How fast can a hand spinner spin - part 2

 Twist allows short fibers to become yarn or thread. Twist organizes "fibers" and holds them together. Thin yarns and thread need more twist per inch. Very thin thread require a lot of  twist.

Traditionally, twist was the greatest expense in making textiles. For the hand spinner, inserting twist consumes time, and time is valuable. Fine yarns and threads need more twist, and thus are more expensive.

Thick yarns (low grist) can be made with less twist, but low twist yarns are less durable, not as warm, and do not have the drape and hand of higher twist yarns and thread.

How much twist is required for a yarn of a particular grist can be estimated from the table of Twist Factors  on page 383 of  The Big Book of Handspinning by Alden Amos and a simple calculation.

Alden discovered that some popular designs of spinning wheel fliers tended to self-destruct at speeds just over 2,000 rpm. (revolutions per minute) This exposes the truth that most modern spinning wheels are not made to insert twist faster than about 1,500 rpm. Now, there are some e-spinners that will insert twist at over 2,000 rpm, but they are single drive mechanisms, that alternate between a drafting/twist insertion mode and a wind-on mode, with the spinner controlling which mode is in operation by the tension of the yarn being spun. At twist insertion speeds of over 1,500 rpm, a human spinner's reflexes are not adequate switch between these modes to produce a uniform yarn.

Alden made my #1 flyer out of  aircraft plywood, and I have run it at 5,000 rpm. I use DRS, so there is a (crude but effective) clockwork synchronizing drafting/twist insertion and wind-on. DRS has  only one mode.  DRS is different! Spinning 17,000 ypp singles at 17 twists per inch, at 5,000 rpm produces ~ about 8 yards of thread per minute. No hand spinner can draft, control twist insertion, and wind-on that fast.  My distaff loaded with the combed top for that yarn only holds about 4 grams which spins into 140 yards of single. However, the smallest fault in fiber prep makes a mess. I actually have higher overall productivity running the flyer at about 3,000 rpm for all grist under  30,000 ypp. Spinning 10s, I produce about 10 yards of single per minute or a hank of 560 yards in less than a hour. Finer singles want more twist, and are produced more slowly.

The clockwork of DRS allows true worsted yarn or thread to be spun at these speeds. With a different fiber prep, the clockwork of DRS allows true woolen yarn or thread to be spun at these speeds. With DRS, fiber preparation is critical.

Most of my spinning is 10s (worsted, 5,600 ypp). For knitting I insert 9 tpi, and for weaving I insert 12 tpi.  This allows me to spin a hank of the knitting single in an hour.  I can spin/ply a 500 yards (8 oz) of 5-py gansey knitting yarn in an easy day.

Singles of 10s were the traditional building block of wool yarns for good reasons. They have enough twist to be durable and have good drape. They can be spun from almost any fleece.  As 2-ply they make good sock and jumper yarns. A good "gansey" (knit from 5-ply) is warm enough to sleep in snow or work in the top of a square rigged ship.  As 6-ply yarns, they can be knit into objects for cold weather wear. As 10-ply, (Aran yarns) they are ridiculously warm and durable.

Singles of lower grist, can be formed with less twist (faster on a single drive wheel) but with less twist they have less durability, and less warmth. Their great virtue is low cost because they require less twist.  Low grist singles with enough twist to be durable and warm, tend to feel like barbed wire.  

10s make a good compromise for a good yarn with reasonable effort. If I want good yarn fast, I spin worsted 10s.  If I want a thicker yarn, I ply or cable as thick a yarn as I need. Woolen yarns need more twist to be as competent, and thus with DRS, woolen spun takes more time and effort. 

If you have the resources, then finer yarns with more twist have virtues.  A 3-ply worsted spun  yarn plied up from 10s at 12 tpi is a nice sock yarn for walking, but a 6-ply from 20s is a smoother with about 3 times the twist for greater durability. (All are ~1,680 ypp).  Four 20s makes a 2,580 ypp yarn well suited to city socks. Finer yarns based on 30s spun at 17 tpi were the traditional yarn for  good hose for gentlemen. My net production of the finished yarns is about a 60 yards /hour. I budget a day to spin the yarn for a good pair of socks. (Longer for knee high.)  The finer plies take a lot more twist, and with a single drive wheel, that higher twist would take MUCH longer to spin.  With DRS, I can just change whorls, and the spinning time remains less than the time needed to knit nice socks.  That is why I use DRS.  For patterns see the original Weldon's Practical Knitter.