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Ive been looking to have a crack at wheel building for ages and have just won a tension meter on eBay but its not a conventional park style one. Same pronciple but it measures from 20 to 1000 grammes. I think I read somewhere that spoke tension is around 200 grammes. Is this right and where would I find out the tension required on different rims. I know non eyeletted rims such as Stans crest need less tension. All tips greatly received. And yes I will be downloading the wheelpro document.
Dunno but you can learn without a tension meter! I've built hundreds without.
I have measured it tho by measuring spokes' resonant frequencies.
I've got the Park tool which I use a lot. However, I don't "trust" the numbers. I've taken reference from good wheels (Hope Hoops) and used that as reference when using the same gauge spokes.
I only use the tool to get all the spokes at an even, matching tension, consistent with a know good wheel rather than aiming for 95kgf.
It's a fair bit more than 200g, around 100kgf depending on the rim.
How does it work if not in the park way? Thin spokes deflect a lot more than thicker ones so I can't see another way of measuring it.
I learned the lacing pattern from an old wheel and tensioned the spokes until they just recessed into the top of the nipple. Then give a few extra turns and true. You can tell by feel if they're tight enough; it's fairly obvious if they're not. If you spin the wheel and hold the top of a nail against the spokes, the spokes on each side should be at more or less the same pitch.
Between my dad and I, we've built four or five pairs of wheels like this using a home made truing stand and mine have held up to a pretty decent amount of abuse. Like lots of things, the most difficult bit is getting started.
Yup, I've always measured tension by pinging the spokes and listening to the pitch. Built a few wheels and it's never let me down.
Been building wheels since I was 12 started by using the same method as thegiantbiker. I'm 43 this year and have never used a tension meter.
Must have built over 100 wheels for myself and mates over the years and have relied on feel with no ill effects so far.(fingers crossed smilie)