Centrimaster truing (wheel building) stand.

[strobbekoen]

Just curious, but how many wheelsets have you built ?

[StuTheWeak]

Counting the ones I'm riding? None...

Though I think anyone could build a wheel that is round, true and dished using this thing. Of course i want even tension too.

[strobbekoen]

Well, it might be good to go at it gradually. Expensive tools is one thing, skill is another. Not saying one can't go with the other, but the former doesn't help without the latter in the first place. Just saying if you are just starting out, a simple dishing tool and trueing stand is enough to get the skill down and get a feel for what works. Better tools only help you speed up the job once you got the skill down

[StuTheWeak]

I'm in no hurry. Nevermind I have so little time at the moment. School, moving, job, hobbies, life...

[StuTheWeak]

I have to give credit to Centrimaster for making a stand that makes putting a wheel round, true and dished in a hurry. With that said I've a ton to learn about getting a wheel evenly tensioned. I believe my first attempt was ruined by me working too fast. I'll try again tonight to get a wheel that hits the mark.

I ruined two nipples in my haste. Need to relax and take my time. If I had some strong whiskey I bet I could do a better job

[rruff]

With that said I've a ton to learn about getting a wheel evenly tensioned.

Focus on that first. Get the tension even and only deviate the smallest amount possible, where absolutely necessary to get good true.

[StuTheWeak]

So here's some pics of the Centrimaster "Classic". Centrimaster claims you CANNOT stress relieve wheels in this stand, BUT I put this quick release on the wheel stand as you see in the pics below.

I can't get the wheel to pop off while applying torque/stress to the wheel with the quick release in place. I will try to stress relieve with the wheel in the stand after I get it up to tension. If it works I will be sittin' pretty

[Holiday]

I think this would be God's truing stand.

That's an awesome piece of machinery! Any chance you have a model name and
contact for buying one of this amazing rigs? Can also be used as a coffee table
conversation piece. Thanks!

[StuTheWeak]

I think this would be God's truing stand.

That's an awesome piece of machinery! Any chance you have a model name and
contact for buying one of this amazing rigs? Can also be used as a coffee table
conversation piece. Thanks!

Yes, the one you speak of is very pretty, but I don't see how it is any more functional than the cheapest ParkTool stand. With that said I'd like to have it on my coffee table too.

[GSinIL]

Hi Stu,

Any update? I was just wondering how the stand worked out for you.

Thanks
GS

[euan]

Man stutheweak. Blast from the past

[kahoon]

bump... i'm thinking of getting one of these. still happy with your purchase?

[raceman14]

Stu,
I used to work for a nice shop back in the day and built my share of wheels from beginner to advanced. At 16 ( 1976 ) I developed a pretty cool idea of sticking the spoke threads in the hubs and damn if Yamaha didn't already have the patent out for Motocross wheels. Anyway, the best way to stress relieve a wheel is to hammer down on them whilst on a decent set of rollers.

You can buy or build the biggest stress reliever in the world...but as one of them old cats said...every action...anyway you go to wrenching on you $1000 wheel stand you are going to ruin the hell out of it.

Build yourself a de-stress stand out of an old junk steel road frame and have at it...

Oh yea, does not sound like many folks helping you with the basics...guessing if u r a wait weenie u using alloy everything...u need to get some good anti-sieze for your threads as well as your seating surfaces. I use copper, but the silver stuff is also acceptable. If using Ti stuff u need to make sure you don't get any fluorocarbon cleaners on the stuff.

I guess I am showing my age...how you use a tensiometer on bladed spokes? off the flat sides of the spokes???

As goofy as it sounds I have used a guitar tuner on some of my old tubular stuff and it worked pretty good. I used to ride those wheels around the crappy streets of Atlanta at 120-140 psi and I weighed about 180-200# on a 25# Columbus SLX frame. I think the last set I built for myself were Hard Anodized Mavic GP's I think.. I will have to look them up in the attic. I think the hoops cost me $200 for the pair and I think I used 24 hole front / radial and 32 hole rear x4 drive and radial non. Folks freaked out cause they looked kinda funny but they were light, fast straight and tru as well as concentric to .0005". Yea it sounds crazy but them ten thousandths gauges are what you need to drop in once your .001" gauge don't move no more. At that point you just think you dun a good job.

More power to you on your purchase and your motivation to build wheels, sounds like most of the comments are either envious or too slack to do something on their own...

Guess what, I busted spokes, nipples, spoke wrenches, screwed up a couple junky wheel hoops ( old alum really needed ferrules for tight A$$ spokes )
the key is to match up your materials quallity the best you can or afford.

Just remember building bicycle wheels is like anything else...and anybody can do it.

Building race wheels is an "ART", that takes time, effort, blood, sweat and tears. When you get to the point that you ride your own wheels and they are like riding on air you will know you have arrived at the place you want to be at in wheel building. When you can ride that same wheel 100 times in a row without any issues you will have become a real wheel artist.