Ms Handyman Completes a Small (overdue) Project
I don't know if any of you out there spin on a Baynes Colonial wheel like I do but the only complaint I have with it - and it's a small one - is that it's hard to get the bobbin to load evenly. I understand a Wollee Winder solves this issue on many North American made wheels but there isn't one available for the Baynes. Baynes has been aware of this loading issue for some time and have come up with a sliding hook flyer. I think you move it manually, by the look of it, as I've only seen online pictures but you have to buy an entire replacement flyer and quite frankly, I'm not really keen on doing that, especially since I finished mine myself and would have to buy an unfinished one and stain, sand & finish it - ugh! I had promised myself I wouldn't do that job again so I had to do a bit of thinking.
The biggest reason it doesn't load evenly is because there is too much space between the hooks. I decided to try to get more hooks and install them myself, being pretty handy in the workshop when pressed. I never realized how rare small brass hooks were! After scouring the city an hour away from home I came up with the absolute smallest size I could find.
As you can see, they appear to be almost exactly the same size as the ones on my flyer - until I held them up to the dowel and realized the screw part is so long it would come out the other side, seriously weakening the whole piece! Back to hook hunting! I decided I might even have to buy little "eyelete screws" and use a hacksaw to cut the loop into a hook. All I knew was I was not going to damage my flyer trying to achieve the perfect load!
Much to my amazement, I was in a Home Hardware close to home and happened to see one of those $2.49 screw assortments - wouldn't you know it! Tiny hooks!! And only 4 of them! They are very similar to the ones I had bought previously but the screw ends were shorter and a smaller diameter. Eureka!
Elated, I hurried home with my booty! Indeed, smaller but serviceable! I marked the spots on the flyer where I wanted them, pre-drilled the holes and ended up using needle-nosed pliers to screw them in, as there just wasn't room for my fingers between the hooks.
The big question now, and the one that had been haunting me all through this process, were the extra hooks going to make problems when I tried to transfer from one to the other? I wondered if that was the reason Baynes simply hadn't used more hooks in the first place.... so I picked up a strip of the wool/silk blend that's my next project and got started...
True, it meant I had to stop more often to move my yarn but I didn't find it difficult or inconvenient. Maybe it helps that they're not all the same size, but I didn't find I had any trouble at all. What's more, my bobbin was loading perfectly smooth - NO hills and valleys! I couldn't be more pleased!!
The only down-side to this modification (and isn't there always one?) is I will likely never be able to use this flyer to spin novelty yarn like the nubbled Cherry Red one I just finished because the wads will not fit between the hooks, not easily, at least. I don't consider this to be a big issue, since I can't see myself wanting to spin stuff like that again any time soon. If I do ever get that hankering, I have a jumbo flyer for my Baynes and I could certainly use that. Better yet, I could just get someone to smack me upside the head so I could come to my senses and go spin something more enjoyable! LOL!!
Just kidding! Cheers all from the Lazy Handyman!
The biggest reason it doesn't load evenly is because there is too much space between the hooks. I decided to try to get more hooks and install them myself, being pretty handy in the workshop when pressed. I never realized how rare small brass hooks were! After scouring the city an hour away from home I came up with the absolute smallest size I could find.
Much to my amazement, I was in a Home Hardware close to home and happened to see one of those $2.49 screw assortments - wouldn't you know it! Tiny hooks!! And only 4 of them! They are very similar to the ones I had bought previously but the screw ends were shorter and a smaller diameter. Eureka!
Elated, I hurried home with my booty! Indeed, smaller but serviceable! I marked the spots on the flyer where I wanted them, pre-drilled the holes and ended up using needle-nosed pliers to screw them in, as there just wasn't room for my fingers between the hooks.
The big question now, and the one that had been haunting me all through this process, were the extra hooks going to make problems when I tried to transfer from one to the other? I wondered if that was the reason Baynes simply hadn't used more hooks in the first place.... so I picked up a strip of the wool/silk blend that's my next project and got started...
True, it meant I had to stop more often to move my yarn but I didn't find it difficult or inconvenient. Maybe it helps that they're not all the same size, but I didn't find I had any trouble at all. What's more, my bobbin was loading perfectly smooth - NO hills and valleys! I couldn't be more pleased!!
The only down-side to this modification (and isn't there always one?) is I will likely never be able to use this flyer to spin novelty yarn like the nubbled Cherry Red one I just finished because the wads will not fit between the hooks, not easily, at least. I don't consider this to be a big issue, since I can't see myself wanting to spin stuff like that again any time soon. If I do ever get that hankering, I have a jumbo flyer for my Baynes and I could certainly use that. Better yet, I could just get someone to smack me upside the head so I could come to my senses and go spin something more enjoyable! LOL!!
Just kidding! Cheers all from the Lazy Handyman!
Posted by Gloria Patre at 9/22/2009 1:56 PM 
Categories: Other Projects, Musings
Tags: adding flyer hooks flyer hooks
Categories: Other Projects, Musings
Tags: adding flyer hooks flyer hooks
I also have a baynes and have experienced the same problem. If I am not careful, my yarn gets all loopy because of it. I cant wait to find the little hooks and try this. I do wish they made a wooly winder for our wheel. I saw one on another wheel and it looked wonderful and so easy
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I'm glad it gave you some hope Nancy! I can't stress enough how important it is to pre-drill the holes so you don't split the dowel on your flyer. I've heard good things about the Woolie Winder but I've also heard they are noisy so I don't know if that's an acceptable trade-off because spinning time is peaceful time for me. At any rate I'm not swapping wheels just for that! I like my Baynes too much! LOL! Best of luck!
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I LOVE that you came up with and executed a solution on your own. I'm glad its working out for you!
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