haven't had that problem with the 1940 version, so maybe that was typical for the early ones.
I'm not sure.
Inserting the spokes on the low flange side is kind of a pain, so I used little wads of tissue paper jammed in the slots of the flange to keep the spoke elbows in place during the lacing.

Thanks Marty. I'll give it a go this weekend if the parts get here. I just wanted to wrap my head around the process in case I needed to have a different approach.

 

[Driftpr]

Here’s one of my Hi-low drum brake

Maybe that could help or guide you thru..

 

[gtflyte]

Hello ballooney
I found while inserting the spokes on the low flange only I pre threaded the 18 Nipples on the 18 spokes and assembled them backwards placing the head through the spoke hole of the rim placing elbows first

then inserted elbow into the flange

Next I placed a nipple in the hole of the low flange to prevent them falling out of place

This I found helped to speed up the assembly
And retained the spokes heads in the low flange side.Maybe this might be helpful
Thanks