# Look what I got!!!



## featherbottoms (May 28, 2005)

Sometimes, it's good to be patient. My weaving instructor, who is also a spinner, found her for me. She was previously owned by a lady whose husband bought it for her in 1977 or so. She's switched to working with clay and just wanted it to find a good home. She only wanted $100 for everything - the wheel (with a cover), the lazy kate and four bobbins.

I think her name might be Maggie but I'm going to wait and see how she works first.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Wow!!
She is just gorgeous!
And such a good deal too!
Congratulations!
I hope you two will be very happy together.


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## Rose1317 (Jul 26, 2011)

You will love this wheel, Ashfords are great! Having been a spinner for a few decades, I do have a question though. Noticed on Ravelry and here too, the trend is to refer to one's spinning wheels as "her" or "she". LOL. what's my loom to think, it's a "he?"


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Amazing deal! What a sweet little wheel she is.

Rose, as to my two, well, they just sort of tell you what their names are. Although, with Miss Seraphine, my Polonaise, I named her for the lady who used to own our property, and she agreed, the wheel, not the lady, she's been dead for 20 years.:hrm:

I believe, WIHH thinks her new wheel is a man,,,wonder how CF feels about sharing her with him....:whistlin:


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I don't have a name for any of my wheels or looms


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## featherbottoms (May 28, 2005)

Thank you all. I am really excited about this.

Rose, this wheel was, and still is, "dressed" in a quilted floral print cover and just screamed "she" .

None of my looms have names. I have tried to name them but they just don't seem to want a name.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Oh, Featherbottoms! She's just BEAUTIFUL! Congratulations! I am so happy for you! 

And what a wonderful deal! Wooooot!!!!!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Happy New Wheel Day!!
You got a super sweet deal there too. 
"Vintage Ashford" and all. 

Hurry up and twist us up some wool so we can see how she works!

Congratulations.


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## featherbottoms (May 28, 2005)

I gotta get some roving first.

And I may need to put on a new drive band. She said it needed one but I can't seem to figure out why. I also want to get some conditioning oil tomorrow and wipe it down. My looms need that, too, so it would be a good time to work on all the fiber tools.


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## featherbottoms (May 28, 2005)

And Kasota, isn't your wheel supposed to arrive tomorrow??


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Featherbottoms, it's made it's way from California to Minnesota and has left St. Paul and is headed north. I've been tracking her on the USPS site. For some reason it was hung up in California for a while. 

But soon.... soon! I will have to put a finish on mine and put it together which I am sure will be it's own adventure but I will figure it out. 

Before we know it we will be trading spinning stories! I am just so flat happy for you, Featherbottoms. I would read your posts on the "what do you think of these spinning wheels" thread and I would just so hope and pray that you would find something affordable that was NICE! Not just something you would have to put major fixes to. And now there she is in your hot little hands! 

I'll bet she will be happy for a nice re-fresh with conditioning oil. It will be like a spinning wheel spa. Maybe if you listen closely you'll hear her say, "Ahhhhhhhhhhh! Ohhhhhhhhhhhh, that feels good!"


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

I love Ashfords and that particular wheel is excellent. I found one like it that needed to be refurbished for my mom for the same price. My husband and I fixed it all up for my mom's birthday. I have a newer year and when I spun with my mom's wheel, it was nicer...smoother. It had a much better feel. I almost selfishly switched wheels and gave her mine but guilt stopped me  Yours is in excellent shape and really beautiful.


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

Beautiful !! Looks exactly like my Ashford from the 70's ! GREAT wheel to learn on !!! 

She may need a new drive band , they can wear out and stretch and slip ... a drop of oil on the metal parts .... HAVE FUN !!!


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

Great score, Featherbottoms!
:goodjob: :bouncy: :clap: :happy: :thumb: :sing: :dance:

A new drive band is easy enough. Sometimes I just get yarn and wrap around twice and tie it off. If it wears out, no worries, spin some more. It lasts longer than you'd think, actually.

It's interesting that it's the older style of Ashford Traditional and yet has the newer plastic flyer holders on the uprights. I had a similar wheel that had the old leather flyer holders. I like the plastic ones better, so your wheel already has that improvement.

Looks like it uses the old style bobbins, though. The old style have the smaller side rounded instead of grooved. They can only be installed one way, not that it's a particular problem and saves you the bother of deciding. The newer bobbins have grooves on each end so they can be installed with either end facing the person spinning. Some of the old style flyers won't quite accept the new bobbins without adjustment but it wouldn't be hard to adjust them to fit should you need more bobbins, though.


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## Wind in Her Hair (Jul 18, 2002)

congrats! Is there anything as exciting as new spinning wheel? I think not!

As to the Rose1317's question about naming wheels? and wheel and loom genders?

To me- without a doubt, the elegance and beauty and magic of some wheels makes them "females" and my first three wheels Patience, Nessie and Texie are without a doubt "females"- BUT- I have to say...my new old Canadian Production Wheel's size, substance, and no-frills, all business productivity-focused, determined "voice" makes him a "male". He has such a commanding presence - he is handsome, strong, and decidely masculine. I am waiting on him to speak his name to me- I don't think he will whisper it as the ladies have- and when he does, _I think it might be_ in his native Quebecois French.


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## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

Congratulations!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Your wheel is BEAUTIFUL! She is in fantastic condition too, looks very similar to mine. I'm very partial to the Ashfords and to the Traditional in particular 

Kasota, I would recommend Tung oil as a finish I less you want something with color.


