Jekka writes: <<I am the proud new owner of a Shaker great wheel (c.1809-1828)>>
Congratulations! And what a wonderful thing that you know when the wheel was made and who (at least in general) made it. How did you happen to buy this wheel? <<I have been happily spinning on (though not without the drive band popping off a number of times, although I'm getting better at keeping it on).>> Sometimes the bands pop off because the wheel has become warped over time, sometimes because the wheel isn't aligned just right with the whorl of the spindle. Keep fiddling with it, gently, until you figure out what the problem is. I don't know if a warp in the wheel itself can be fixed, but alignment problems sometimes work out pretty easily. <<It's a wonderful wheel, although rather large in our apartment>> I bought a wool wheel when we had a tiny 2-bedroom apartment. It dominated the living room for a time, then we moved to a bigger place. Getting it home was interesting--we had a small 4-door sedan at the time. We took the wheel off the axle and hung it from inside the roof of the car, while the table, legs, and remaining pieces fit into the trunk :) << So, does anyone have any advice on books or articles I must read or tricks I should keep in mind as I learn to spin on this altogether different wheel?>> If you're comfortable drafting with your left hand and have experience with a drop spindle and/or charkha, converting to a great wheel is a snap. If you normally draft with the right hand, it takes a bit more practice to convert, but pretty soon you'll find yourself becoming expert. The only book I know of on the subject, and certainly the most comprehensive coverage of great wheels, is Katy Turner's "The Legacy of the Great Wheel". I doubt it's any longer in print, but if you put the word out I bet you can find a used copy. It's like many early spinning books in that it tries to touch on all of spinning, but it does have a great wheel focus. Other tricks--shorter fibers are easier for beginners, as the great wheel puts a LOT of twist in very quickly, compared to most treadle wheels, even without an accelerating head. Well prepared fiber that flows easily is important. Aim for fine yarns, too--great wheels are designed for that, so you won't have to fight the wheel. Have fun with your wheel! What a treasure--I had to sell mine when we moved to Germany, and still miss it, though it kept popping off the band, too :) Holly To stop mail temporarily mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: set nomail To restore send: set mail
