Ok, this should be an easy one: how do you properly measure for the correct size of spoke when redoing a 21" wooden wheel?
Took mine off the car this afternoon, yanked the rim, and started to measure the holes...only to find I'm all over the place. I *think* they're 1/2", but do you measure where the spoke goes in on the hub side of the felloe, or do you measure on the tire side of the fellow where the spokes protrude?
Mine are all loose (probably shrunken), which is why I'm suspect they're 1/2". The hole looks from the rim/tire side to be something like 9/16"...but I'm not sure.
How do most folks go about this?
Thanks!
I'll follow up my own message with an update. I got the wheel apart and I measured the spokes and the holes from the hub side of the fellow.
The spoke tenons are just slightly larger than 1/2", the holes are larger yet. A caliper says .6, so I'm thinking that I've got myself some wheels with 5/8" (.625) tenons.
I'm scratching my head only because I understand the 1/2" sort to be alot more common.
Any iron clad way to figure it out?
Andy,
There was a lengthy discussion on this recently, but I'm unable thus far to find the thread. The bottom line, if I remember correctly is that the 1/2" is more of a ballpark number than the actual size of the spoke tenon.
I'll keep a looking!
Seth
Andy,
See "New spokes out of tolerance?" December 04, 2007. Your answer should be in that thread.
Seth
Seth,
Always a pleasure to talk with someone who remembers more than I can...I read that very same thread not a couple weeks ago just to get prepped on doing my wheels.
Before you replied, I took a quick trip to the hardware store for some 1/2" and 5/8" dowel to verify my sanity. Sure enough, the precisely 1/2" dowel was too loose and the precisely 5/8" dowel was too big -- though with a little persuasion with a hammer, it could be forced in there...with some damage to the dowel, which can't be right. Thank god I didn't order those.
Lemme figure the logic here. If the 1/2" spokes are somewhat oversize due to Ford spec, then the 5/8" spokes also have to be oversize, and not actually 5/8". Which means that the factory-spec 5/8" spokes in my fellow would be far too big and that 1/2" inchers are the way to go.
I think I'm ok now. Though with the price of hickory at a minimum of $11 a spoke, I think I'll do one wheel a month and take it from there.
I appreciate the help!
Andy,
I'm glad I could help. All I know about wood spokes is that they are way cool looking but I wouldn't drive on them. But I do read every post and dimensions somehow stick in my head. If I was slick, I'd have figured out how to give you a link to that post, but I'm not too hot with computers.
Good luck with your respoke job!
Seth
Andy,
Here is a link to a thread I did a couple of months ago. I respoked my first wheel for under $10.00. Might not be for everybody, but if you are a wood worker, you might think about it.
Tim
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/39662.html