Wheels and Whorls

Sliding Hook Flyer for the Ashford Joy

noreply@blogger.com (Wheels and Whorls) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:51:00 +0000

flyer upgrade
Ashford have announced that a new model (both single and double treadle) of the Joy spinning wheel has been released. The new Joys are fitted with a sliding hook flyer as standard issue. They have also been upgraded to include three new sliding hook flyer bobbins that hold 30% more yarn than the regular bobbins. For older Joy wheels, an upgrade kit is also available.

sliding hook flyer advantages
- flyer accommodates both the new larger sized bobbins and the older bobbins
- squeeze & slide hooks let you fill your bobbins to full capacity
- you can position the spun yarn as precisely as you like, eliminating hills & valleys
- flyer has graphite fibreglass arms making it lightweight and strong

FAQs
I have an older model of the Joy. Will the larger sliding hook flyer bobbins fit on the Joy's built-in lazy kate?
Yes, but they may not fit properly when the Joy is fully folded. If you are buying a new model of the Joy (released late 2009 here in New Zealand) this is not an issue because the frame has been redesigned to accommodate the larger bobbins.
Does the new flyer screw-on in the same manner as the old flyer?
Yes.
How much does the sliding hook flyer upgrade kit cost?
Recommended retail: NZ$85.00 (1 sliding hook flyer bobbin included)
When will the upgrade kit be available in my country?
Please contact your local distributer for details.

Handspun: Beansprout and Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Wheels and Whorls) — Fri, 29 May 2009 02:07:00 +0000

freshly spun yarns

Beansprout green heather merino (left) and earth black corriedale (right) handspun samples.

Preparation: Carded batt, "heather" blended.
Fibre: Dyed Skeins: merino sliver/roving blending beansprout, cheesecake and a little indigo, Natural Skein: black corriedale
WPI: 17
Ply: 2ply
Length to Weight: 397m/100g (434 yd/3.5 oz)
Wheel: Ashford Kiwi, High Speed Whorl/pulley (1:11 ratio)

Makeover: Ashford Kiwi Spinning Wheel

noreply@blogger.com (Wheels and Whorls) — Fri, 22 May 2009 02:23:00 +0000

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)

Working with Roving/Sliver/Top

noreply@blogger.com (Wheels and Whorls) — Sat, 16 May 2009 03:29:00 +0000

Carded fibre that comes in continuous rope-like lengths goes by the names of roving, sliver or top depending on how it was prepared. If you're new to handling fibre in this form, try these tips:
breaking off a piece of roving
Firstly, check that the length of roving is straight with no twist in it. Even a little twist can make pulling it apart difficult. Next, grasp the roving in each hand with at least a staple's length gap between them. For this demonstration I'm using merino wool which has a typical staple length of 7-12cm (3-5"). If your hands are closer than a staple's length, the fibres can't begin to slide apart. Pull gently to separate off the piece you need.

splitting a piece of roving lengthwise
The way I do this is to dig my thumbs into the centre of the roving a short distance from the end, easing apart the fibres to split the end in two.

Once the end is split, pull the two halves apart down the length of the roving. Using the same method, you can split each of the two halves in half again to divide your original roving into quarters. If you're working with a thick roving, you can split each piece again to get eigths. For felting, these thinner divisions of roving can give you more control over how much fibre gets pulled out when laying down the fibres. Similarly for spinning, some find it easier to control how many fibres are being drafted out when working with thinner pieces of roving.

pulling off wisps of fibre for felting
For this demonstration I'm using a "quarter-split" sized piece. Using an index finger, I pin down the wispy fibres at the end. Holding the roving in my other hand, I gently pull back to separate out a fine layer of fibre.

To pull out a thicker layer of fibre, you can pin down more fibres before pulling back. Experiment and find what works for you :)

Ashford Spinning Wheel Comparison Chart

noreply@blogger.com (Wheels and Whorls) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:14:00 +0000

want to compare Ashford spinning wheels?
Here's a table we've put together to make comparing models easier. See at a glance what ratios you get with each wheel and its "add on" flyers, the wheel's specifications and what accessories are available.

