Donnie, I am making baby steps towards learning to silver solder! Partially it's a language problem: I can't read the labels on anything at the local hardware store so shopping for supplies is hard. I did buy a little gas torch but since I can't read the packaging or the instructions I can only guess as to what kind of gas it uses. I think it can reach tempeatures of 1,400 C. I think I may have found the silver solder rods (maybe) but haven't got a clue where I mind find a ceramic tile here in Shikoku. I might pick some stuff up in the US next month. I know that eventually I'll need to know how to do silver soldering.

Actually, though, I think the less solder used on the wheels the better. It just adds weight both because of the solder itself and the fact that you've got to be using brass instead of aluminum. As I mentioned above, I don't think actual spoked wheels use soldering or welding (well at least my bicycle tires don't). I thought about the 10-holed V-spoke approach but it didn't seem that much easier and is a little less authentic looking in terms of how the wires cross. Also the weaving of the spokes creates the slightly curved "volcano" shape I see in old photos.

Muxje, I don't have a scale so I don't know how much the wheel weighs but I'm guessing it's less than one of the plastic WB wheels -- at least with the foam tire described below. This prototype is 5" (12.5cm) in diameter including the tire. At present I'm using some 1/2" diameter black foam tubing for the tires. This stuff is hollow so I've filled it with a solid rubber tube. It's very light but I'm a bit worried about the durability. I also picked up some heater hose in the same diameter (the only diameter available locally) that is much more tire-looking but is also much heavier and harder to use. Actually, I'd like to find some tubing with a bit larger diameter for a more authentic look -- maybe something around 5/8" diameter. BTW, for spokes I used 0.8mm stainless fishing line leader (?) that I found in a fishing supplies store (no "music wire" available locally).

Oh! And thinking of language follies, I just had to pick up a can of spray paint at he local 100 yen shop ($1 dollar shop) which is labeled (flat?) "ass brown"! It took a while to figure out that what the kana was attempting to say was "earth brown."