Of WooLee Winders
Rember a couple of days ago when I mentioned the lovely pencil roving that I had purchased from Crown Mountain Farms? I mentioned also that I was waiting for a few things to happen before I started spinning it up. One of those things was getting through the madder/cochineal dyed Corriedale that I had already gotten started (this project is finally getting close to the plying stage). The other was waiting for the arrival of a new tool for my wheel: a WooLee Winder. I got to play with one of these at MS&W, but convinced myself that I could wait on it. But the more I thought about it, the less I wanted to wait. So in early June I got myself on line and placed my order.
Friday night my new toy arrived on my doorstep. So I did what any sensible spinning blogger would do: I took pictures and then I tried it out.
Even though both flyers are the same length and fit into the same mother of all, the WooLee Winder is deeper than the standard Lendrum flyer and accomodates a rather larger bobbin. The more I spin the more I think "the bigger the better" when it comes to bobbins. In addition to the one you see in the assembly on the left, I also bought myself two additional bobbins so that I could make a three ply yarn. I'll probably invest in more bobbins later, but at $25/bobbin, I decided I'd be conservative as I got started.
The depth of the flyer isn't the only difference for the WooLee Winder compared to the Lendrum Standard Flyer. It also has a different set of Flyer/Wheel ratios. The WooLee Winder has 6:1, 10:1 and 19:1 while the Lendrum Standard flyer has 6:1, 8:1 and 10:1 (I can get higher ratios with my "Lendrum Fast Flyer"). So the WooLee Winder should be quite flexible for spinning lace weight as well as bulkier yarns -- assuming I can ever figure out how to spin anything besides what is becomming my "standard" single.
So how does it affect the spinning experience? For me, it's like a world of difference. You can just spin and spin and spin. I thought it might be noisy, but the mechanism that distributes the single evenly over the bobbin is quite quiet once you get things started. I did find that I had to increase the scotch tension higher for the WooLee bobbins than I did for the Lendrum bobbins, but that probably makes sense given that they are rather larger. I really liked getting started on this bobbin. With my Lendrum bobbins, when you move the single to an open space on the bobbin that doesn't already have yarn on it, it usually starts hoovering that single in quite agressively until empty wood gets covered over with yarn. The draw on the WooLee Winder is smooth all the time.
A few other notes from my short spinning session. 1) The increased depth of the WooLee Winder Flyer has one other issue -- you have to position the Lendrum orifice hook "just so" so that the WW doesn't hit the hook. I was a little worried for the first few moments that I'd have to find another place to put my orifice hook (which I wouldn't like because I like to have the hook handy for both use and for wrapping the single around when I pause) but after I got it positioned right, everything worked out fine. 2) While I didn't have to worry about the distribution of the single over the bobbin, I did find that I had to adjust my scotch tension more frequently with the WW than I did with my standard flyer. Not sure whether that is just due to the weight of the bobbin or some other spinning physics bit that I still have to figure out. 3) The single is packed much more tightly on the bobbin. So not only are you getting a bigger bobbin to put more single on, but the simple act of even distribution gives you even more space for fiber.
Overall I'm very happy with my new purchase. Now if I could only get finished with that madder/cochineal Corriedale so that I could get on to using my WooLee Winder in earnest!
Thanks for the tips on the WooLee Winder. I got mine in May but haven't been able to use it yet due to surgery. Soon but not yet. The scotch tension issues were helpful although I have a Schacht double treadle. I look forward to not having to change hooks all the time!
I've been happy with my WooLee Winder too, and I found the tension to be different as well. With the Schacht, I use a stretchy drive band for double drive to get enough draw-in.
I'm just getting used to my new Woolee Winder right now. It's great not haing to move the yarn along a row of hooks,so once I get into the groove I really enjoy just spinning,and spinning,and spinning...
I've had to increase my scotch tension too,and slightly adjust my long draw method. So far,over all,I'm very pleased with mine.
I promise an e-mail soon. You can always ''talk'' to me if like.
;-]
xxx
Thank you so much for this post! I've been thinking and thinking about a Woolee Winder and since I have a Lendrum as well, this post is VERY informative!
Glad to hear you like it!
Ah yes, the Woolee Winder. That is one piece of kit I have abstained from so far. If I were to get one though it would be for the Joy as its bobbins hold the least amount of fiber of all my wheels.
I understand the draw of the WW, but I can't see myself with one. I like to see the yarn fill up a spot on the bobbin and look at it as a tangible form of progress when I move the yarn from hook to hook or move the slide. My wheels don't have that strong draw in when I change positions on the bobbin so I've never had that issue but I think it's a great reason to get a WW. Everyone I know who has one loves it and maybe one day I will take the plunge... Thank you for the constructive review though, it helps my thought process on the issue...
Your singles look great by the way! :)
I love my Woolee Winder. I know, you'd never think it considering how little spinning I've been doing lately, but no, really! The only "problem" I've had with mine? Since I do short-draw spinning, and my left hand is always holding back the twist from the singles, I've noticed with my W.W. that--since I don't have to pause every couple minutes to move the slide, my hand cramps up. Obviously, if I figured out the long-draw method, this wouldn't be an option. Or, duh, forced myself to take a break every once in a while, but apparently I'm not that enlightened (grin) Doesn't matter, though. I still love my Woollee Winder!
Thank you for the review!! I had heard of the Woolee Winder, but wasn't sure exactly how it worked, etc . . . it sounds great!
Yay! A Woolee Winder! I love mine. In fact, I ordered my first (and only) wheel with one, so I've really only spun with one.
I love that the bobbins fill so evenly and tightly.
Now spin up that madder/cochineal so we can see it!
Woolee Winders Rock! I have one for my Lendrum, too, and it's wonderful to just spin and spin and spin, like you said. I also have to adjust the tension higher but I think it's because the WW weighs so much more. I bought 3 bobbins to start and that was enough for a while but I did recently purchase 2 more. It's an excellent spinning tool all around!
Huh? Were you speaking English in this post? ;-)
I am SOOOO afraid to get started spinning, because I really cannot afford to have another expensive hobby, at least till the kids get through high school and finished with college. So I will just watch from the sidelines while you all speak that foreign language of orifice hook (sounds naughty!) and scotch tension (I assume this has nothing to do with getting tense after drinking too much scotch?).
Thanks for posting this info about the WW. I got my Lendrum folding wheel about two weeks ago, and I absolutely love it. I'm just getting started learning to spin again (after a year-long break), and I've been eyeing the WW. A friend of mine has both the Lendrum and the WW and she advised waiting about a year before buying one. I probably won't wait that long! Your comments will definitely help me make up my mind.
Hee! I love my Woolee Winder too! Makes the spinning so smooth and quick! You made a great decision by going for it now!