how to clean old spinning wheel?

Hello,

with what would you suggest to clean/wash an old spinning wheel that spent a few years in the basement uncovered and got VERY dusty?

Thank you in advance,

Yulia

Reply to
YW
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On 25 May 2006 09:01:03 -0700, "YW" spewed forth :

Canned air followed by good hard wax (BriWax for example) applied with

4/0 steel wool, then buff it up with an old cotton rag.

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Reply to the list as I do not publish an email address to USENET. This practice has cut my spam by more than 95%. Of course, I did have to abandon a perfectly good email account...

Reply to
Wooly

I'm really fussy with mine, but here is what I just did when I pulled one out of a shed, in a similar state to sell to a friend.

took it apart ... gently. but you don't have to. Rubbed all the wood over with a dry green pan scrubber thing, not a wire one don't know what you call them in the US but it's just a nylon type thing scotch pads we call them. they are green although they do other colours and thin and cut into squares, sometimes they have a sponge on one side of them...

then wiped the whole wood over with a clean but damp cloth and dried with kitchen paper straightaway.

Using Raw Linseed oil wiped over the wood parts including underneath the foot bars and pedal, and spokes. .. etc let that soak in, it'll feed and replenish the wood.

Using a good axle grease or vaseline... grease the leather bearings that hold the bobbin in place and/or if they are metal, and the leather that is at the bottom of the foot plate also the metal axle that is Z shaped and fitted to the back of the wheel in order that the upright wood goes up and down allowing the wheel to turn, the name of this piece of wood escapes me for the minute.

Also wax or grease the metal bits that go from the foot plate bars to the legs at the front..if it is an Ashford trad it will have these. If the wood parts of the wheel are still shiny leave overnight, if not linseed them again if it is soaked in, it means it needs a feed. and if this is the case I'd do it the next night as well. When that is done..... Beeswax up all the wood and rub up well, immediately or it'll be hard to rub it over later if you leave it, beeswax should be buffed up immediately so do a bit at a time.

now use and repeat in six months then once a year at least.. My wheel was a dirty old thing that had been dumped on a skip, someone had had a go at varnishing it, but I got that off, now it gleams.. look after it properly and it'll look after you and your work for years and years to come..

hth Cher

Reply to
spinninglilac

Hello Yulia, I bet that wheel is happy to be out of the basement. I think that dusty is the keyword here. Take a nice soft cloth and wipe it clean, I would not use water if it is only dusty. If you find any rust on your axel or spindle, use some fine steel wool and remove it all. For all moving part use a fine oil, like sewing maching oil. I bought recently at one of those sewing shows held in Victoria a bottle of fine machine oil with a long spout you can pull out of the plastic bottle. It makes it oh se easy to oil you axel from your wheel and get to those hard to get to places. Happy spinning. What kind of wheel is it, and what are you going to spin Yulia?

Els

Reply to
Els van Dam

Thank you all for your suggestions! I'm planning to do it this weekend.

I'm not experinced with spinning wheels yet: I had just one brief lesson. I believe it's a traditional Ashford wheel, it resembles Ashford Elizabeth the most just in dark wood. Next week I'm going to the person who will give me an estimate to fix it. This wheel spent a few good years in the basement of my parents in law and I don't know where and in what condition it was purchased. I also doubt that my mother in law ever used it for anything except decoration. It's missing some parts and needs repair (footman is torn off, the pedal is disconnected at one of the points, the band is missing,flyer whorl is missing too...), I just hope it's not going to be too expensive... Hopefully I'll be able to post updates on my progress with this project soon.

Yulia

Reply to
YW

Yulia where are you located

Els

Reply to
Els van Dam

Well you have an easy wheel to find replacements for Ashfords are pretty interchangeable.

shame it is in a bit of a state, are you going to learn to spin on it then? hope so as this will be fun, ask Noreen as she found one in her basement or attic/roofspace and her dh did it up for her and she was away on it straight away......weren't you Noreen?

so good luck with it.

higz Cher

Reply to
spinninglilac

On Fri, 26 May 2006 17:36:17 GMT, spinninglilac spun a fine yarn

Actually, Cher, mine was built by my DFIL, and for years it stood as decoration by my fireplace, THEN, I came to ya'll for advice on cleaning it up, getting it in working order, etc, and DH and I stripped the ugly burgundy/yellow/orangy varnish and refinished it. I now have a second one, just like it, which DFIL also built, for my DSisIL... I'm debating selling both to get an Ashford! Hugs, Noreen

Reply to
YarnWright

For the past month I'm in Vermont (Shoreham)! yay! We moved from NY city in mid-April and half of my belongings are still in boxes or all over the place...

I would love to learn to spin properly. The person who was recommended for repairs may give lessons as well.

There is a beautiful farm less then 2 min away from me with sheep and mohair goats. Just today I was admiring fleece while buying eggs there and thinking to myself: "no, not yet, not yet....soon "

Yulia

Reply to
YW

Well Ashford or no, you certainly got it into a working state and started spinning as soon as it was up and running, which is what I actually meant lol

higz Cher

Reply to
spinninglilac

On Fri, 26 May 2006 21:15:17 GMT, spinninglilac spun a fine yarn

nod nod nod, yes'm! Hugs, Noreen :D

Reply to
YarnWright

Noreen, before you buy an Ahsford wheel, look at other wheels first. If you are going to travel a lot with your wheel, to workshops and Fairs, I would advice you get a traveling wheel. Ahsford does have a nice little one, (do not get the traditional Ashford, it does not travel well at all, the way the bobbin and flyer sits in the maidens of the mother of it all). My choice would be a Lendrum. All my wheels were made by Otto, however, they never traveled well, except for the one Otto made from scrap bits and pieces of wood. He put wheels under it plus a fold a way arm, so I could pull the wheel behind me. It worked well, but it still was a heavy wheel to lift and very big to put in the car, to go places. I bought my Lendrum

4 to 5 years ago, and I love it. It spins like a dream, folds up for travel and you can lift it up with one hand. It has double treadles, and I love it. Try other spinners wheels, and look at the sizes, taking in account what travel space you have in your car.

Els

Reply to
Els van Dam

Yulia, it sounds you are close to a spinning adventure. Keep us posted on what happens next

Els

Reply to
Els van Dam

On Fri, 26 May 2006 22:48:34 GMT, Els van Dam spun a fine yarn

Thanks for the advice, Els. I like the Kromski wheels too........ As for room, we've an extended cab pickup truck, so I've room.... this whole thing really depends on IF I can get a decent dollar out of my two... Hugs, Noreen

Reply to
YarnWright
I

I had never heard of the Kromski wheels, and went to look at them. They look lovely, and with a truck to transport your wheel, you are away to the races. Good luck with selling your wheels.

Let us know how you make out

Els

Reply to
Els van Dam

lol @ Noreen

Reply to
spinninglilac

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