rvich wrote:I don't know how common it is, but my spokes threaded far enough into the nipples that I could feel the end of the thread when I ran my finger across them. The threads have a sharp edge. It drove me nuts! So I took the wheel apart (yes after getting it nice and true), and used my Dremel to round off the ends of each spoke so that it presents a polished dome if any of it sticks through the nipple.

The spoke ends often protrude from the nipples after lacing/tensioning but the usual thing to do is to simply grind/file any protruding spoke ends flush with the nipple heads. Personally I wouldn't leave any "domes" protruding.

Thanks LAB, but the "dome" feels like it is part of the nipple, if you can feel it at all. I was going to grind them in place but the nipples have such a nice finish on them that I didn't want to destroy it. It seemed wrong to me to leave behind scars and I knew I wouldn't get the same finish without taking them apart. Just call me anal.

I was also concerned that if I ground or filed them in situ and then later retensioned them that it might still present a sharp edge.
Russ

This is particularly common on the front disc wheel with the radical offset.

I recently had offset issues. I laced up some some shouldered Excel's this winter. Line up the straight edge across the wheels today and the rear adjusters comeback to true. I can't wait to try it out along with the new PR head steady and the new rear adj. iso's which also cured a fault at the mountings. The internal spacers on the old stuff showed to be a little long.

This is a very timely read! I have Excel shouldered rims to mount also and started last night striping the wheels. Today I polishing the hubs and tomorrow I start the lace. I am lucky to have a friend that is a pro at this and will bail me out when I get in trouble. Wish me luck!

Went pretty easy with all the help, I just did the offset and trued it. Now I am waiting for a set of spokes for the front. I had the spokes that came out of the front, a set of stainless that I was going to re-use but as i was building the wheel some of the new nipples kept falling off the spokes, they (spokes) were two different sizes! I feel good about building the wheel and truing it, first time I have ever done this.

I finally got my spokes for the front. After a few tries I got it laced up then I put it in the front forks, set the off-set and trued it. Getting the right off-set was very hard since the spokes on the disk side are very vertical but I got it done and it is centered in the fork. Then mounted the tire and on to the balancing stand. I had to move the rear rim over about a 1/4" after it was in, not to bad just took my time. Took it for a short ride and it rides nice, and feels good to have done this myself!