Re: [CR]Spoke Tying Wire

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing)

Date: Fri, 18 May 2007 15:16:26 -0400
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "John Betmanis" <johnb@oxford.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Spoke Tying Wire
In-Reply-To: <A2D8F964-42E1-4F8E-B0C9-65EA7DDB1FD9@mac.com>
References: <014f01c79969$3a9dbba0$6501a8c0@dtoffice>


At 11:40 AM 18/05/2007 -0700, Mark Fulton wrote:
>Bee Keepers. But any uncoated fine gauge copper wire will work. Use
>solid core lead/silver solder and rosin (not acid) flux.

I looked it up and beekeeper wire is 26 ga. tin coated annealed steel. That's 0.0159" or about 0.4 mm. Jobst Brandt suggests 0.5 mm tinned copper wire in his book and acid fluk for stainless steel spokes because rosin will only work for zinc or cadmium plated spokes. In either case, the solder does not adhere too well to the spokes themselves anyway. Brandt also claims that tying and soldering does nothing to measurably increase the lateral stiffness of the wheel ant is likely a throwback from the high wheeler days when it would keep broken spokes from flailing around and causing damage. So, basically, you would be tying and soldering to give your vintage bike the proper period look. Of course, some people say Brandt is an idiot.

John Betmanis
Woodstock, Ontario
Canada