This is the Ashford Kiwi I learned to spin on. Some 12 years old, it was still in its original unfinished state, so I set to work with sandpaper, stain, polish and paint. I'm really pleased with the transformation. This is a project you can do in an intense bout over a weekend (how I did it) or at a more leisurely pace (how I'd recommend doing it).
sanding the hardwood
Firstly, the wheel was completely disassembled to make sanding each piece easier. Ashford craft their spinning wheels out of sliver beech - a native New Zealand hardwood. I sanded all the hardwood pieces with 120 grit garnet sandpaper followed by grade 0 steel wool. This combination produced a silky smooth finish to the wood. Sanding tip - wear a pair of thin cotton gardening gloves while sanding to protect your fingertips and nails from abrasion.
staining the hardwood
I used water based Wattyl Wood Gel to apply a coat of stain. A Chux kitchen cloth worked well for spreading the gel on and wiping off the excess. After the stain had dried I used the grade 0 steel wool to lightly sand and re-expose the grain. I then applied a second thinner coat of stain and let it dry. This method really enhanced the grain patterns, like the undulating shading on the right treadle which wasn't visible before staining.
oiling the hardwood
To protect the wood and bring out the depth of colour, I finished it with two coats of wood oil. Any quality wood oil will work. I had some furniture oil handy so I used that.
finishing the MDF wheel
The wheel was sanded with the 120 grit sandpaper, using 70 grit, followed by 120 for the rougher inner spokes. For the final sanding, I used the steel wool. A layer of oil-based undercoat was brushed on to seal the MDF. I let it dry overnight before giving it a light "between coats" sand. If I was doing this again, I'd use a spray-on undercoat - it dries so much faster and you don't get brushstrokes. Finally I spray painted the wheel with two coats of Dulux black enamel. To make spraying the wheel easier I hung it vertically. This was achieved by slipping the hub of the wheel over a bolt shaft jutting out of an outside wall. I protected the wall with newspaper to catch the over-spray. Be vigilant that no paint builds up in the slot that the hub pin slides into. Oh, and watch the spray can - as mine progressed towards empty on the second coat, it suddenly started to splutter sending a spray of drips over the surface. If you do get drips, quickly dab them flat with an artist's brush.
accessories
I was so pleased with how the Kiwi turned out that I finished all its bobbins, a lazy kate, hand carders and niddy noddy to match.
summary of supplies
Sanding paper (120 & 70 grit), steel wool (size 0), kitchen cloth (Chux type), wood stain (Wattyl Wood Gel in "Western Jarrah"), wood oil (CO Original Polishing Oil), spray paint (Dulux Quick Dry Spraykote Enamel in "Black Satin"), compatible undercoat (Dulux Spraykote Undercoat)
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