Building wheel requires several components and one of the critical ones is spokes. We carry quite a few hundred different spokes. There are different types of spokes and we carry a range of spoke lengths. Add all that up, and we are talking a few hundred thousand spokes!
Spokes come in length of 2mm increments but what happens when we need a 280.5mm spoke? We can only order in 280 or 282 so we turn to the Morizumi Spoke cutting and threading machine.
This amazing piece of equipment is hand made in Japan and is the industry standard for serious wheel building and allows us to quickly and accurately cut and thread spokes to the exact length for each wheel build so we don't have to settle for a spoke that is slightly too long, or too short.
The two part process begins with setting the machine to cut the spoke at the required length. Once the spoke is in place, it is a quick push of a lever and it is cut cleanly and precisely. The spoke is then put into the side for threading. Again another lever is used where it rolls a new thread into the spoke (or the existing thread is picked up and lengthened). A quick process with amazing results, perfect threads every time!
It is constantly adjusted, lubricated and maintained to ensure we produce threads that are perfect so the die's are cleaned, inspected and replaced regularly.
We also have a Phil Wood cutter that is also amazing, but we prefer the Morizumi machine, so we have it permanently set up for 13 gauge spokes (thicker wire) that are used on stronger wheel builds like e-bikes.
They are expensive machines, but vital to produce high end wheels!
If you are ever in the neighborhood, pop in and we will show you how it works.
Click here to find out more about our wheel building process
