# Picker vs. Drum Carder



## kellyprzy

So what does a picker actually do? I have an early Paula Simmons book w/plans for a picker. What does it do to the fiber? Does it get rid of vegetable matter & other junk or is it like using combs to produce top? Do you use it first on your fiber & then drum card it or is the picker and drum carder do 2 different fiber functions?

Thanks.

KP


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## MullersLaneFarm

Paul made my picker according to Paula's diagrams. I also have a pat Greene drum carder (Deb's Deluxe). Of the two of them, I use the carder more than the picker.

the picker, i use on very heavy vm fleeces to fluff up the fiber and remove a lot of the vm. If the fiber I'm using is pretty vm free after washing, I'll hand pick and fluff before feeding into the drum carder.

I had Paul build me a picker because once upon a time I wasn't wise about choosing fleeces and would get some real terrible ones (sound familiar, CloverBud??) The picker was a life saver!

You can use the picket to make 'clouds' to spin from (worsted). Or you can use the carder to blend your fibers.

Of the two, if I had to choose between them, the carder is better to have.


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## minnikin1

Which one of her books has the plans?


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## Meg Z

I have both, and I use both. But, I can hand pick if need be, so if I were to have only one, it would be the carder, too. The picker saves me an extraordinary amount of time, though, especillay picking open the slight matting I always get when dying fleece. Some of that I'd probably toss rather than hand pick!

Meg


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## kellyprzy

So if I got this right, the sequence should be: raw fleece-->washed fleece-->(dyed fleece)-->picking w/picker if needed-->carding w/hand carders or drum carder, right?

Pickers look really dangerous! You can buy plans & pickers on ebay.

Kelly


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## Meg Z

kellyprzy said:


> Pickers look really dangerous! You can buy plans & pickers on ebay.Kelly


I'm a slow learner, for some reason. The first shirt and bra I poked holes in I considered a fluke. The second shirt and bra..well, I made myself a heavy leather 'bib' to wear. You should keep a straight arm, but it's easy to forget, as it's not a natural motion. The slightest distraction, and you bend your arm. 

I'm just glad I'm not built like Dolly Parton!

Meg


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## Marchwind

"I'm just glad I'm not built like Dolly Parton!" :rotfl: Oh my!!!!! When my friend got hers we played with it and what fun we had. Fibers flying all over the place. But you are right these are potentially very dangerous pieces of equipment and not to be used by children. My first vison when I saw this thing was of the old time beds of nails in dungeons and torture racks  I know the ones you buy have a lock on them but the swing on the arm of the picker is 360* or it used to be. You really have to be careful.


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## MullersLaneFarm

kellyprzy said:


> \ You can buy planson ebay.
> 
> Kelly


Or get them free from my website: http://www.mullerslanefarm.com/picker.html


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## Maura

I think you pick first, then wash.


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## MTDeb

You can pick before washing but it's easier after washing, after you get some of the grease out, the VM falls out much easier. 

My favorite is a flicker instead of a picker. It's like a mini carder and it opens up the ends really nice. Ashford has them for $15. It is rather time consuming but you get to molest all that luscious fiber, lock by lock hehe.


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## beoircaile

Cyndi- do you still have the picker plans available?


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## Cloverbud

MullersLaneFarm said:


> ...once upon a time I wasn't wise about choosing fleeces and would get some real terrible ones (sound familiar, CloverBud??)


I have no idea what poopy polypay you could possibly be referring to.:nana:


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## Madame

MullersLaneFarm said:


> Or get them free from my website: http://www.mullerslanefarm.com/picker.html


What would Paul charge to make one?


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## MullersLaneFarm

Don't know. I'll have to ask. He said building it wasn't bad, it was just sharpening and bending the nails that were long and tedious


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## FalconDance

Anyone seen/have one of these? http://cgi.ebay.com/wool-picker-spinning-wheel-roving-fiber-weaving_W0QQitemZ140225427461QQihZ004QQcategoryZ3121QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## MullersLaneFarm

Interesting - how does it work?? Does that cover slide back and forth???


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## FalconDance

That would be my guess. Kind of a neat idea.


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## Shazza

LOL....I read down and down wondering if I would see a pic of what a picker was....looked on the farm website, lovely site by the way....never ever seen or used a picker...dont think y'all ever sent one of them on the boats. LOL We use a flicker brush here or a drum carder....but they are very expensive, I keep my eye on ebay for one all the time. 
I'd do myself a bit of damage using a picker.


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## beoircaile

Contact Cyndi for info about it.


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## MullersLaneFarm

Without the nails in it ...


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