I finished giving the Ashford Traditional wheel a clean and tune up. The first thing was to add some more hooks on the flyer - set between the existing hooks on the opposite side, to allow a more evenly spread bobbin when I'm doing thinner singles. While I was doing that I replaced the existing hooks so that they at least matched the new ones. The hook for the scotch tension spring was also replaced while I was at it.
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| New hooks on the flyer (bottom) and replaced (top) |
I've also been spinning singles using the multitude of coloured roving in the package I received. I'll spin sections of roving chosen randomly, and eventually make up a three ply which will show off the colours.
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| Assorted roving |
There's several blues, greens and purples, and some grey and various wool and mohair and blends of the two. All, I believe, home dyed. Each is a little bit different to spin, but so far it's working well.
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| Wheel ready to go |
I undid the leather joining the conrod to the treadle assembly and treated it with some natural leather protection. Then applied some vaseline to any bearing surface before treating all the wood with tung oil (applied and then buffed off). The wood treatment has hidden 90% of the minor scratches and dings. The wheel now is all but silent, minus the slight noise of the scotch tension on the bobbin. Perfect.
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