Tool time: wheel dishing

Captain Stupido · Feb 16, 2020

Am currently building a rear wheel, spoke lengths aren’t 100% optimum, and I don’t particularly fancy messing about with flipping it in the truing stand to check dishing.

Two cheapest options are the “portable” Park WAG-5 or the Super-B TB 1930.

The latter looks better, but Park generally make good tools...

Any experience?

Woz · Feb 16, 2020

Silly question, what's wrong with flipping it in the truing stand?

I mean you need to take off the stand anyway if you use a dishing tool. If the truing stand is not some flexy POS* I don't see a problem.

* like most on the market seem to be.

firedfromthecircus · Feb 16, 2020

I use a stiff piece of cardboard cut to shape and a steel ruler. If you wanted to be really posh you could make one out of mdf!

Looks similar to this.

mattr · Feb 16, 2020

I've done it with two blocks of wood and a rule.

Captain Stupido · Feb 16, 2020

Re:

Woz":2ewk7zfx said:
Silly question, what's wrong with flipping it in the truing stand?

Mainly the time it takes to set up the truing stand. Mine’s a sturdy but clunky home-made thing. I’ve used it before for dishing and it’s a bit of a slow process. Also for a wheel that’s not yet trued/tensioned like the one I’m building I reckon getting it roughly centred before I start tensioning spokes is probably a good idea.

I’ve thought about a DIY tool too, tempting, but my feeling is that spending £30 is probably worthwhile in the long term for the time and ball ache it will save...

Saying that, I want to get on with it now, so f*** it I’ll just use the stand. But if anyone has experience of the tools I’m considering (or other affordable ones) I’d be glad to hear it...

klunkrider · Feb 16, 2020

Woz":1vzrclfh said:
I mean you need to take off the stand anyway if you use a dishing tool. [/size]

You really don't.

Had a bit of a "Why haven't I done this before???" moment when I did it the first time, now I always do dish in the stand.

k-rod · Feb 17, 2020

Re:

I have/use a Park WAG-4 ... and it works just Jim-dandy fine!

Tool time: wheel dishing

Captain Stupido

Senior Retro Guru

Woz

Old School Grand Master

firedfromthecircus

mattr

Old School Grand Master

Captain Stupido

Senior Retro Guru

klunkrider

Retro Guru

k-rod

Senior Retro Guru

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