If you're concerned about making the spokes seat properly, you can do this with existing spokes. Brandt's book, "The Bicycle Wheel," addresses this directly (p. 80, 3rd edition). If you're concerned about the aesthetics, I'd consider this minor compared to the potential problems. It will be difficult to get the bend precisely right, and then the lengths may be off. I'd also be concerned about the tight bend's effect on the fatigue resistance of the spoke. Since this is where fatigue failures are likely to occur, it's a safe bet that, in commercial spokes, the bend radius is controlled pretty carefully in manufacturing. You probably won't get as much control with a simple, home-made fixture.
If you try this, though, I'd be interested to hear how it works out.
Steve Maas Long Beach, CA
Jan Heine wrote:
> My problem: Old-style hub flanges are thinner, and the elbows of current
> spokes are too long.
>
> Current solution: Brass spoke head washers. But they don't look right -
> and add weight ;)
>
> Possible solution: Straight-pull spokes, where I can bend the elbow
> myself. Bending the elbow should be easy - I'd take a steel plate the
> right thickness (approx. the thickness of the hub flanges), drill a hole
> (2 mm diameter), insert the spoke, and bend the elbow. Tedious, but for
> 72 spokes and a few spares, it wouldn't be so bad.
>
> Questions:
> 1. Are 2.0-1.8 mm straight pull spokes available - ideally in a length
> close to 265 mm, but I could shorten a longer spoke, if that is required?
> 2. Any problems with my approach?
>
> Thanks for your help.