Twin Willows Farm - Tension
Settings on a Spinning Wheel
Don’t
we all remember our first attempt at spinning yarn?
Chances are pretty good that your first attempt resembled a partially
uncoiled spring. Even with an experienced teacher by your
side (if you were lucky enough to have a teacher)
issues of tension come into play. Most beginners need to set
the tension higher than experienced spinners. The reason is
that once you have the experience to know how and when to ‘release’ the
yarn to the bobbin, you do it smoothly and automatically. But
until then, it helps to have a little more tension on so that the
bobbin will gently ‘tug’ the yarn as you go. Too much tension
is also a disaster, leading to continually breaking the yarn.
But let’s look at these issues one at a time:
Bobbin Tension:
Too Much Twist
Most of the time this can be corrected by adding a little more tension
so that the yarn takes up onto the bobbin faster. By using
too little tension the uptake is slowed down and more twist is allowed
into the yarn. Also check to be sure that the yarn can move
smoothly onto the bobbin. If there is a snag or a rough spot
on the flyer, it may be producing a drag that is interfering with the
tension setting. Sometimes the yarn will get double wrapped
around a guide hook too, causing a big problem with drag.
Not Enough Twist
Having the tension set too hard will create too little twist in the
yarn. If the uptake is pulling yarn onto the bobbin faster
than the twist is entering the yarn, you’ll have areas of unspun or
barely spun fibers. Soften up the tension and it should stop
the problem.
Drive Band Tension:
Treadling Causing Fatigue
If treadling your wheel is tiring you out, it may be due to your drive
band tension. A very tight drive band takes more muscle to
move. Try backing off the tension on the drive band and see
if that helps. If your drive band has lost most of it’s
elasticity due to being so tightly stretched, you may have to replace
it before this will help. A good idea is to always relax your
drive band tension when the wheel is not being used.
Drive Band Slipping
If you’re treadling away and your drive band is slipping so that the
wheel is turning but the drive band isn’t, you need to increase your
drive band tension. If your drive band has lost all
elasticity, you’ll need to replace it.
Treadling is Not Smooth
Your wheel should treadle very smoothly. If you are getting a
‘dead zone’ at some point in your treadle cycle where it feels like the
wheel pauses, then continues on, you need to make some
adjustments. All wheels are a little different, but this
usually occurs in wheels where the treadle
ties on to the shaft that drives the wheel. If that
connection is
too loose, it creates the pause. Try tightening it up and see
if that
takes away the ‘dead zone.’ Adjusting this one is really
trial and
error because of the many differences of material used and the
differences in wheels. Play with it until it works right.
If these ideas still don’t have your spinning better, bring your
questions over to the forum and maybe someone there will have the
answer!
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articles are copyright protected and may not be copied for any use
without the author's written permission.
Contact Pegg
Thomas at twinwillowsfarm@gmail.com.
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Twin
Willows Farm
