# Ashford Traditional question



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

My drive band (sorta a plastic one) got all stretched out. So, I ordered another one (two in fact) and wanted to finish spinning up my Merino, so I cut my present band and attempted to melt it back together.
Now let me tell you, this is no small feat! 
We finally ended up taking it off the wheel to do it, DH and I tried keeping it on the wheel, thought it would be a flick of a bic and bam, done.
right. :hohum:

So, DS #3 finally came home and he managed to get it melted together.
Problem now is, it is in one piece NOT on my wheel. 
How do I take it apart to get that band on there? 
I know it is possible to take the wheel apart, but I am terrified I will ruin it.
DS offered me some heavy duty fishing line, and I am tempted!

Anyone ever take the main wheel off and put it back on? 
I have googled and youtubed until I am blue in the face. I can now spin, oil, ply and stain my wheel. But I cannot take it apart. 
I found ONE place with instructions. 
Yeah, it says "disassemble wheel" blah blah blah "Now reassemble wheel" 
I need wheel disassemble/reassemble instructions for dummies.
Any teachers out there?????


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

The Ashford site should have assembly diagrams, can't recall off the top of my head what the axle setup is in the Ashford .. But it comes off easily enough, they all do.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

I will look again, but I couldn't really find anything. Finally just tied some cotton yarn on the wheel so I could spin.


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

Be careful! The wheel of the Ashford Traditional has a metal bar that is hammered through the wheel axle/shaft that keeps it in there firmly. I would think you can take the wheel off, but you will need to remove that rod without damaging it. It will look like a little round hole on the back side where the footman attaches. If you can get the rod out and detach the footman from the treadle (leave it on the metal shaft, you don't need to remove that to get the axle rod out and if you do take it off it will be very difficult to put back properly!), then use careful but firm pressure, you should be able to slowly withdraw the axle rod from the center of the wheel. It will be just as difficult to put back together as it will be to take apart, so keep that in mind. The reason I know that is because I had to take it back out the first time I put mine together! But I hadn't put in the little metal rod yet either, that is going to be the most difficult piece to remove I think.

If you try it, good luck!! Personally I would think it would be easier to just cut your band again, put it on, then re-melt rather than try and take the wheel off without damaging it.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Well We kept looking at it and that pin was all We could see as far as taking it apart. I didn't feel good about trying it and DH said he diidnt think it was a good idea. I'm just going to use My cotton yarn until My new bands come, then We will try to figure out a good melting together process.
thnx Falls-Acres you sorta confirmed what I was thinking. 

By the way, when DH and I were on the floor looking at My Wheel, he said, get on ht and ask all those women that do this all the time.
:buds:
he is a smart man. He knows who the experts are and where to ask!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

MamaJ you will be far better off cutting the band and remelting it. Or make one with a bit of cotton, hemp, or linen string. Those stretchy bands once stretched out aren't really any good. Keep the new ones out of the sunlight (the one you aren't using). They only last about a year or two before needing to be replaced.

Taking your wheel apart to get a drive band on is so far out there and so much work it wouldn't be worth the effort.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Apparently my use of antiques is showing - all the wheels just slide right out on my old wheels! I had no idea it was so tricky to remove the drive wheel on a Traddy.

I did, at last, locate the assembly guide for the Traddy (the Ashford NZ site won't load for me for some reason) ... here. And yes, taking the axle out is a BAD IDEA! Who knew they'd set it up so that it was necessary to remove the axle just to get the wheel off?

I am now educated.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Frazzle my Country Craftsman wheel comes apart like your old wheels, it's held together with little wooden pegs, wedges, and sticks. Not so much the Traddy nore my Kromski. These newer wheels have sealed bearings and I think that must include the axle.


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## sheepish (Dec 9, 2006)

The plastic drive band on my Lendrum is 30 years old and it is not at all stretched out. I make sure it is sitting relaxed between every spinning session. I think that is probably the key to making them last.

All wheels are different, but if I want to get the band right off, either my Lendrum or my antique Quebec production wheel, I remove the footman from one end. (This is very easy on the Lendrum, because I am using a piece of binder twine as a replacement footman, until the real one arrives, but it wasn't too difficult to remove the original one.


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## alpacaspinner (Feb 5, 2012)

I'm not sure I understand why the wheel would have to come off. I have a Traditional as well, and all I do is disengage the flyer assembly, and that's easy. But maybe I'm misunderstanding the problem.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

If you've already formed the drive band into a circle, you can't get it around the wheel because the axle is fixed to uprights on both sides.

The CPW wheel just lifts out, so you can get the drive band under the wheel; and on Lendrums the wheel only has an upright support on one side, so you can always slide the band over. 

If your drive band is NOT tied in a loop yet, then you just reach under wheel and flyer and tada, you're good to go.


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

I changed bands on my Ashford JOY (been 10 years on there) and it was easy. I found very good instructions on their website. But I didn't try the melting thing---just not enough nerve. I do try to remember to release the tension when it's sitting though. Good luck on your traditional---you could send Ashford an email----I've found them very good at responding.


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## alpacaspinner (Feb 5, 2012)

Oh ... oops .... I see where I had it wrong; Thanks frazzlehead .


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Well, I got my new bands, and they are cotton.  so I will not worry about the other one. It is easier to tie ones on than I thought it would be.
I saw lots of youtube video's by Mr Ashford, he has tons of info out there!


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