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Many types of spinning wheels have developed over the centuries
which can produce a yarn efficiently from local fibres. Historically
a great many configurations of spinning wheel and flyer have
been developed, and some of these are still available from
craftsmen wheel makers. The common layouts are shown below
along with comments on their strengths and limitations.
Traditional or Saxony Spinning Wheels have a side-by-side
arrangement of the drive wheel and spinning head. This allows
for wheels up to 75cm diameter to be used and gives effortless
smooth treadling as a result of the wheel's inertia.
 The
Ashford Traditional spinning wheel, shown here, is a typical
modern example with a wheel diameter of 56cm and drive ratios
from 6.8,12.5 to 18:1 from the whorls and bobbin sizes included.
In the Upright, Castle and Frame Spinning Wheels the drive
wheel and spinning head are stacked vertically, reducing the
working space. This reduces the overall weight and makes for
a robust wheel, and helps with portability. These wheels are
generally the ones taken around in the car. The Ashford Traveller
and Joy Spinning Wheels, as well as the Schacht Matchless
Spinning Wheel, are typical modern examples.
Great or Wool Spinning Wheels are the earliest form of European
wheel, and are equivalent to a hand spindle on its side rotated
by the wheel. The fibre is spun by turning the wheel with
the right hand and drafting the fibres with the left hand.
The spike is used both to twist the fibres and to accumulate
the spun yarn. A very high quality yarn can be prepared in
this way from a rolag or roving, and the Great Wheel was still
used for making warp yarns after the foot powered wheels had
been superseded by mechanised spinning.
The Charka was developed by Ghandi into a 'book' boxed version
still made in India, it provides a portable spinning wheel
with a very high spinning ratio for creating a quality yarn
from short stapled Asiatic cotton. As with the Great Wheel,
the right hand turns the spindle and the left draughts the
fibres.
 Double Drive
The
drive band passes round the wheel and spinning head twice.
The bobbin and the whorl are each independently turned. Since
the bobbin pulley is smaller than the flyer pulley, the flyer
turns faster, both twisting the yarn and winding the yarn
on the bobbin. The amount of twist in the yarn depends on
the difference between the ratios of the pulley and flyer
as well as the extent the bobbin is allowed to slip by the
drive band. A slack drive band prevents the yarn winding on
the bobbin.
The double drive gives good control over the draw-in and
twist of the yarn, and is particularly useful for fine yarns.
Most double drive spinning wheels can be adapted to be used
with a Scotch Tension set-up.
 Single Drive, flyer lead; (Scotch
Tension)
A
single drive band controls and turns the flyer either through
a separate whorl at the bobbin end of the flyer, or a whorl
built onto the orifice end of the flyer. The bobbin is dragged
round by the yarn and held back by the friction from the brake
band. The tension on the brake band is adjustable to vary
the ease with which the bobbin slips and twist builds up in
the yarn. Relaxing the pull on the yarn allows it to build
up on the bobbin.
A scotch tension wheel is flexible across a wide rangeof
yarn types, but needs regular adjustment as the yarn builds
up on the bobbin.
Single Drive, bobbin lead; (Irish Tension)
 This
configuration is the opposite of the scotch tension, with
the drive band turning the bobbin. The yarn linking it to
the bobbin drags the flyer round. The flyer is held back by
an adjustable brake band allowing the yarn to wind on the
bobbin; by restraining the wind on, the spinner builds up
the twist.
As with the scotch tension the wheel is flexible in the range
of yarns spun, so it is better used for spinning bulky yarns.
Direct Drive Spindles
These generally show very high ratios of 40:1 in the Great
Wheel, and up to 250:1 with a Miner's head to multiply the
action. The Charka, developed to spin Indian cotton which
has a short fibre length, can provide a drive ratio of over
150:1, giving strong yarns and a rapid rate of production.
You can learn more about spinning wheels from The
Spinning Wheel Sleuth FAQs web page which will
open in a separate window. The site promotes their periodical
which is devoted to spinning wheels
Please note: Fibrecrafts is not responsible
for the content of external websites
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