threads into nipple enough?

[spleeft]

Is the wheel still together and under tension? What does it look like on the tire side of the rim? Stick something down the hole of a few of them and see how far it goes if you cant just see the end. I think you should be able to see the end.

I don't know whether it is splitting hairs or not. I do know that brass work hardens when subjected to stress. if the nipple were to crack, and the spoke were not through the head of the nipple, the tension would release. If it were through the head, it probably wouldn't crack in the first place, and if it did, it would have to strip the threads or pull the head through the hole in the rim before the tension could release. That said, I have ever seen a nipple break that way but I have seen a lot of broken spokes.

Your LBS or whoever you are buying spokes from can make them whatever length you want. I suggest getting some that fit, never mind whether the old ones were the ideal size.

Yes wheel is under tension as it was when I purchased it used. I used for a few weeks, I dont think sopke threads are all the way through the rin and into the nipple. I can put a wire down the nip side about 1/8" to 1/16".
I'm new at wheel building, but this doesnt seem optimal, I like the idea of using slightly longer spokes.

 

[bloo]

On my 1961 s7 front wheel, which I believe has original spokes, I replaced some. It is laced cross 3, as I suspect most middleweights were. The ones I took out were 10-11/16" I believe. Actually they were about 1/32" longer but they could have been stretched a little. This is in contrast to the 10-5/8 that almost everyone else says they find in s7 wheels regardless of hub. 10-11/16 is 271.46mm, and I would round that up to 272mm because they were ever so slightly longer. 1/8" is about 3mm. 3/16" is about 5mm. 273 might even be OK. The thing is, if they are even a tiny bit too long you will have to file them all. If you get the ideal length, you may still need to file 3 or 4 of them. Nothing is quite perfect. I didn't pay that much attention to how they fit as I was not building the wheel, just replacing bad spokes with new ones the same size.

I am told Schwinn didn't interlace the spokes (last one under). I usually do if I am building the wheel because some book I checked out of the library when I was 11 years old told me to LOL. Whether it helps or not is controversial, and I have no idea.

Based on what you have shown, I would probably order 272mm and hope for the best.

 

[SirMike1983]

Remove the tire, tube, and rim strip. Then take the wheel and look down into the nipple. You want the spoke to come up, at least to the fat part of the nipple. That is, the spoke should be long enough to pass through the shank of the nipple, pass the rim, and travel into the round, wide part of the nipple. The reason for this is that having the spoke in that part of the nipple adds strength. If the spoke is only down in the shank of the nipple, the fat part of the nipple being pulled by tension has nothing at its center to keep it from distorting.

With all that being said, if you have only one spoke that is a little short, it isn't the end of the world. What you do not want is a whole wheel where the spokes only run a couple threads into the shank - you want the spoke as far in as it will go (ideally it would sit just below the surface of the round part of the nipple, but if it's close, that's fine).

If you're only a couple threads into the nipple, then I'd opt for a longer spoke after you re-check the lacing pattern to ensure you've got the pattern right.

 

[spleeft]

Thanks for all the replies all !
I just dissembled the two wheels from a '63 Typhoon ( Black frame / white rims ). Both wheels had a similar pattern, the spokes were not as far into the nipples as you'all / internet / YT vids are advising. Also , they were both 3 cross but all over ( not-over-over-under ). So my take away is to build the wheels correct, not always how they were originally built.

 

[guzziworksman]

For what it's worth - I've built approx 10 wheels sets, an AMF, a Western Flyer, and the remainder, JC Higgins/Sears. They all took a 270mm spoke...and the spokes mostly bottomed out in the nipples. I suspect the few protrusions I had to file were due to rims out of round.

 

[bloo]

Schwinn s7 rims are about half an inch bigger around than the rims on a middleweight or ballooner of another brand.

 

[GTs58]

Thanks for all the replies all !
I just dissembled the two wheels from a '63 Typhoon ( Black frame / white rims ). Both wheels had a similar pattern, the spokes were not as far into the nipples as you'all / internet / YT vids are advising. Also , they were both 3 cross but all over ( not-over-over-under ). So my take away is to build the wheels correct, not always how they were originally built.

Just curious. When counting the cross are you using the very first one or two spokes crossed that's on the hub flange? Schwinn did do a 4 cross on the early middleweights which took a spoke that's longer than the 269 mm that's most commonly used with the 3 cross.

 

[Barnegatbicycles]

Probably need a slightly longer spoke. Cross pattern does matter. Typically it's 3 in the front and 4 for the rear will use the same length. If the cross counts were wrong it would be further off then a couple mm though.

 

[GTs58]

Probably need a slightly longer spoke. Cross pattern does matter. Typically it's 3 in the front and 4 for the rear will use the same length. If the cross counts were wrong it would be further off then a couple mm though.

I'm still dumb as to why his threads are showing in his picture above if the spoke is 269 mm and it's on the front hub. I have three boxes of Union spokes and nipples from an old Schwinn shop and these 10 19/32 spokes were used on the 26" middleweights.

 

[bloo]

When counting the crosses, don't miss the first cross. It is in there tight and might even be completely hidden by the rim flange.