wool spinning spindles

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GoodTurns

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Anyone have any experience with these? I have been commissioned to make several for a friend who spins her own yarn. I made one today (no pic, she took it and ran) and they seem pretty straightforward.
The spindle top turns out real quick, and I can make several at a time on a pen mandrel, but the dowels are a bear (and boring!).

Does anyone have a source for 5/16" exotic dowels? I found one website out of alberta CA, but am not sure if it is actiev (waiting for response).

Thanks for any input,
 

Tubby

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Oct 16, 2005
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Jon,

Alot of people that just cut and paste turkey slate calls use 5/16 inch dowels for strikers. Try this link http://www.grassycreekcalls.com/dowels.htm they sell the dowels in 5/16. May want to try a few other call makers sights. Post some pictures, I would like to see them when you are done.

Ed Jordan
Wichita Falls, TX
 

GoodTurns

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Alberta site is active. Got an email back this AM that he is working on my order and should have everything complete shortly.

http://www.dowelsondemand.com/ haven't seen the finished product yet, but he has about 70 species in a variety of sizesthat are well priced for my purposes (expensive for pen blanks, but the thins seeem more than fair). I had commented to someone that I would be happy to pay $5 apiece to not have to turn the dowels...now my most expensive ones (tulipwood) will cost about $3.
 

KenV

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I have turned those -- The shafts are the challenge and 5/16 is a bit large for most of those my wife spins with. She is into lace weight yarns. For larger yarns, larger whorls and shafts are more appropriate.

The shafts as tapered down from 1/4 inch are getting easier with my skill with a skew. Steady rest helps too.

There are top whorl, bottom whorl, interchangable whorl, and many more styles. Look around the internet. Johathon Bosworth sells some very well made top whorl spindles.

One thing the spinner likes is to be able to put a split soda straw around the spindle shaft and then to slide the straw with wrapped yarn off for plying. And plying spindles are larger whorl and longer shafts with more weight than the normal spindle.
 
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