Getting nipples out of Zipp rims

Nigel Grinter said:

I think there was a recent thread on methods for getting spoke nipples out of Zipp rims when they
have fallen inside the rim space, but I can't find it. This is suddenly important to me. Anybody
remember the title of the thread (of have any advice), please?

Shake, Rattle & Roll?

Bill "sorry 🙂 " S.

[email hidden] (Nigel Grinter) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I think there was a recent thread on methods for getting spoke nipples out of Zipp rims when they
have fallen inside the rim space, but I can't find it. This is suddenly important to me. Anybody
remember the title of the thread (of have any advice), please?

Thanks,

Nigel Grinter

Dear Nigel,

John Tomlinson had same problem last June:

groups.google.comgroupsOpen ↗

People suggested reaming the valve stem hole out a bit. John later posted this solution:

I was trying to use a spoke to get the nipple out of the rim, and contemplating reaming out the
valve hole to make it easier, but it wasn't going well so I put the thing aside for awhile and
thought about it.

Then I decided to put a slip of paper about centimeter wide and curled into a half circle through
the valve hole. I then jiggled the wheel to get the spoke onto the paper and pushed it out with a
spoke. It took about 30 seconds to out the paper in and get the nipple out -- I was stoked!

JT

groups.google.comgroupsOpen ↗

Possibly a bit of stiff tape instead of paper might work even better?

Carl Fogel

Nigel Grinter said:

I think there was a recent thread on methods for getting spoke nipples out of Zipp rims when they
have fallen inside the rim space, but I can't find it. This is suddenly important to me. Anybody
remember the title of the thread (of have any advice), please?

I just drop the rim repeatedly an inch or so on a steel workbench while turning it . They vibrate
out eventually.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

"Nigel Grinter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I think there was a recent thread on methods for getting spoke nipples out of Zipp rims when they
have fallen inside the rim space, but I can't find it. This is suddenly important to me. Anybody
remember the title of the thread (of have any advice), please?

Thanks,

Nigel Grinter

I've heard of several methods including a dab of glue on a spoke, shaking, etc.

I used a combination of shaking and the dab of glue on a spoke to get the nipples out of the last
Zipp wheel I built.

Mike

On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 10:23:11 -0800, "Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet>

Quoted message said:

I used a combination of shaking and the dab of glue on a spoke to get the nipples out of the last
Zipp wheel I built.

I avoid having the nipples fall into the rim. A trick I was taught was to use square toothpicks to
hold the nipple. You can turn the nipple well when it is on the toothpick.

"Paul Kopit" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mike S.' mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet said:

I used a combination of shaking and the dab of glue on a spoke to get the nipples out of the last
Zipp wheel I built.

I avoid having the nipples fall into the rim. A trick I was taught was to use square toothpicks to
hold the nipple. You can turn the nipple well when it is on the toothpick.

I didn't try the toothpick idea, but I did thread the nipple on another spoke to insert it.

When I lost the nipples, it was the un-building part, not the re-build.

Mike

On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 22:24:21 -0800, "Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet>

Quoted message said:

When I lost the nipples, it was the un-building part, not the re-build.

Same toothpick works for nipple removal.

Paul Kopit <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Mike S.' mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet said:

I used a combination of shaking and the dab of glue on a spoke to get the nipples out of the last
Zipp wheel I built.

I avoid having the nipples fall into the rim. A trick I was taught was to use square toothpicks to
hold the nipple. You can turn the nipple well when it is on the toothpick.

Thanks for all the good ideas. I eventually managed to get the nipples out using a combination of
the suggestions. Also, as Paul Kopit suggests, an ounce of prevention...etc. I did try threading the
nipples on a spare spoke when building but still managed to drop 3 into the rim while trying to
transfer them to the spokes in the wheel. Zipp rims seem to have particularly small holes - nipples
only just fit - hence the problems once one falls inside.

Nigel Grinter

[email hidden] (Nigel Grinter) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Paul Kopit <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Mike S.' mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet said:

I used a combination of shaking and the dab of glue on a spoke to get the nipples out of the
last Zipp wheel I built.

I avoid having the nipples fall into the rim. A trick I was taught was to use square toothpicks
to hold the nipple. You can turn the nipple well when it is on the toothpick.

Thanks for all the good ideas. I eventually managed to get the nipples out using a combination of
the suggestions. Also, as Paul Kopit suggests, an ounce of prevention...etc. I did try threading
the nipples on a spare spoke when building but still managed to drop 3 into the rim while trying
to transfer them to the spokes in the wheel. Zipp rims seem to have particularly small holes -
nipples only just fit - hence the problems once one falls inside.

Nigel Grinter

Isolating the nipple and squirting tubular glue into the rim seems to solve the noise problem
anyway, though not a terribly elegant solution.