I am having trouble with my spinning wheel bobbin. I got one today, and after all the chores were done I decided to try it out... All the instructions say that the spun wool will imediately start to draw onto the bobbin. This has not been the case. the yarn is not stuck on the flyer hooks and it is threaded correctly. Another question I have is ( and it might be related to the previous question), how is thedrive cord supposed to go on the wheel. my instructions say that it is supposed to cross itself, which would have the bobbin turn opposite the wheel ,Is this correct? I would appreciate any advice. Thatnks alot, Susan

-- Susan n' emily in Tn. (animalcrackers55@hotmail.com), April 18, 2002

Answers

OK I'm really really not an expert but I am fascinated watching my wife learn to spin! It'll wear off I'm sure, hopefully before I try to build mechanical monster to spin wool! Cross the drive cord??, my wifes is not and I can't think of any reason it would. You can spin either clockwise or counter clockwise, how the flier drives compared to the wheel shouldn't matter. (she uses an Ashford Traveller) That said her's is a single drive with scotch tension, flier driven. Your driving the bobbin not the flier? I'm told such exists (bobbin driven) but I don't think your Traditional is one of those. The pully groove on the bobbin is for the tension if yours is the same as Ann's. Ashford does make a double drive Traditional wheel too so it might not be.
The process as it looks to me is the hooks on the flier direct the spun wool onto the bobbin. The position of the wool gets moved back and to from each side of the flier to wind the wool on evenly. The hooks are staggered if you look across the fliers edge. The tension on the bobbin holds the bobbin while the flier spins the spun wool on. The flier will over come that tension while you draw out the wool, making the bobbin spin with the flier (and not wind onto it)until you release the drawn wool then the tension stops the bobbin and the fliers does it's winding job. You balance the bobbin tension with your wool's feeding property through to the flier and so it will wind on to the bobbin. Now that all might not be technically correct, (and is probably confusing!) but it's easy to see why it would catch a guy's eye, it's just a floor model, indoor, fishin pole! I can try to post a picture of her's to compare tomorrow if you like.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), April 18, 2002.

Sometimes, when I have trouble getting a bobbin to take the spun wool, I actually tie it to the bobbin and wind up a small bit by hand. This keeps the yarn from slipping so it will draw onto the bobbin. Hope this helps!

-- cowgirlone in ok (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), April 18, 2002.

Which bobbin? There should be a picture of a row of Ashford bobbins, which one is yours? If it doesn't work I'll get it right tomorrow. Give it a few seconds it has to load from a remote site.


-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), April 18, 2002.

Susan, It sounds like you must have a double drive band? If you do have a double drive band is will cross itself at some point on the wheel. The book I had reccommended to you in your previous post would be answering all these questions for you with pictures. I will try to help with what I have.

"Double drive (a doubled drive band goes around the drive wheel with one loop encircling the flyer whorl, and the other loop encircling the bobbin whorl, driving both elements).

Have you oiled your wheel? your break band must have enough tension to slow the bobbin or flyer as needed. They must turn at different rates. On double drive wheels make sure one loop of drive band is on the flyer whorl, and the other on the bobbin whorl. It is easy to get them both on the the same whorl. Make sure the tension is enough on the drive band. Your leader yarn may not be catching either, not secure enough on the bobbin. Tighten the leader, retie it more securely on the bobbin. Lastly make sure your yarn isn't too thick to go through the orifice.

You can e-mail me off forum if you need to. I highly reccommend you get the Lee Raven's book Hands on Spinning

Susan

-- Susan in MN (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), April 19, 2002.

Ross, I've never heard spinning compared to fishing before, leave it to a guy to do that. The bobbin that I have is the one on the far left. It may not be thee correct bobbin. We are going to the cumberland general store this afternoon to purchase a few that are for my ashford traditional. I's not a double drive,(let me go look at my book again). susan, I have tried loading some by hand, but no luck, today i"ll compare the bobbin that I have with those specifically for the traditional. Susan, I may be e-mailing you soon,I will be looking for the book,I have the joy of spinning by Marilyn Kluger, and a booklet called the handspinners handbook,by Bete Hochberg.

-- Susan n' emily in Tn. (animalcrackers55@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002.

Ok that's the same one my wife uses on her Traveller. it has a nylon line and two springs to tension it? I'll get that picture up.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), April 19, 2002.

Susan n' emily in Tn. did you get the set up book from Ashford with your wheel? I could photocopy it and send you it. Or email me a third party snail mail addy, if you'd like to preserve your home addy privacy.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), April 19, 2002.

I found my instructions for attaching the drive cord. Can scan that and send it to you. Also have my ashford learn to spin booklet if that would help.

-- Pat (hiddentreasuresfarm@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002.

One thing you can do is to put some yarn on your bobbin as a leader. I tape at the least a 6-8" piece to the bobbin to use to thread the oriface and then start my spinning on. If your drive band is crossed, you will be turning the flyer in the opposite direction. This is only done when you are plying. You ply in the opposite direction that you spin the singles. It sounds like you need to drive the flyer and brake the bobbin. Make sure the bobbin has a brake string around the pulley and slowly tweak it until you get it feeding on at the rate you like. This can bee seen with a longer leader yarn on the bobbin. Also, if your brake string is attached to a spring, throw the spring in the trash and use a rubber band. Double or triple it if it is too long. Rubber bands can be fine tuned easier than a spring.

-- Patty Ramsey (pattykettler@yahoo.com), April 19, 2002.

I'm warning all of you! I've printed this out with all you e-mail addresses so when I finally get my wheel )hopefully this summer) and I get totally mixed up, I can contact ya'll for help!!!!!!

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), April 19, 2002.

Hi Susan, We need to know whether you have a single or double drive, and if you have a double drive, are you using the Scotch tension? If you are, the yarn will wind on in the opposite direction than if you aren't, so beware. If it's a double drive with no Scotch tension, you need to tighten the drive band in order to increase the rate of draw. If it's single or double drive and you are using Scotch tension, then you need to tighten the Scotch tension in order to increase the rate of draw. Email me if you haven't got it solved yet. I'm sure we can get you spinning before long.

-- Laura Jensen (lrjensen@nwlink.com), April 19, 2002.

O.K. Susan, if your bobbin is the one on the far right you have a single drive band and there is noway is will cross anything anywhere. You also have scottish tension. That may be your problem, if your tension is not enough you will just be slipping your cord, as it were. Check your drive band tension too. With light pressure on it you will have about an inch of give. That is if you lightly push on the driveband where it is suspended between the drive wheel and the flyer/bobbin it should give about an inch. It should not be too tight or too loose. Do you know how to adjust your wheel?

As I said feel free to e-mail me. I have the same wheel and can easily talk you through and of you problems. Do you have an instant messenger you use?

Susan

-- Susan in MN (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), April 19, 2002.

If all else fails, you can email Ashford. Describe your wheel and your problem and they will help you solve it. They are prompt, helpful and very nice. I had a problem when I bought my Traveller and they explained what was causing the problem and how to fix it.

-- nancy (stoneground@catskill.net), April 19, 2002.

yipee!!!! I figured it out from your posts!!! I had no brake on the Bobbin!!!!!!!!!! I tied the same kind of cord that I used for the drive band, around the bobbin and through a hook placed just under it. I have spun about 1/2 of the bobbin tonight. My husband was talking on the phone, and he said he could see the moment it worked. He said I had the biggest smile on my face. anyway I had to let you all know that it was finally going good. Thanks for all the input, It really helped. You are all the greatest!!!! Susan

-- Susan n' emily in Tn. (animalcrackers55@hotmail.com), April 19, 2002.