I love your optimism Wayne.
Although I must admit the journey so far has not been all that bad only one ongoing headache happening at the moment when parting off the spokes in the lathe, I am having multiple carbide tips shatter. Checked height, tried faster speed at 350 rpm but went back to115 rpm all with no change. Only using the slightest of pressure on the feed in or a bit heavier and the same thing happens. I did have an issue like this before and I moved the cutting tool back in towards the tool post as close as it could go and that worked a treat. This is where it is still and now have issues.
So as for the jig, I have the outter bands rolled and ready to go into the jig, the centre hubs have been parted off and the tiny flash weld mark inside tidied up a little bit and enough spokes cut to put a wheel together so this is where I am at now.You see the bands waiting to be joined and base of the jig and then a band in place, not welded as yet and using a long piece of rod to make the spoke nice and straight by fitting some off cut bits of timber on the pieces that will hold the spokes in from the outside edge.