# Jumbo ball winder?



## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Before I take the plunge and buy any ball winder, can someone suggest a size? It looks like a regular ball winder holds a 4oz ball, that is not very big. If I buy a jumbo one, will that work with medium weight yarn too? Or, is a regular ball winder enough to hold large yarns too? Does that make any sense at all????? As far as a swift goes, why cant we mount some dowels on that big lazy suzan we are not using, and wind away? 
If you were going to purchase a ball winder for the first time, which one would you get, and would a swift be necessary with it?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Well is this for yarn you will be spinning yourself? What wheel do you have? I have an Ashford Traditional and I have their regular bobbins. They seem to hold about 4 ounces and a lot of time I will over fill them. I have a Royal ball winder that I have had for 20 years or so. It is a regular ball winder and I've never had a problem but one time. That was with a commercial yarn and it was more than 4 ounces. I was able to wind it into balls, it was a bit awkward looking but it worked. Personally I wouldn't get a jumbo winder unless you had a wheel with jumbo bobbins.

As for a swift, sure you can mount dowels, that would work.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

What she said.


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

I have a Louet S15 and the bobbins are bigger than most. This is for handspun, all sizes of yarn, including chunky. I did see that the Louet has a skein winder that attaches- so looking into purchasing one of those. Right now, just have a niddy noddy, and when you have a lot of yarn, that takes forever. I have some yarn on the niddy noddy now, will go weigh it..... OK, it weighs 6.7 oz, so what do you think????


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## Humburger (Sep 13, 2007)

You know, you can wind balls right off the bobbins while they are on the wheel. Spin it up, let it sit on the bobbin for a few days, put the bobbin back on the wheel, and wind the ball off that, without the tension string on it. Why put it into a skein and then wind a ball, unless you are going to wash it or dye it first?

Just a thought...


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

the yarn is pretty twisty, should probably be set first- (that's what I've been doing, spin, niddy noddy, wet, set, back on niddy noddy, skein)


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## Flwrbrd (Jan 14, 2007)

sometimes I wash and set the yarns on the niddy noddy....
I find a ball winder an invaluable tool in the spinners basket....
I cant say I have much luck with it...but gals in the guild swear by tp centers on the ball winder to increase capacity.....just a thought......


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Flwrbrd I think the ball wider's capacity has more to do with the size of the bottom thing, under the ball.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Depending on what size yarn I'm trying to achieve, I can spin up to 6 oz yarn on my Kromski bobbins. I usually put 4 oz on my Ashford bobbins.

I like to work with plyed yarns so got a Jumbo Flyer/Bobbin for the Ashford. I spin on the Kromski & ply on the Ashford. When plying, I can't fill my Kromski bobbins full if I want to get a continuous yarn. When I spun on regular Ashford bobbins, then switched out for the Jumbo bobbin to ply, I could fill my regular Ashfor bobbins full.

I have the Strauch jumbo ball winder. With the Royal ball winder, the yarn from the Jumbo Flyer just won't fit in one ball before the ball is hitting the do-thingee wire part that feeds the ball winder. I don't have this problem with the Strauch.


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## Flwrbrd (Jan 14, 2007)

March, I can believe it....lol
I have no luck with them staying on anyway...
I wouldn't be without it though...


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