The Wheel builder’s Eye

We wheel builders in the world are most proud of our rough and tough hands and our finely tuned ears.  It takes many hours of working with wheels to acquire these trophies proving that we have been honing and refining our skill, our craft.

But very few wheel builders have noted the “Wheel builders eye” which looks very much like “Drunken eye”.   This phenomenon develops in a wheel builder from looking at the caliper on the truing stand hitting the rim telling where the wheel is out of alignment.  The gap is so small (.1-.3mm) that one squints an eye much the way a drunk would inspect the bottom of a bottle to verify that there wasn’t any booze left.

So, this “Trophy” is fine and wonderful except for the severe wrinkling of only one eye.  It’s a labor of love, that’s all that one can say.  It’s the dedication and love of wheel builders the world over that are willing to make the daily sacrifice for the ride. Love your wheel builder.  They’re going to look funny.

Below is a picture of a drunk after after 10,000 look-sees into the bottom of a bottle and a wheel builder after 10,000 wheels.   One should note the uncanny similarities.  These drawings are based on actual human beings.  No wheel builder (or drunk) was hurt in the process.