# spinning wheel trouble



## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

Hi all, I am having trouble with my ashford traditonal. The wheel is all wobbley, and if I don't get things just right it can throw the band off and really mess things up. What do I need to do? It is wobble at the spokes, I try to press the seam together and that helps some, but do I need to take it apart and put it back together again? Susan


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

Not a spinner but wood can shrink. Are the spokes loose in the wheel. They could have dried out over the winter specially if you have wood heat. If that is the case then you need some moisture at the joints. You could mist some water on the joints but the wheel needs to be in "true" so whe the joints swell and lock the wheel it won' wobble.
What part of e tn are you in.


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## MTDeb (Feb 20, 2003)

I'm sitting here looking at my Ashford traditional and trying to figure out what could be wrong. Is it the actually wheel that's wobbling or is it where the wheel attaches? 

Have you oiled it lately? Maybe it's sticking where the wheel attaches? Oiling all the moving parts always helps mine when it's acting up.


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

It is very loose where the spokes enter the hub. I can tighten it somewhat by squeezing the hub together, but it won't go all the way together. I think I may have a problem in the hub. I may try to take it apart and put it back together, looking for any abnormalities, any reason it isn't fitting snuggly. Any ideas? Susan


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Susan I think you are right, you may have to take it apart and put it back together. Was the wheel stored in a moist or really dry place any time recently? Maybe the barrings are shot but Ive never heard of this happening before. But it could be that if the hub is coming apart the barrings could be out of whack or or maybe the housing has broken or come apart. If you or your husband or neighbor are handy I would investigate. Just remember where everything goes.

Good luck and let us know what you find out. I have a Traddy too.


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

Susan
You need to get a hold of some large "band clamps" and some stuff called chair lock. Your spokes have dried out. The chair lock will swell the tenons on the end of the spindles and hopefully tighten things up. 
If not and you take it apart you need to find out what kind of glue was used to put it together. If hot water effects it, its hide glue if nothing effects it then it was probably a polyviny chloride type. If its hide glue you can reglue it and clamp it back together. If it is the other kind then you need to use a slow setting epoxy and reglue and clamp it with the band clamps. It should be checked to see if the tenons on the spindles can go deep enough to tighten things up. You may have to drill the holes slightly deeper. All in all what I'm saying is a wheel is a little complicated, things have to be checked and line up. If you don't put it back true it will be as bad or worse than what you had.


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

I've read a number of times on-line that the wheels on older Ashfords come apart; is yours an older one? Sounds like you've got some good advice on how to fix it. I'm waiting for my 25-yr. old one to go too, but so far all it does is squeal when it's not oiled every few hours.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Katherine don't say that! I have an older Traddy too, maybe 30 years old, I really don't know. So far I haven't had any problems with mine other than the treadle croakes like a frog when I've been using it a lot.


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

March, mine does that too. I've oiled the leather and the metal bar that supports the treadle, but it still croaks. Guess it's the joy of old wheels! My Little Gem is unbelievably quiet--just a quiet purr.


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

Katherine in KY said:


> March, mine does that too. I've oiled the leather and the metal bar that supports the treadle, but it still croaks. Guess it's the joy of old wheels! My Little Gem is unbelievably quiet--just a quiet purr.


Try using Johnsons or Minwax paste floor wax on your machines. It actually lubricates wood better than oil. You cans heat it "CAREFULLY" use it as a liquid for tight places. it doesn't take much and you don't have to buff it


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

TNHermit thanks for that bit of advise. I have taken the treadle off mine then put it back and tightened the screws too. Nothing is loose but it does like to croak. I was at a retreat once and it started making that noise really loud. Everyone accused me of squishing frogs.


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

I haven't taken it apart yet! But it has made me take out the louet that I have loathed. I have had trouble adjusting the tension brake, didn't seem to make any difference. Then I had an idea, I turned the bobbin around so that the drive belt was on the small end. Works pretty good now.
Katherine, see if your treadle is rubbing along the back leg of the spinning wheel, I had trouble with that when I switched to double treadle. In fact, I have been having trouble with the wheel wobbling since then too! I bet I do need totake it apart and put it back, probably not this week though, too much going on. Susan


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

TNHermit said:


> Try using Johnsons or Minwax paste floor wax on your machines. It actually lubricates wood better than oil. You cans heat it "CAREFULLY" use it as a liquid for tight places. it doesn't take much and you don't have to buff it


If those areas have been oiled before with 30 motor oil/sewing machine oil would you suggest taking the shank out and cleaning first? My Traditional is older too, so I don't think it has the bearings in there like the new ones. Should have taken pics when we put it together after a year and a half I can't recall. Also, although unlike the OP the spokes on my wheel are still set tight but the outer wheel expands a bit at the joins - just oil the wood and wax or reglue first and clamp? The joins open up about 1/16th - enough to notice but I'm wondering if it doesn't portend problems coming. Really appreciate you checking in with your woodworking advice!


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

Liese said:


> If those areas have been oiled before with 30 motor oil/sewing machine oil would you suggest taking the shank out and cleaning first? My Traditional is older too, so I don't think it has the bearings in there like the new ones. Should have taken pics when we put it together after a year and a half I can't recall. Also, although unlike the OP the spokes on my wheel are still set tight but the outer wheel expands a bit at the joins - just oil the wood and wax or reglue first and clamp? The joins open up about 1/16th - enough to notice but I'm wondering if it doesn't portend problems coming. Really appreciate you checking in with your woodworking advice!


