I knew I was going to do this within minutes of sitting down with the accelerator. I just did not know when, I was working on a big pile of 10s, and the advice from AA was spin each project on a single spinning bobbin. The I figured that with 5-ply it did not matter so much. And today, I did it.
A new spinning bobbin for the AA #1 flier with a whorl of 50mm to make turning precise flier whorls easier.
I also moved up to a bobbin core diameter of 0.95" (from 5/8"). And it has ball bearings because that was what was on hand.
I also increased the ratio of the accelerator, so the treadle cadence is actually a bit slower for the same bobbin rpm.
With the new flier whorl, I am getting more precise control of twist insertion, yielding a better quality single at about the same speed. I like this system. Of course I liked the old system. That was the only hand spinning system that I knew which would allow me to hand spin 10s at 500 yards per hour. The new system lets me spin better 10s at 500 yd/hr. It is made out of some scrap oak that I had laying around, and looks kind of clunky, but it works very well. It is heavy enough that I would not try using to spin 60s s with Scotch Tension, but it works well with DD/DRS. The only flier whorl I have for it at this point has grooves for 10s, 20s, and 40s. I am going to try an make the bobbins for the #0 flier also 50 mm, so I only need one set of flier whorls. I need to standardize and simplify. I have dozens of spinning bobbins and flier whorls that can be combined to yield the DRS for hundreds of different grists. Pages and pages of my spinning journal are devoted to the DRS from different bobbin/ flyer whorl combinations. That stuff should all be dumped and replaced by 2 bobbins and 4 flier whorls.
On the other hand, those spinning bobbins and flier whorls were variations on the spinning bobbins and flier whorls that Alden Amos made for me. And, by making and using variations, I came to understand the system. This leaves me in no doubt that professional spinners tools from prior to 1770 were optimised for speed, while spinning tools sold after Queen Victoria came to the throne, were optimised for ease of use.
Anyway, about half of this project will be spun on one spinning bobbin with a 30 mm diameter whorl and the rest of the project will get spun on the new spinning bobbin with a 50 mm whorl. By the time, it is all plied, washed and blocked, nobody will be able to see the difference. Twist is a bit softer, likely closer to 8 than the 9 tpi I have been aiming for - but that may change once everything has a finish on it. Make it work, then make it pretty. I spun ~ thousand yards on it this afternoon. It works, and I like the bigger whorls. I do not have them all dialed in yet, but I like them.
Over all ratio is close to 1:35. That does not sound like much, but there is no slip so it is very productive. I may have to do another time trial here to see if the 500 yd/hr number is still valid. Sacrifices to the Gods of Speed and all that. On the other hand, LdV, has plans for much more productive spinning equipment.
A new spinning bobbin for the AA #1 flier with a whorl of 50mm to make turning precise flier whorls easier.
I also moved up to a bobbin core diameter of 0.95" (from 5/8"). And it has ball bearings because that was what was on hand.
I also increased the ratio of the accelerator, so the treadle cadence is actually a bit slower for the same bobbin rpm.
With the new flier whorl, I am getting more precise control of twist insertion, yielding a better quality single at about the same speed. I like this system. Of course I liked the old system. That was the only hand spinning system that I knew which would allow me to hand spin 10s at 500 yards per hour. The new system lets me spin better 10s at 500 yd/hr. It is made out of some scrap oak that I had laying around, and looks kind of clunky, but it works very well. It is heavy enough that I would not try using to spin 60s s with Scotch Tension, but it works well with DD/DRS. The only flier whorl I have for it at this point has grooves for 10s, 20s, and 40s. I am going to try an make the bobbins for the #0 flier also 50 mm, so I only need one set of flier whorls. I need to standardize and simplify. I have dozens of spinning bobbins and flier whorls that can be combined to yield the DRS for hundreds of different grists. Pages and pages of my spinning journal are devoted to the DRS from different bobbin/ flyer whorl combinations. That stuff should all be dumped and replaced by 2 bobbins and 4 flier whorls.
On the other hand, those spinning bobbins and flier whorls were variations on the spinning bobbins and flier whorls that Alden Amos made for me. And, by making and using variations, I came to understand the system. This leaves me in no doubt that professional spinners tools from prior to 1770 were optimised for speed, while spinning tools sold after Queen Victoria came to the throne, were optimised for ease of use.
Anyway, about half of this project will be spun on one spinning bobbin with a 30 mm diameter whorl and the rest of the project will get spun on the new spinning bobbin with a 50 mm whorl. By the time, it is all plied, washed and blocked, nobody will be able to see the difference. Twist is a bit softer, likely closer to 8 than the 9 tpi I have been aiming for - but that may change once everything has a finish on it. Make it work, then make it pretty. I spun ~ thousand yards on it this afternoon. It works, and I like the bigger whorls. I do not have them all dialed in yet, but I like them.
Over all ratio is close to 1:35. That does not sound like much, but there is no slip so it is very productive. I may have to do another time trial here to see if the 500 yd/hr number is still valid. Sacrifices to the Gods of Speed and all that. On the other hand, LdV, has plans for much more productive spinning equipment.
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