Wheel building - how to, what books?

I can add that a screwdriver and needle nose pliers can sometimes come in handy with fiddly nipples.

I only used a spoke key and a screwdriver, you dont need many tools at all.

When I started I bought "The Bicycle Wheel" by Jobst Brandt, it's quite technical but does teach you the reasons behind the things that you do, but tbh there's plenty of good guides on the Internet now.

All you need is a quality spoke key, flat blade screwdriver, and the parts to build up, hardest part is getting the right lengthspokes but there's plenty of online calculators for that. If you find you want to build more wheels then you can look into getting a trueing stand, dishing tool, nipple driver etc, but to start with you want to keep things simple.

Just go ahead and have a go at it, what's the worst that could happen? I just built a snowflake pattern front wheel, first time I've built a wheel for many years but it turned out just fine, you'll be chuffed to bits when you make your own wheel.

cyfa2809":20gdkdgv said:

I can add that a screwdriver and needle nose pliers can sometimes come in handy with fiddly nipples.

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I'd agree with the screwdriver, it does make it easier (or the nipple driver)
Needle nose pliers or a dowel/wooden skewer or cotton bud end for the placing of the nipples.

Either that but recently i have seen the trick to use a bent/old/broken/(brand new if you like) spoke to thread nipple onto, then pull it down through and then unthread it again for the proper spoke.