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Tung oil will make things rather golden, but let the wood's own beauty shine through. Went to ACE once to get some tung oil for a cedar chest, and when I asked the old guy working there where to find it, he exclaimed, "Oh, you're doing things the RIGHT way!" 

It also has anti-mold and mildew qualities.


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## featherbottoms (May 28, 2005)

So can I use Tung Oil or Danish Oil to recondition the wheel and my looms? Or should I just get something like Old English? I have both the Tung and Danish oils here but would have to buy the Old English, but I'm going out and about today anyway.

I have ordered some of the roving AverageJo has on the Barter Board and last night bought several different types of wool in 1/2 oz sizes off an eBay seller. I figure 1/2 oz isn't much but it will let me see the differences in the fibers. I did get 1 oz of Wensleydale because I liked the way it sounds . Actually, I bought the book The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook by Deborah Robson and Carol Ekarius and liked what they had to say about the Wensleydale. I love the book, btw.


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

OMG. That's a beautiful wheel. In wonderful condition. I'm thinking y'all need to come up with androgenous (sp?) names like Chris or perhaps something else gender neutral like Sun, Moon, Wind perhaps?


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

Good choice on the book! I want a copy eventually, not that we are gonna get any different fiber critters, though.

Tung or Danish oil will leave the wheel the same color it is. Old English will make it darker. The oils are easy to apply since you can just wipe them on and they don't require a brush. Watco makes a lot of different shaded of oil/stain type finishes that can be wiped on, too.

I have a tendency to go for a French polish applied shellac. You can get different colors of shellac at shellac.net but it's a bit more difficult to apply than the oils. Also leaves a shiny finish, but I like shiny.


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

My wheel is here, too! Woooot! Tomorrow I will break out the directions and figure out how to put her together. I'm afraid to start tackling it tonight because I am tired from a very long hard day and I am afraid I will make mistakes. 

Surprise for me...I thought she was unfinished, but she is finished in the same color as Featherbottom's wheel. :dance::happy::bouncy::sing:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

If you oil a thing don't wax it, if you wax it or shilac, varnish it don't oil it. Tung and Danish will both work fine, probably better than Old English.

YAY Kasota! So happy for you . Have fun getting to know your wheel. Don't forget pictures


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## featherbottoms (May 28, 2005)

hotzcatz said:


> Great score, Featherbottoms!
> :goodjob: :bouncy: :clap: :happy: :thumb: :sing: :dance:
> 
> A new drive band is easy enough. Sometimes I just get yarn and wrap around twice and tie it off. If it wears out, no worries, spin some more. It lasts longer than you'd think, actually.
> ...



I don't know the names of the parts yet but where would I find the "plastic flyer holders on the uprights"?

My husband suggested cotton twine for the drive band, and I don't see any reason it wouldn't work.


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## canadiangirl (Jul 25, 2004)

It looks just like the wheel I bought in December. I finally got to spend some quality time with him today. I named him Angus hee hee. Great price! I paid twice as much and thought I was getting a good deal : )


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

> plastic flyer holders on the uprights


Its the black plastic part,pic 1. 
The flyer holds the bobbin. All that fits in between the 2 plastic parts. Pic 2.

My Ashford came with cotton twine, its what they suggest to be used.


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## featherbottoms (May 28, 2005)

Now I see. I had to go look real close because I thought they were metal.

Thanks.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

This might help you too. http://joyofhandspinning.com/parts-of-the-spinning-wheel/


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

Having the plastic parts there instead of the older leather ones means you'll be able to get and install a bulky flyer if you want one. The bulky flyer has a different plastic part that has a larger orifice hole for the larger bulky flyer's orifice. It also comes with an adapter ring so you can switch back and forth between a bulky/standard flyer without replacing the plastic holder part.

Does that plastic holder part have a better name? It must, I'll go check your link, Marchwind.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I don't think that link gives it a name and I don't know it off my the top of my head. That is the beauty of Ashford wheels you can add on to them , expand their capabilities as you become more proficient with your spinning. You can always find parts and they aren't that expensive, the wheels are also work horses.


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## Rose1317 (Jul 26, 2011)

Most of my wheels have cotton twine for drive bands, easy enough to make, but for the Ashfords that I teach spinning on, I ordered the poly bands. Stretchy enough to do
a good job, but they don't stretch out like cotton does eventually.
Have fun spinning, and be sure to post Show & Tell photos of your yarn


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Congratulations! I use cotton kitchen twine too, and it works fine. 

I love hearing all the different wheel names. My first wheel didn't have a name for over a year, then all of a sudden she was 'Beatrice.' My second wheel, a Hitchhiker, was naturally ZZ.

I started weaving on a LeClerc Dorothy table loom last year, so of course, she's Dorothy, or Dottie when I'm happy with her. Then this past summer I scored a 42-in Gallinger loom, which I love love love! I call her my 'Big Girl Loom' :gaptooth:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Cotton string works well, I wouldn't use anything too thick and make sure your knot isn't a humongous one. Apply a thin coat of beeswax to the string to help keep it from slipping. personally I prefer the Poly cords but in a pinch string works well too.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I've even used Peaches & Cream (or Sugar & Cream) cotton yarn

What ever you decide to use, when you are not spinning, remove the drive band from the drive wheel (or bobbin) or move the MOA so the string isn't under any tension at all. Makes it last longer.


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