Id like some slightly more butch rims on a set of wheels of mine. Realistically, how hard is it to do it yourself? I consider myself reasonably handy with a spanner.

Piece of cake.

I built my first set using a frame and fork as jigs. Still going strong on the battered commuter over a year later.

2nd set I built a jig first then built some open pros with dt spokes and hope hubs.

Follow Sheldon Brown’s guide.

I read the Wheel Pro book which helped, but still did everything ‘wrong’ when it came to my first set – old rims, used a screwdriver and eyeballed the threads, frame/forks for truing, a ruler for dishing etc. Wheels came out fine and it was almost suspiciously straightforward.

I love building wheels on my cheap crap ( apparently) jig and wheel pro book.

All tested with my clumsy riding style and excessive weight, in the Alps by me and my pals.

It’s well worth the effort to build your own.

http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/wheelbuilding/book.php

This one?

Yep

As an alternative, I assemble my own then get my favourite wheels chap to finish them for £5 a pop- I figure he does a better job than I can and it’s a small price to pay.

One of the few jobs I still love doing , always thought I was good at when I started
But realised some time later I was not.

But yes it it faily easy to build useable wheels. Just takes a bit more care with things like stans podium rims
Or low spoke count wheels
I’d not be without my tension meter now

The wheel pro book puts across the principles very well

Assembling wheels is a piece of cake. Getting the perfect spoke tension is the hard part. Ive build dozens of wheels and still can’t hold a candle to a realy good wheel builder. Takes years of experience to be realy good.

If you’re anywhere near Cambridge I can recommend a one-day wheel building course that a chap does there – he posts on here periodically (it’s not me!) so if you do a search you’ll find it. I went on it in the summer and have built a pair of road wheels I’m very pleased with. They’re still round and straight after 500 miles anyway!

(And if *I* can do it…) 😉

For my last wheel I used a phone app – “spoke tension pitch meter”
– How I’m thinking of taking up the harp as well 😉

+1 for the wheelpro book

Built the tools from it and then the wheels. Excellent book and the wheels are holding to gether nicely

I used youtube videos. If you want to use butch rims then it’s easier as they seem to want to hold shape anyway.