Before, During and After - rear spokes

Reusing the stock spokes and nipples for project wheel rebuild. Some before during and after photos of spoke cleaning process. The spokes came out of the rim with less effort than I thought would be required - good spoke wrench, good fortune and a little patience. They were tight but not welded/oxidized together with the nipples. Didn't have to cut one spoke. Extremely surprised about that. A great X-mas gift in and of itself.
First two pics - FLITHY, NASTY, GRIMMEY! 28 years old with alot of chain lube and dirt bonded on the spokes. Looks to be a daunting task.
Third, fourth and fifth pics - Can you tell which set is done? This is going to work!!!
Procedure: initial cleaning of the spokes with "Turtle Wax Chrome Polish" to remove the gunk . Head and threads of spoke were "lighty" wire wheel cleaned. Finally, spoke and head polished out with a little "Mother's Aluminum Wheel Polish". That stuff is the ST. Polished mirror finish in the garage.
Nipples got the same basic treament, but no "mothers".
These spokes look better to me than a set I got from Buchanon's for a XR motard conversion - thicker at the head and shoulder of the spoke with more SHINE/BLING! and it didn't cost a dime.

Steve,
The wheel I'm working on right now belonged on a 82' 430WR. Rim kinda of garred up, spokes and nipples not oxidized/welded and useable, hub in decent shape, backing plate not usable (different mounting system than the XC models) and EBC brake shoes and internal components/springs are reusble. Got it off ebay for $20.00.
The spokes I'm working on have been hand cleaned and polished. Thank goodness for cleaning/polishing products that do what they say they will. These spokes will be integrated on to my stock 81' 430XC rear hub. Project entails: my 81' hub, backing plate and internals, these 82' spokes and nipples and a 4.25 rear rim with appropriate sized street tire. Motard conversion in progress.
The rear rim off my bike (straight, round, not garred up and the weld seam isn't cracked or cracking) will be recycled to the front. 36 hole, 17" X about 3" - perfect for the front.
As for polishing stuff by hand, "Mother's Aluminum and Mag Polish" really works. I have gotten a great shine with this product using some time, towels and elbow grease. I have never really considered using a machine but I'm sure it would speed up the process. If you find some cool tool that does the work, post it up. Rick

you were lucky I did a set of rims on my 05 YZ250 in 06 and I had to cut 2 spokes says a lot about Husky Quality and luck to..
Put the spoke in a cordless drill and spin it up, hit it with some mothers and a rag and your in business...I have cleaned spokes still on the bike with some masons line and mothers, a shoe lace works well also..
I'M thinking about tearing my rims apart on my 83 XC250 and getting them powder coated black I just don't know how it will look with all the yellow seat and number plates, and white frame and lower fork legs:excuse me:..

mattskn,
Black rims, black hub, black backing plate, black sprocket with clean mounting hardware and a bad ASK tire (street or dirt) would look great on anything. Thats my plan.
Didn't even think about using the drill. I'll keep that in mind for the next set. Great idea!
Mothers on a "shoe string". I'm going to keep that in mind, too. Also budget friendly.
Rick

Dremel...maybe Dremel on the router stand.

Ill post pics when I get it done. Next couple of months...