Plying on wheel - eejit questions :)

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Plying on wheel - eejit questions :)

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NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4591
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Thu Jan 30, 14 4:07 pm Post subject: Plying on wheel - eejit questions :)

So, I've more-or-less got the wheel at a decent tension for spinning, but when I try to reverse to ply do I need to adjust the tension or something? Because it's not working for a few reasons.

- plying gets through yarn faster, so I need more tension to pull it onto the bobbin quickly, yes?

- the hooks on the spinning thing around the bobbin (

) are all facing the wrong way so the yarn slips off?

- as I play with the tension of the bobbin, the drive belt starts slipping though they are not directly connected. Whut?

I would try and work it out in slow motion, but this wheel has "stop" and "whoa nelly!!" and no speeds in between

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Thu Jan 30, 14 9:05 pm Post subject:
You usually should have two sets of hooks on the flyer so that you can switch the yarn to whichever position best suits your direction of spin. Plying isn't always faster, depends how much twist you put on, but yes, you may need a slightly tighter tension. What sort of wheel is it, scotch tension or double drive?

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4591
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Thu Jan 30, 14 11:40 pm Post subject:

sally_in_wales wrote:

You usually should have two sets of hooks on the flyer so that you can switch the yarn to whichever position best suits your direction of spin. Plying isn't always faster, depends how much twist you put on, but yes, you may need a slightly tighter tension. What sort of wheel is it, scotch tension or double drive?

There are two sets of hooks, but both set to face the right way when spinning. So I should turn one set around? That would make sense.
It's not double drive, I presume Scotch = single drive?

Finsky

Joined: 10 Sep 2011
Posts: 847
Location: Notts.

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 14 9:58 am Post subject:
You should not need to touch the hooks at all.. is the opening for the hooks all facing outside..away from the bobbin?

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 14 10:02 am Post subject:
Scotch tension uses a peg and a string, often fishing line, over the bobbin end to tension it. Do you know what make of wheel it is? Sounds like your hooks are fine though

Finsky

Joined: 10 Sep 2011
Posts: 847
Location: Notts.

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 14 10:20 am Post subject:

Quote:

as I play with the tension of the bobbin, the drive belt starts slipping though they are not directly connected. Whut?

As Sally already mention about Scotch tension..

In my Scotch tension wheel...it has old 'line' on with a spring that allow the line to 'stretch' when it moves about...mine didn't used to ply very well and the belt were 'slipping' even though the belt tension was 'normal' and I didn't have any problems with actual spinning.
What I found out that since my wheel where made..the maker added another spring to the 'fishing line'..one for each side...so now that 'stretch' worked both ways better and plying became much better.
https://www.ashforduk.co.uk/view_product.php?ProdID=12
..you can see Scotch tension on here..should look similar system what ever the wheel...

After adding that second spring..now I don't touch the drive belt tension at all but spin with without hardly any tension from Scotch tension line and ply with small amount of tension, just enough so that I can feel teeny bit 'resistance' when not letting the yarn into bobbin..allowing me to keep the yarns straight while they are plying...later on when the bobbin is getting fuller and heavier I might have to adjust the tension again, but only a fraction tighter.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4591
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 14 1:11 pm Post subject:

sally_in_wales wrote:

Scotch tension uses a peg and a string, often fishing line, over the bobbin end to tension it. Do you know what make of wheel it is?
Sounds like your hooks are fine though

It is Scotch tension then. It is a suspected home made wheel.

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 14 1:20 pm Post subject:

ah, may well need more tinkering then. See Finskys advice on adding more sproing, then its probably just a case of fiddling with the tension until it does what you want. Sadly, some homemade wheels had decoration in mind more than use, and sometimes are right pains to get to do anything useful. You've got yours spinning though, so thats a good start. Check everything is in alignment too, a wheel or maiden offcentre can be enough to throw things out going one way but not another.

madcat

Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 1265
Location: worcester

Posted: Sat Feb 01, 14 2:03 pm Post subject:

My Ashford Joy was supplied with two springs on the scotch tension and I added a rubber band instead of the bit of nylon round the tension peg.
So far so good but I've ended up with some over twisted stuff at first before I did the elastic band modification.

I'm still a learner so most of my problems are inexperience . I'm not sure how to improve other than keep practicing and watching you tube videos which are very informative.

Finsky

Joined: 10 Sep 2011
Posts: 847
Location: Notts.

Posted: Sat Feb 01, 14 2:17 pm Post subject:

I recently bought another wheel..Ashford traveller this time..and that too took quite a bit of 'tinkering' before it run smoothly. Though I like my Ashfords a lot, but when you build them from flat packs they will never fit precisely in each and every little piece.
This time, no matter how much I tried to adjust miniscule amounts 'this and that'..the wheel did have teeny little noise that got into my nerves..

It would never been problem during day time spinning but I like to craft during night when everybody is in sleep and house is quiet...and that little bit of noise carry around in quiet house.
Cutting long story short...I took my new wheel into parts few times and oiled and waxed every available 'bit'..but couldn't get rid of the noise..

I finally solve the problem, and all it took was little rubber washer against the bobbin to cushion it against other wooden parts...and now the wheel is virtually silent

The old wheel still needs some more attention to get it into same 'standards'...

..putting the other spring was big improvement already

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