Boogity
Almost Self-Reliant
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- Jan 18, 2010
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I have always been interested in spinning. Even as a kid I would go near someone who was spinning and examine the wheel and watch the process closely. Maybe it was the treadle, maybe it was the whorl spinning around, maybe it was the spinner sitting there making yarn out of a pile of wool. Whatever it was, it captured my interest.
As I am now retired and partially disabled I thought that I would like to actually try it for the first time. Back in the summer I was at an auction and I got, what I thought was, a nice Saxony style wheel for $45. I loaded it into my truck and headed for home. I knew it needed a spindle, whorl, and drive band but I'm handy in my little workshop so It was not a big deal.
When I got home I parked the pickup at the shop (little barn) door and proceeded to unload my new toy. I have a balance problem with my disability and as I turned around to head into the shop with the wheel in my hand I dropped it in the gravel. Not only did I drop it but in my efforts to minimize the damage I lost my balance and plopped my big foot right on the wheel and broke all but 2 spokes, the mother-of-all, and the treadle. It was pretty much trash when I finally got up off the ground. I wish I had a video of that little episode - it would have made it to "America's funniest videos" show.
In the next few weeks I managed to make a new treadle assembly, a new bobbin, new flyer, and pretty much repaired the spokes on the wheel. Whew! There's a lot of work in these spinning gadgets. While making the new parts I discovered that this wheel has a very small orifice on the flyer. I think it's only about 1/4" diameter. This may make plying difficult, especially three ply. So I'm thinking that I'll make a completely new flyer/bobbin assembly.
But I kind of stuck on the repairs needed on the mother-of-all. There is a threaded 3/4" x 8" wooden dowel that is beyond repair and the piece with the female threads and post is trash also. I don't have the shop equipment to make threads on wooden parts so I'll have to figure out some way hand carve these pieces. Maybe that will be a good project when the winter keeps me indoors.
Anyway, here is my spinning wheel folly. You can see my new treadle assembly that is almost ready for dark maple stain. And you might be able to see my new flyer too. I'm quite proud of how I was able to glue the spokes back into the wheel and keep it straight. I was so worried that the wheel would wobble when the glue dried but it's pretty darned straight. Good old epoxy cement.
At this point I'm not convinced that all this work is worth it. Especially for an old codger who doesn't even know how to spin. Duh!
I didn't re-size my pic - I hope it's not too big.
As I am now retired and partially disabled I thought that I would like to actually try it for the first time. Back in the summer I was at an auction and I got, what I thought was, a nice Saxony style wheel for $45. I loaded it into my truck and headed for home. I knew it needed a spindle, whorl, and drive band but I'm handy in my little workshop so It was not a big deal.
When I got home I parked the pickup at the shop (little barn) door and proceeded to unload my new toy. I have a balance problem with my disability and as I turned around to head into the shop with the wheel in my hand I dropped it in the gravel. Not only did I drop it but in my efforts to minimize the damage I lost my balance and plopped my big foot right on the wheel and broke all but 2 spokes, the mother-of-all, and the treadle. It was pretty much trash when I finally got up off the ground. I wish I had a video of that little episode - it would have made it to "America's funniest videos" show.
In the next few weeks I managed to make a new treadle assembly, a new bobbin, new flyer, and pretty much repaired the spokes on the wheel. Whew! There's a lot of work in these spinning gadgets. While making the new parts I discovered that this wheel has a very small orifice on the flyer. I think it's only about 1/4" diameter. This may make plying difficult, especially three ply. So I'm thinking that I'll make a completely new flyer/bobbin assembly.
But I kind of stuck on the repairs needed on the mother-of-all. There is a threaded 3/4" x 8" wooden dowel that is beyond repair and the piece with the female threads and post is trash also. I don't have the shop equipment to make threads on wooden parts so I'll have to figure out some way hand carve these pieces. Maybe that will be a good project when the winter keeps me indoors.
Anyway, here is my spinning wheel folly. You can see my new treadle assembly that is almost ready for dark maple stain. And you might be able to see my new flyer too. I'm quite proud of how I was able to glue the spokes back into the wheel and keep it straight. I was so worried that the wheel would wobble when the glue dried but it's pretty darned straight. Good old epoxy cement.
At this point I'm not convinced that all this work is worth it. Especially for an old codger who doesn't even know how to spin. Duh!
I didn't re-size my pic - I hope it's not too big.
