Spinning wheels – Page 2

The accidental spinning wheel collector

At what point does owning some spinning wheels, as essential tools in the occupation of spinning, become having a collection of spinning wheels? I think I may have just crossed the boundary. As long as ownership of a wheel can be justified in terms of generalised or specialised use, then that’s a tool to pursue a hobby. But when a wheel is acquired that isn’t faster, more portable, quieter, great for lace or great for art yarns, then just possibly it may be considered that I have started collecting wheels!

Anyway, my “new to me” Haldane Lewis should be arriving tomorrow. I’m really excited and looking forward to taking it for a spin Smile

That means I will have 5 spinning wheels (that does rather look like it may be a collection). I’m still hankering after a very portable wheel though, so I suspect this won’t be my last! Embarrassed smile

Oh, no hang-on! Got it! The justification is that I’m learning all I can about spinning and spinning wheels. Some will be tools I use regularly and some will teach me more about spinning! Not a collection at all! Phew. (Though really, what’s wrong with a collection of spinning wheels?)

Repairing the Haldane Hebridean

My Haldane has had a rough time of it recently. She was a working wheel, but when in the kitchen the front bearing went missing (this is a piece of leather that slots into the front maiden on the Mother of All). While the bearing was missing the flyer was placed on a shelf. I thought it was safe there until the day something was grabbed off the shelf and the flyer was knocked onto the hard tiled floor. Even as it hit I knew something was wrong. The flyer arm was broken.

This happened quite a while ago and I’ve been feeling very guilty about it.

Anyway, last weekend the central heating was serviced and the leather bearing was recovered! A slightly warm but otherwise unharmed part!

This gave me the impetus to look at the broken flyer. I decided that the best approach was to glue it back together. I didn’t want to use PVA (which I usually use for gluing wood) as it would need clamping and the flyer is a really odd shape for clamping. I was also gluing wood to metal as well as wood to wood, as the flyer arm had broken near the middle of the flyer revealing the spindle that runs through the centre. In the end I chose an epoxy resin glue. I lightly sanded and cleaned up the areas to be glued; mixed up the epoxy resin and glued the part together. It didn’t take long at all and this morning I was able to test it out.

I’m pleased to say that she works! Now all she needs is a dust and polish.

What a week!

It’s been just over a week since I last posted – and boy I’ve been busy!!!

On Saturday I went to the local spinning group and chatted and spun until I completely lost track of time.

On Tuesday evening I decided to fix my 60’s Ashford Traditional wheel – as the hub had come apart again. I took it apart and cleaned up the inside of the hub ready for gluing:

I then discovered that I didn’t have any clamps to hold the hub while it glued.

On Wednesday I went out and bought the clamps and a few other tools. I also got some brass tubing I’m going to try as bushes in the bobbins of a different wheel.

And then instead of fixing the wheel – I started a new group on Ravelry (Ashford UK Spinners). That kept me really busy for the rest of the week. I’ve now produced art work (well a banner and an icon for the group):

I’ve read hundreds of messages, replied to lots, posted lots of others and got a team of moderators all ready to start. I’m really hoping we can make this a thriving forum (and that I don’t post too often!)

Anyway, last night I returned to the broken hub. It didn’t take long to glue it together and add the clamps. I put the hub spindle back through the hole to ensure that the two sides lined up correctly, but removed it once the clamps had been fixed:

I propped the wheel up between two chairs overnight:

This morning I put the wheel back onto the legs (the hardest part of this was lining up the hole in the hub spindle and getting the hub pin to go through it). And this evening I’ve given the wheel a polish, connected the treadle, re-found the jumbo flyer and added a drive band. I’m not sure why she’s now stood on the table:

So, a very busy week indeed!