# Newbie questions: Flick carder, hand carders, dog brush?



## RedTartan

Okay. The dog brush part was a joke... kind of.

I'm thinking about giving this a try. I don't have a lot of money to invest in it right now, though. So I was thinking about using a drop spindle. It's cheap and I found a website with really nice tutorial videos. So far, so good.

Then I went looking for carders. Eesh! They're expensive at right around $50. The flick carder is cheaper at $15. But I'm not sure I understand how to use a flick carder to get rollags... rolugs... the tube-y things that you spin into yarn 

And, seriously, can you use two dog brushes as carders? I swear they look just like that. 

BTW, I'm not even sure I understand what a staple is... Is it essentially a lock of hair?

How much does a fleece usually cost? What's the easiest type of fiber to spin?

And...

Tell me anything else you think would help me out right about now 

Thanks,

:baby04: RedTartan


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## goatladie

Well, staple refers to the length of the fibers that you are using - beginners are usually suggested to start out with a longer staple, that is 4-6" instead of 2'... also, wait on trying the fancy stuff like Angora, mohair, and Merino, start with fiber/wool that "grabs" more as you start - it's much easier... the Romney I received from Meg was beautiful for the drop spindle, made it easy to see how the whole process worksI know a lot will suggest a lot more "beginner" fibers as they see this thread. It can be frustrating at first, but you will get it - I recommend starting spindling the "sit and park" method - Cyndi explained it well on another thread - I will see if I can find it for you... 


Side note - I know of someone who has cotton cards for a reduced price - if everyone else think those will work just as well for you, ( I don't really know, but I thought some had said that they use either/or) I can give you the information in case they are still available, they were roughly half price...


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## MullersLaneFarm

The dog brushes (slickers) will do just fine for your to start. The teeth are a bit wider a part than wool carders, but they will do.

you'll probably want to start with a prepared fiber, some roving, batts, slivers (don't worry about the names - they are just different preparations of wool).

Send me a PM and I'll send you a bit of each to get you started.

Prices of fleece are far cheaper than prepared roving but you have a lot of preparation to do (unless you spin 'in the grease').

PM me - I'll get back to you in 24 hours and you could have 'stuff' to spin with by the weekend!


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## RedTartan

Wow. You guys really ARE enablers.  LOL I've had two offers of roving, etc. already and this thread isn't that old!

... PM'ed you, Cyndi.

 RedTartan


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## donsgal

RedTartan said:


> Okay. The dog brush part was a joke... kind of.
> 
> I'm thinking about giving this a try. I don't have a lot of money to invest in it right now, though. So I was thinking about using a drop spindle. It's cheap and I found a website with really nice tutorial videos. So far, so good.
> 
> Then I went looking for carders. Eesh! They're expensive at right around $50. The flick carder is cheaper at $15. But I'm not sure I understand how to use a flick carder to get rollags... rolugs... the tube-y things that you spin into yarn
> 
> And, seriously, can you use two dog brushes as carders? I swear they look just like that.
> 
> BTW, I'm not even sure I understand what a staple is... Is it essentially a lock of hair?
> 
> How much does a fleece usually cost? What's the easiest type of fiber to spin?
> 
> And...
> 
> Tell me anything else you think would help me out right about now
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> :baby04: RedTartan


I have been using dog slickers since last September when I learned to spin. It's "ok" but they are small and it takes a very long time to work through the fleece. I am wanting a drum carder so bad, but whenever I bring it up, dh gives me "the look" (the "we can't afford $300+ for your silly hobby" look) :Bawling: 

Hand carders are a much cheaper option, but even at $50 or so, that isn't cheap. Looks like I'll be using my dog brushes a bit longer. boo hoo

I second the idea about learning on some prepared roving. Working up a fleece is fun but it takes a heck of a lot of work before you get to the end product. To develop your skill at spinning first (so you don't get discouraged), I would recommend buying some roving and getting good at it before taking a stab at working up a fleece.

That being said, however, I LOVE working up raw fleece and wouldn't miss that step in the process for the world.

By the way, there is some nice, inexpensive roving available at Kathy's Handspun Yarn and Fiber Shop on eBay at http://stores.ebay.com/Kathys-Hands...op_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZQ2d33QQftidZ2QQtZkm (Sorry about the long link). 

