Author Topic: wire specs for making spokes  (Read 3926 times)

DelombardR

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wire specs for making spokes
« on: September 12, 2019, 11:20:59 PM »
What specs are important for selecting steel wire to make high wheel spokes (stainless or regular steel)?
And what value (min or max) is needed for each spec?

Thanks,
Richard
EE not ME

mike cates

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Re: wire specs for making spokes
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2019, 01:46:30 AM »
Richard,
I am still going through A LOT of bicycle catalogs to get them categorized and answer all who have inquired about certain bicycle brands. In this heap of paper, there are catalogs and ad's on bicycle tire rubber, bicycle tire rubber companies, bicycle drop forgings for cranks brake levers hubs sprockets frame lugs etc, and, to get to your inquiry, a few on spoke manufacturers from the high wheel and TOC eras.
Once I get through all of this categorizing, I can look as to what was used back then.
An curious question to ask is the difference in steel for straight gage straight pull headed, headed and bent and the early single and double butted spokes which had to take in account the drawing process which work hardened the spoke and were the spokes annealed (softened) after drawing for OD threading for nipples or threading into high wheel hub flanges and heading at the ends for fitting to high wheel/hard tire safety rims?
Stay tuned as your question is an important one.
Mike Cates, CA.

Kurt S.

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Re: wire specs for making spokes
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2019, 11:31:28 PM »
https://archive.org/stream/wheelc20201897111898newy#page/n39/mode/2up

This article covers a couple of ideas when it comes to spoke tensions, although the tests there-of conducted on wood rim bicycles, the physics should be applicable to a high wheel bicycle. 

This might not answer the subject of spoke tensions in a direct sense for a high wheel, however I found that the study was enlightening and a worthwhile read.  I hope you enjoy it as well. 

Best regards, Kurt

DelombardR

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Re: wire specs for making spokes
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2019, 11:44:00 PM »
Thanks, guys.
I'll put my reading glasses on now.

Bjd.

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Re: wire specs for making spokes
« Reply #4 on: October 05, 2019, 02:22:03 PM »
I'd start by talking to Jim Spillane. He has made more spokes than anyone else has dreamed of! The metallurgy in making them is important. There are hundreds of different alloys of stainless steel and it makes a huge difference. How you plan to thread them makes a difference, are you going to roll the threads on or cut them with a die? How do you plan to put the head on? Cold forge them, or hot?

Kurt S.

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Re: wire specs for making spokes
« Reply #5 on: October 28, 2019, 05:28:05 PM »
http://goldenoldy.org/wire.htm

SEE LINK ABOVE FOR SPOKE SPECIFICATIONS

I'm not sure who wrote this paper on high wheel bicycle spokes, but it might contain some of what you are looking for.

(I was actually searching through my files for an article I misplaced, when I came across this file I forgot I had) LOL