If you can take it apart and just wipe it down then apply the wax and put it back together. The wax will mix with the oil. it will soften as the wheel truns and heats up the wax. The trouble with oil is that it collects dirt and grime and that wears on the wheel. the wax is dry and won't collect as fast.

I would have to see your wheel to determine what it needs. But if it isn't bothering anything I would leave it alone,

Spinning wheels have been on my mind for some time. I have plans for two different kinds. And if i can ever get some of this other stuff out of the way I'm going to try and build them. Then all ya'all can help me. Mayb i can make a name for myself LOL


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Thanks for your advice and I'm sure that should you decide to take up wheel making we'll inundate you with lots of likes and dislikes. Personally I'm in the market for a second wheel for spinning bulkier yarns so need either a delta or large orifice, a Irish/bobbin tension, single treadle, large bobbins - I'm looking at a Fricke which sells for $272. If you think that wheel making maybe sooner than later and this is a style you'd like to study/prototype please let me know.


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

Liese said:


> Thanks for your advice and I'm sure that should you decide to take up wheel making we'll inundate you with lots of likes and dislikes. Personally I'm in the market for a second wheel for spinning bulkier yarns so need either a delta or large orifice, a Irish/bobbin tension, single treadle, large bobbins - I'm looking at a Fricke which sells for $272. If you think that wheel making maybe sooner than later and this is a style you'd like to study/prototype please let me know.


I understood some of what you said but there was a lot of ferign talk in there. Gonna have to learn some spinning terms. Know where that would be ?


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

Yup, look at all the manuf. sites making/selling spinning wheels like Fricke, Ashford, Louet, etc., the Woolery has a site with info on choosing a wheel with simple explanations, have the library get you thur intralibrary loan The Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning - he's been making wheels since the '70's and explains all the technical info and more. Oh, the other thing you may want to do is find out if there's a local spinning guild, then you can go to a meeting and see at least a few different makes in action. Then those written explanations might be more meaningful. Someone may be willing to show you what happens when ratios are changed, tension systems are different in person - can you tell I'm a visual learner? And youtube has quite a number of spinning videos there too, unfortunately for your purposes the wheel isn't usually hardly highlighted but you'll get some views. Hope this helps you get a start.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I'm with Liese on this. The best thing would be to get some hands on experience. Many a person has tried to make a wheel without ever spinning on one. I'm not sure that is possible, but I could be wrong. But there is good money and love from all of us if you design a wheel that is what we are looking for. You might also want to see if the library can get you some '07 Spin Off magazines. Last year, and maybe in '06 too,in each issue they featured a wheel or spindle makes and get some really good information about them and their wheels. You may be able to go to the Interweave Press site and find the articles on there so you wouldn't have to go to the trouble of ordering and waiting on the library.

You will get more advise and information then you may want if you were to ask us what we want :sing: But we would LOVE to help out any way we can.


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

On closer inspection I noticed that there is a small wedge of wood broken off where the pin goes in to hold it all together. Waaaaaaaa! I suppose I will see if I can gorilla glue it first and then if that doesn't work I will look into ordering a new hub. Thank the Lord I have the Louet! I am really in a spinning mood. Right now I am busy spinning up a jacobs fleece that I plan to over dye, maybe blue, and knit up that lovely, practical, fishmongers shawl in the current spinoff! Have you seen it? Susan


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Susan are those the tie shawls? I love their look.

I'm glad to hear you figured out what is up with your wheel but sorry it sounds so serious. I have to get some of that Gorilla glue, I've heard great things about it.


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## Susan n' Emily in TN (May 10, 2002)

Okay, I took it apart tonight, glued the piece back on, clamped it for an hour or more. While I was doing that I noticed that I could put the pin in the opposite side of the hub and not stress the repaired part at all. I put it back together and yipeee, it works!!!! So I am happily spinning a black shetland roving for a new carigan for my Husband!!!! Sitting and spinning, Susan


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## Cloverbud (Sep 4, 2006)

*Yay!!*


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## pasotami (Jun 1, 2006)

Congrads Susan!
Ashfords are usually really simple to use and fix. I am restoring a very old Ashford for a guild friend and member. Beautiful piece of work - Now that you have taken yours apart and put it together several times! VBG - Something you may wish to think about and do when you are not spinning that beautiful fleece - conditioning the wood so things don't go astray again. Different folks use different products but no matter wish one you choose think about what you need to accomplish and what you do not want to happen.... you need to look to see if your wheel is a natural or if it has a finish then get something on it to help protect the wheel from the seasonal changes - I live on top of a mountain and the air conditioner is usually never on so my wheels and looms are subject to very high and very low humidity and to big temp changes. I have had my Ashford Traditional for 20+ years and it is a fine machine. I use lemon oil on mine because it has a walnut finish on it. I tell the guild members this - "take care of your wheels and they will take care of generations to come"! Happy spinning!


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## pasotami (Jun 1, 2006)

Hey MarchWind - careful of the Monkey Glue - it expands, I glued some chair legs with it and it foamed up and made a big mess! I like it on some things but not esp. on wood!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Tami thankfor the heads up. I didn't know it expanded.


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