I am tying to remove hubs and build my first set of wheels on the very cheap.
spokes are 264mm and the new hub has a flange 50mm compared to the old 45mm. My guess is a loss of about 5mm all round should do it. Built the wheel up but all spokes are now just starting to poke out of nipple and I have not yet got any tension.
What do you think – other than do not give up the day job..

Not really as they are very hard to cut with standard cutters.

do a proper spoke calc thing (try the DT Swiss web site) and work out the spoke length necessary. The hub / flange difference of 5mm might not make much difference actually.

oh, you shouldn't really use old spokes either. Get new ones, the right length and do a proper job of it.

You want to crop 5mm off the end of each spoke to get it to fit?
Or do you mean you want to cut the hub out of the wheel?

if a) then don't even think about it – the spokes are threaded and you need the full thread on there to get correct tension plus you'll knacker the spokes and probably the cable cutters and your wheels will probably fail and you'll die.
if b) then yes, it's doable but you'll probably knacker the cable cutters – use bolt cutters instead and wear protective goggles.

You can't cut the threaded end without knacking them?

Another problem just realised, the spokes do not screw any further into the nipples anyway. The length of the thread limits the pull.

Where should I get spokes from then?
CRC are £10 a wheel.

No there won't be 5mm in the difference (even if you were doing radial spoking, it'd be 5/2 == 2.5mm, for 3x it'll be a mm or so)
btw. is this a rear wheel? if so it'll have different length spokes on each wheel…

I think a cable cutters will be fine to get the old spokes out… (edit, hadn't realised you wished to reuse old spokes! 😮 )

Whoops just checked against my "reference" wheel.
Back to the drawing board – not enough twist in wheel, causing spokes to all appear longer than they really should be. Sheldon Brown RIP here I come.
Front wheel 🙂

My first wheel!

It was even a circle when spun!

One of the most satisfying things you can do!! Good work 🙂

My tips are – cordless drill with flat screwdriver blade and the first spoke on the other side placement in crucial.
CP – I'm off now to see if I can do the other thing 🙂

Good work! Good fun this wheelbuilding…..my first set took a couple of evenings, but now deadeasy nice little process.

ribble cycles sell spokes in packs of 144 for about £30.

might be worth spending more if you are lucky with spoke lenghts needed. + /-2 mm either way = just get same length IME

oh, you shouldn't really use old spokes either.

Unless they are damaged, there's no reason why not. No reason at all. 🙂

Another problem just realised, the spokes do not screw any further into the nipples anyway. The length of the thread limits the pull.

You can always cut the thread further down the spoke. Many shops will do this for you, so it can't be hard. I guess you just need the correct size die. 🙂

google "ACI spokes". think i got mine from cyclestore and used 2/1.8/2mm silver ones.