H Plus Son TB-14 first impression

The current project is a classic box section rim build for my friend Taylor. Admittedly, I didn't approach this build with gusto. Wheelbuilding is always interesting, it's just that some builds are less interesting than others. Box section rims, 32 hole, two cross, with Sapim Race 2.0/1.8/2.0, and silver brass nipples is about as basic as it gets. That's said, this build is interesting because I haven't worked with an eyeleted box section rim for awhile--the last build was Ambrosio Nemesis tubulars on Dura Ace 7800 hubs (gorgeous!)--and I'd never worked with this rim (H Plus Son TB-14).

Pictured is the valve hole counterweight. This is a pretty rim with nice features.

First impression of the rim:

1. The rim nose is highly polished and very attractive;
2. The counterweighted valve hole is very classy; and
3. The rim wear indicator is a tiny 1-2mm hole in the sidewall similar to HED's.

For equipment I am using:

1. Rock 'N' Roll nipple cream;
2. Lineseed oil for the spoke threads; and a
3. Standard Park Tool spoke wrench.

Findings thus far:

1. There's much more friction at the nipple shoulder than what I had expected from an eyeletted rim;
2. Rock 'N' Roll nipple cream has a half-life of several days after which it dries out and fails at its mission;
3. Going back to the standard spoke wrench makes me long for the greater control/precision of building with the T-wrench and hexagonal nipples; and
4. Box rims are super responsive.

Findings #1-3 are all inter-related; it's #4 that's making this build fun. Box section rims aren't as tolerant of higher spoke tensions as say an H Plus Son Archetype or a Pacenti SL23. Why? You probably remember from junior high science class that the arch is inherently stronger than the I beam when it comes to strength-to-weight. Now consider the cross section of the rim: the box section is the I beam and the SL23 is the arch.

To prevent spokes from pulling through the box section rim, manufactures like Mavic, DT Swiss, and H Plus Son use eyelets to distribute the force the tensioned spoke and nipple apply to the rim's nose. Early carbon rims also did this too but instead used nipple washers.

The upside of box section rims are few but worth noting: they are more compliant/comfortable, they are often lighter, and they just look classy. For the builder there are additional upsides: eyelets can reduce spoke wind-up, and the rim is much more responsive to truing.

How responsive? Really f'ing responsive. Normally I despise radial truing because I'm often working with very stiff rims. At the moment Taylor's front wheel is 80% tensioned, and it is +/- 0.005" round. I've never approached that level of true on another build.

My trusty trueness gauge. The unit of measurement is 0.001".