# Made a Ball winder



## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Seems to work pretty good. :sing:


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## neparose (Nov 16, 2009)

Pitchy, you are simply amazing! You give a whole different twist to "made in America"! Very nice!:thumb:


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

neparose said:


> Pitchy, you are simply amazing! You give a whole different twist to "made in America"! Very nice!:thumb:


Thanks neparose, i think i`ll use a toilet roll center and use the yarn off the outside. We tried pulling from the inside and got a tangled mess, made this holder to wind off from.


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Cleaned it up a little, i`m amazed it worked !!!!


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## neparose (Nov 16, 2009)

Bummer about the center pull tangling up, but it looks like you already conquered that little issue!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Wow and I just had to spend $60. on a new one. Your talents never end Pitchy


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

pitchy you are just awesome. if i would not have a yarn winder i would help you to clear your space


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Thanks ladies, making one of those is enough, what a pain, but i made one and i`m happy it works. :goodjob:


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Pretty fancy gadget, there. It's not winding right, should be more blocky. I don't know why it's doing that, but sometimes my common plastic winder does that too. I undo it and rewind. Might be why the center pull is funky.


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

It needs a little tweeking but not bad for a first attempt, the ball looks better until it gets bigger then not as good.
I put a different belt on it so will see if that helps.
No big deal we like winding unto a spool better anyway.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

You know Pitchy the ball winder most of us have has gears rather than a belt. I've used the belt driven ones, they have an arm that swivels too. I don't like that balls that they wind, they always seemed too loose.

If you like I could take a picture of the gears on mine and post them for you?


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Marchwind said:


> You know Pitchy the ball winder most of us have has gears rather than a belt. I've used the belt driven ones, they have an arm that swivels too. I don't like that balls that they wind, they always seemed too loose.
> 
> If you like I could take a picture of the gears on mine and post them for you?


We have been messing around with this design this morning, sometimes it winds a pretty good ball and then ya get slippage. I don`t like belts either they always seem to slip. I`m going to make a gear driven one, i had to figure out how they made the slot in the shaft that runs the arm back and forth first.
Sure post a picture , need all the info i can get.
Thanks.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Okay Pitchy here are a couple of pictures of the gears. I took additional pictures of the angle of the base, the thing you attach the yarn to and how it is attached to the winder. This is my old winder, I took some screws out to get the gear pictures, I'm not sure if they will help or not, it was a very small tight space.







[/url] spinning and things 018 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]








[/url] spinning and things 021 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]








[/url] spinning and things 029 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]








[/url] spinning and things 030 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]








[/url] spinning and things 031 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Then I took pictures of the arm and how it is attached. With this kind of ball winder the arm is stationary. I took pictures of it in three different positions. The first is the locked position where it is kept for winding. Sorry the quality of this photo is so bad.








[/url] spinning and things 024 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]








[/url] spinning and things 026 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]








[/url] spinning and things 027 by mymerripu, on Flickr[/IMG]


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Thanks for the pics, what brand is that one? whoops i see it, Royal

Check out the size of this ball of llama hair we made.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

That looks like good ball. They always seem to come out looking like a pancake, a really fat pancake.


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

I think it`s working pretty good now.
Found this interesting little picture of a simple wooden one, may have to make one.


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Well made one, don`t know if it was intended to be a ball winder or spool winder but it made a ball. The ball doesn`t have that diamond design but i`ve seen other winders that don`t make that either.










VIDEO, click on pic.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Your first one looks very much like the Strauch jumbo winder. I have to keep the yarn under tension to get a good ball.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Pitchy I love how you connected the little arm to the handle so it moves up and down.

I bet you could make a wooley winder.


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> Your first one looks very much like the Strauch jumbo winder. I have to keep the yarn under tension to get a good ball.


Yepper, that`s what i pattered it after, it winds a nice ball now. 

Marchwind, now ya know you gotta tell me what a wooley winder is. :shrug:


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

pitchy that looks very cute. 
here is a lot of info on the wooly winder. 
http://www.thewooleewinder.com/


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I love my WooLee winder!!! I asked Nathan Lee to make one for my Ashford Traveller Jumbo ... he asked me questions about it, then his shop caught fire. I really need to get back in touch with him ... unless ..... pitchy??


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Yea, Pitchy?


