Spindles?

Hi All

I've done some googling and decided I want to try spinning. Trouble is, I can't find a local store that carries spindles. Anyone have a favourite source (preferable Canadian, to reduce shipping costs)? My searches have pointed me at bottom whorl drop spindles. I'm looking for an inexpensive option for the time being.

Thanks! Michelle

Reply to
Eastern Edge
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On 16 Sep 2006 14:37:12 -0700, "Eastern Edge" spewed forth :

If you want to "try before you buy", so to speak, make your own spindle.

Buy a piece of 1/4" or 3/8" dowelling. Buy a rubber grommet in the plumbing section of the hardware store with an ID that matches your dowelling and an OD slightly larger than the holes in AOL cds. Jam the grommet onto the dowel, jam two CDs onto the grommet. Add a cup hook at one end of the dowel and you'll be off and running.

I like the Tom Forrester spindles at

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they are a bit on the heavy side.+++++++++++++

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Reply to
Wooly

Yes, I saw similar instructions in my searches. I just wasn't sure if I could manage to make one that would actually work properly :)

Thanks for the link to Tom Forrester; I'm hoping to start with the inexpensive option and then (hopefully) progress to much nicer and better spindles with some experience.

Perhaps I'll run to the hardware store tonight...I find myself minus everyone but the cat :) and even he's asleep!

Michelle

Reply to
Eastern Edge

On 16 Sep 2006 15:17:48 -0700, "Eastern Edge" spewed forth :

Really a spindle is just a way of maintaining some angular momentum on a stick once the stick is set to spinning. Alden Amos (pompous ass that he is) is fond of saying that a potato on a whittled branch can be used "in a pinch". I suppose my "pinch" would have to be of the "dropped into the middle of the jungle with only a sheep and a tricked-out SwAK" for me to go that route, and I'd likely eat the potato and make felt rather than spend the potato as a spindle whorl...

I have one of his bottom whorl spindles. I won't say it's my favorite spinning tool, but it is beauteous to behold and it does a right fine job of producing heavy singles that ply up into bulky yarn for big foofy caps.

While you're there look around to see what else might work better. My primary gripe with CD spindles is that so much of the weight is in the center thanks to the dowel/cup hook/grommet that the spin-time is pretty minimal for the size of the whorl.

I have a bag of take-away chopsticks that I bought at the Chinese market around the corner. The entire bag was $3 (cheep!), the sticks are uniform, smoothly tapered and require little sanding because they're not the "break apart" super-cheapies made from the weak ends of the bamboo stalks. They're an ideal size to use as the shafts for spindles made with donut bead whorls such as these, with the addition of a grommet.

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use silicone or even plastic grommets with gemstone donuts to movemore of the weight out of the center, but they're hard to find in thecorrect ID/OD combinations. I also use the chopsticks as hair sticks, knitting needles for kiddos (glue a fancy bead on the end and even picky girl children can be interested) and for various tasks around the house. Useful things, bamboo chopsticks.

Here too :D

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Reply to
Wooly

Sounds interesting...

Yeah, I ran to the Crappy Tire and got what looked like it would work, jammed it together and grabbed the unspun White Buffalo 3-ply and started...not bad, very minimal spin time, but I'm happy with the result! Not bad for 1/2 hour :) Of course, I haven't tried real roving yet.

Yeah, this is only going to work for me for a few days :) I'll want something way better. I'll dig out my chopsticks and see how they work; and check around some of the crafty stores to see if they have wooden discs (like toy wheels or something) that might be of better weight than the CD.

We tried the knitting with the chopsticks; not so good, but they work great for large holes in jumbo beads out of polymer clay...if they scorch in the oven they're cheap enough to toss.

:D

Thanks for the help!

M.

Reply to
Eastern Edge

Michelle, I am impressed! Don't you have enough to do without adding this to your skills? Let me know how it works out. I tried spinning once, with a drop spindle, but I did not persevere.

Higs, Katherine

Reply to
Katherine

apparently not :)

Well, so far it's a dowel with a rubber washer and a CD and some unspun wool (not roving) and a great bit of fun :)

I have some sewing to do this week so I figure next weekend I'll be looking for something better and pulling out my roving.

Michelle

Reply to
Eastern Edge

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