Ashford Wheel Model	Ratios	Orifice Diameter	Bobbin Capacity	Drive Type	Wheel Diameter	Treadles	Weight	Included Accessories	Optional Accessories
Kiwi	5.5, 7.25	10mm (70cm high)	100g	Single (scotch tension)	45cm	Double	5.5kg	3 Bobbins, Lazy Kate	High Speed Kit, Jumbo Flyer Unit, Skein Holder
with High Speed Kit	11, 14	10mm (70cm high)	100g
with Jumbo Flyer	4, 5	15mm	225g
Joy	6, 8, 11,14	10mm (56cm high)	100g	Single (scotch tension)	40cm	Double, Single	6kg (DT) 5kg (ST)	3 Bobbins	Carry Bag
Elizabeth 2	8.5, 11, 15 (18 bobbin lead)	10mm (66cm high)	100g	Double (with scotch tension option)	61cm	Single (double add-on extra)	9kg	4 Bobbins, Lazy Kate	High Speed Adaptor Kit, Jumbo DD Flyer Unit, Sliding Hook DD Flyer, Sliding Hook Jumbo DD Flyer, Flax Distaff, Quill Spindle, Double Treadle Kit
with High Speed Adaptor	14, 17.5, (22 bobbin lead)	10mm (66cm high)	100g			Single (double add-on extra)	9kg
with Jumbo Flyer	4.9, 5.7, (9.6 bobbin lead)	15mm	225g
with Sliding Hook Flyer	8, 10.5, 14	10mm	100g
with Jumbo Sliding Hook Flyer	5, 5.5, 6.5	15mm	225g
Traditional – SD	6.5, 12.5, 17.5	10mm (67.5cm high)	100g	Single (scotch tension)	54cm	Single (double add-on extra)	8kg	4 Bobbins, Lazy Kate	Lace Flyer Kit, Basic & Complete Jumbo Flyer Unit, Sliding Hook Flyer, Jumbo Sliding Hook Flyer, Flax Distaff, Quill Spindle, Double Treadle Kit
with Lace Flyer Kit	(15, 20, 30, 40 cotton) (14, 18, 25, 30 polycord)	7mm	70g
with Jumbo Flyer	4.5, 9	15mm	225g
with Sliding Hook Flyer	6.5, 9, 12, 18	10mm	100g
with Jumbo Sliding Hook Flyer	4.5, 7.5, 9.5, 12.5	15mm	225g
Traditional – DD	7.5, 10, (14 bobbin lead)	10mm (67.5cm high)	100g	Double (with scotch tension option)	56cm	Single (double add-on extra)	8kg	4 Bobbins, Lazy Kate	High Speed Adaptor Kit, Jumbo DD Flyer Unit, Sliding Hook DD Flyer, Sliding Hook Jumbo DD Flyer, Flax Distaff, Quill Spindle, Double Treadle Kit
with High Speed Adaptor	14, 17.5, (22 bobbin lead)	10mm (67.5cm high)	100g
with Jumbo Flyer	4.9, 5.7, (9.6 bobbin lead)	15mm	225g
with Sliding Hook Flyer	7.5, 9.5, 13	10mm	100g
with Jumbo Sliding Hook Flyer	4.5, 5.3, 6.1	15mm	225g
Traveller - SD	5.5, 10, 14	10mm (80cm high)	100g	Single (scotch tension)	46cm	Double	7kg	4 Bobbins, Lazy Kate	Lace Flyer Kit, Basic Jumbo Flyer Unit, Sliding Hook Flyer, Jumbo Sliding Hook Flyer, Flax Distaff, Quill Spindle
with Lace Flyer Kit	(12, 16, 24, 30 cotton) (11, 15, 20, 25 polycord)	7mm	70g
with Jumbo Flyer	3.7, 7.3	15mm	225g
with Sliding Hook Flyer	5.5, 7.5, 10, 15	10mm	100g
with Jumbo Sliding Hook Flyer	3.5, 6, 7.5, 10	15mm	225g
Traveller - DD	6.5, 8.5, (11.5 bobbin lead)	10mm (80cm high)	100g	Double (with scotch tension option)	46cm	Double	7kg	4 Bobbins, Lazy Kate	High Speed Adaptor Kit, Jumbo DD Flyer Unit, Sliding Hook DD Flyer, Sliding Hook Jumbo DD Flyer, Flax Distaff, Quill Spindle
with High Speed Adaptor	11.5, 14, (18 bobbin lead)	10mm (80cm high)	100g
with Jumbo Flyer	4, 4.9, (7.9 bobbin lead)	15mm	225g
with Sliding Hook Flyer	6, 8, 10.5	10mm	100g
with Jumbo Sliding Hook Flyer	4, 4.5, 5	15mm	225g
Country Spinner	4	23mm (71cm high)	900g-1kg	Bobbin Lead	46cm	Double	6.6kg	1 Bobbin
E-Spinner (electric)	0-1500 rpm	15mm (19.5cm high)	225g	Single (scotch tension)	None	None	2.8kg	3 Bobbins, Lazy Kate
Charka	16, 80				23cm	None	2.5kg