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Thanks.
The woolee gadget is quit the thing, more than i want to tackle though.
Had this new winder winding a perfect ball with the diamond design by making a bigger pulley on the cone. The yarn guide needs to stay close to the ball like a Roye winder works and that can`t happen with this design. As the ball gets bigger the guide needs to move away so i`ll have to remodel that part.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

The arm on the Royal is stationary, it doesn't move when you are winding a ball.


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Marchwind said:


> The arm on the Royal is stationary, it doesn't move when you are winding a ball.


I`m sorry,that`s not the one i was thinking about, this is the one.


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

This looks like a good winder.



> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Metal-Yarn-...316?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56467f2d94


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Don`t know how ya could get a better ball than this, limited on size because of the fixed guide rod but you can slip the ball off and look right through it.


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Forgive my bragging but i`m tickled green with how this little wooden winder works. The key was getting all lost motion out of the guide arm. :clap:


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> you are a treasure, pitchy!


Thanks WIHH. :kissy::dance:


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

that looks awesome. 
just wondering what will be your next project ???


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Thanks Susanne, tomorrow we gotta get going on the winter wood supply so projects are on hold.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Amazing. I get joy from watching you create, pitchy.


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Thanks Weever, i bookmarked your web site, very nice. :goodjob:


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

I LOVE how you see something, and the next thing you know, there's a picture here because you've made it - quickly! Awesome Pitchy!

Have you made a wool picker? I don't remember seeing one made by you, but I've missed a bunch of days here in the last month.

I got to see one like this: http://www.etsy.com/listing/82769286/wool-picker-made-of-pine-spinning-wheel?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=wool+picker&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade in action this weekend at the NY sheep & wool festival. It seemed like it took a lot of passes to open up the locks. This one: http://www.etsy.com/listing/80432012/swing-wool-picker?ref=sr_gallery_19&ga_search_submit=&ga_search_query=wool+picker&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade is just unwieldy and dangerous.... 

I'll bet you could come up with a design that would work! I know you don't want to sell things, but if you would - we could keep you in business for years right here in HT-land!


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Thanks PKBoo, appreciate the kind words , good to see ya again.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

PKBoo I've used one of those swing pickers, Mullerslanefarm owns one. They ARE dangerous to use. They sell them with a leather apron and a lock and key.


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Whiped out another one of these this afternoon with a arm that moves so it can make a bigger ball.
Works perfect.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

What, no video? Just kidding  Pitchy I just don't have enough wonderful words to describe how all this fiber utensil goodness makes me feel. WOW!!! That's about all I can say.


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Thanks, one is coming soon, polly is drying.


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Ok now no laughing, ya gotta spin your tush off with the thing but it does make a nice ball.
I`m tickled orange about it.


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

:thumb::thumb::rock:
just looks awesome. pitchy we try to win the lottery, no luck so far but if we will, i will make you my neighbor


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I can't really see what that arm does the background is so dark. Would you want to make another with a lighter back ground  Looks good. I suppose making a larger drive wheel would make it easier to wind?


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Here ya go.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

If you could connect the drive arm to a treadle .....


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Pitchy said:


> Ok now no laughing, ya gotta spin your tush off with the thing but it does make a nice ball.


DH (an engineer) loved it Pitchy! He thought it was "pretty cool" in his words. He did say that if you make the crank wheel bigger, you won't have to spin so hard - he started rambling about gear ratios and other mechanical things and my brain shut down... :shrug:

I was trying to find the threads of all the things you've made to show him, but I think I missed a few - you've been prolific! It's awesome!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I see now, you have a hole in in that arm. Very clever.


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

Thanks all, can`t put a bigger pulley on it without re-designing the whole thing. There is no room under those two small pulleys. Besides the ratio has to be just right it seems to get the diamond pattern on the ball.
It`s just a take your time novelty.
Going to start gathering lumber for that Chinese wheel today, to windy to cut fire wood.


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## vicky (Aug 20, 2002)

Now if you want to recycle the kids toys here's how to make a yarn winder from legos!
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=21252.0


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## Pitchy (Aug 25, 2011)

vicky said:


> Now if you want to recycle the kids toys here's how to make a yarn winder from legos!
> http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=21252.0


Thanks Vicky, i seen that during my searches on u-tube, pretty cool. :rock:


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