But you did NOT hear this from me (enabler! Indeed) bwhahahahahahahahahahahahah bwahahahahahahhahahaha

donsgal


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## Flwrbrd

I have a pair of regular carders ....and a pair of dog brushes....I find I much prefer the dog brushes....lol
They're not as large...making them much more portable. I share a car with my hubster, so while I'm waiting for him to get off work, I sit at a picnic table and card! I was skeptical when I first heard this...but I was having troubles carding, then got dog brushes and it's been easy breezy ever since.They just aren't as unweildy. The rolags are big enough for a good long spin too. And I imagine..that sometimes...I'm using them like a flicker too.
Nice locks, I just hit the tips and the butt....fold over my finger and spin...
I don't think there's a right or wrong way to go about this, so long as your seperating and fluffing the fibers into a nice spinnable mess. Sometimes, I just fluff alpaca up in my lap..and spin off that. No carding at all! Whatever works is good!


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## jerzeygurl

I like taking the individual locks and using the dog COMB ( big teeth) makes a nice untangled noil free lock to spin

the stuff i comb out i save up and card


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## RedTartan

You guys are really getting me excited! LOL

And thanks, donsgal, for that link. They really do sell everything on ebay, don't they?

I am really looking forward to giving this a try.

 RedTartan


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## MullersLaneFarm

Flwrbrd said:


> I don't think there's a right or wrong way to go about this, so long as your seperating and fluffing the fibers into a nice spinnable mess.


So very true! And what will work for you on one fleece may or may not work on another so you find yourself preparing fiber in different ways.

One of the joys of our art!


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## donsgal

Flwrbrd said:


> I have a pair of regular carders ....and a pair of dog brushes....I find I much prefer the dog brushes....lol
> They're not as large...making them much more portable. I share a car with my hubster, so while I'm waiting for him to get off work, I sit at a picnic table and card! I was skeptical when I first heard this...but I was having troubles carding, then got dog brushes and it's been easy breezy ever since.They just aren't as unweildy. The rolags are big enough for a good long spin too. And I imagine..that sometimes...I'm using them like a flicker too.
> Nice locks, I just hit the tips and the butt....fold over my finger and spin...
> I don't think there's a right or wrong way to go about this, so long as your seperating and fluffing the fibers into a nice spinnable mess. Sometimes, I just fluff alpaca up in my lap..and spin off that. No carding at all! Whatever works is good!


I've never been able to get the hang of this "rolag" business. WHen I am working with my dog slickers I grab ahold of the loose wool that is sticking out beyond the slickers and give a yank until it slides out free. I stack this up and then use a Diz to create a nice sliver or bit of roving to spin. I find that if you use the wool that remains on the dog slickers after doing this it is just full of neps and noils and really makes for a bumpy spin. Of course, I have used some commercially processed roving in the past which was just FULL of neps and noils, so I guess maybe I am being to darn particular about my roving being so perfect, but I sure like the results.

donsgal


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## Flwrbrd

Hmmm.....never thought of running them thru a diz...I've seen that done once or twice...found it rather fascinating...but don't wanna get into the viking combs...My attention span wanders too much while I'm carding and they look way too dangerous for me!
What I'm calling a 'rolag'...after I've got it all nice and knot free, and smooth...I pull it off the brush...then roll it up into a nice little tube...sometimes with the lay of fiber...sometimes against the lay of fiber...and spin off the end...seems to work for me...
I'm gonna try a diz and see what happens....that could be fun too...lol


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## donsgal

Flwrbrd said:


> Hmmm.....never thought of running them thru a diz...I've seen that done once or twice...found it rather fascinating...but don't wanna get into the viking combs...My attention span wanders too much while I'm carding and they look way too dangerous for me!
> What I'm calling a 'rolag'...after I've got it all nice and knot free, and smooth...I pull it off the brush...then roll it up into a nice little tube...sometimes with the lay of fiber...sometimes against the lay of fiber...and spin off the end...seems to work for me...
> I'm gonna try a diz and see what happens....that could be fun too...lol


I find that when you make sliver/roving this way (with the diz), if you take the finished product and roll it between the palms of your hands (like you're making a clay snake), it stays together better when you are spinning. Squish it good between your hands (you can even lick your palms first to get a small amount of moisture, which helps compress the fibers a little more - just don't let anybody see you doing it) and roll quickly back and forth. It helps a lot for me.

If you don't have a diz you can make one by using the removable plastic top of a spice jar - you know the part with holes in it that pops out. Use a small diameter, but not so small that you can't get a crochet hook in there to grab a bit of the fiber. It should be about 1/8" wide. You can make it smaller if you have a tiny steel crochet hook. 

It works great.

donsgal


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