yarn swift prototype II

[piranha]

another productive night. works like a charm; a litte heavier (which means it's a little more stable as well -- just about as stable as it needs to be). now i can get every size hank i have on it. until i need the box, there might never be a "production" version, though i'd really like to build one that i can also take apart (though this one pulls up to under the ceiling, so it's out of the way). taking it apart for storage would be a good thing since i won't have that many hanks to wind after going through my back stash.

swift II

closeup of adjustable peg board

i found out that my drill does not want to screw a 3/8th bit through 2" plywood. always good to know. NEED MORE POWER.

if i make a version III, it might have one freely adjustable peg, which will give it perfect fitting. though it's probably not necessary, since the pegs are spaced so closely together i can just move one of them a little further in or out, and that won't throw the balance off.

i'm also thinking that i might want to think about a version that has a handle, so i can wind hanks from bobbins (if my spinning wheel ever gets here).

Comments

Re: yarn swift prototype II

[eagle]

That looks great! Congratulations. Always so cool to be able to put something like that together from things you had lying about.

[zarhooie]

Why not just mount the peg boards on either a cross-type structure or on a square piece of plywood? That'd give you a nice finished version and get rid of the ugly box.

[piranha]

because i was using what i had in the house in the middle of the night, and wanted to make the swift with a minimum of effort and noise. those were the givens. :)

a cross structure would require a lap joint to be solid, which is a lot of work with hand tools. or a relatively wide overlap if one doesn't mind that the pegs won't be at the same height. i didn't have that kind of wood laying around, nor a piece of plywood large enough. since the swivel has some resistance as well, a piece of ply that big might also be too heavy.

but if i make a final version, it'll be a cross structure, yeah. nice lap joint, easy to take apart. also a better swivel, because this one doesn't hang quite vertical. probably also with a bearing and a clamp below so i can fix it to an edge in case i want to wind yarn onto it.

the box turned out to be very useful (i don't care about ugly when i kludge up a prototype) -- it puts out enough resistance to get good tension in the yarn going to the ball winder (it can't be too loose or too tight).

[foxfirefey]

I am in love with your make-it-myselfness.

[piranha]

*grin* i am too! or is that too narcissistic? i love it when i can make stuff i need myself from basic things i have laying around. it makes me feel so self-sufficient, as if i might actually be able to pull through if civilization as we know it took a major hit.

which is mostly an illusion, but hey.

[firecat]

Off topic: We have been having a "missing the fishie" subthread in alt.polyamory. (Not sure you want to see all the other dreck in there right now, though.)

[piranha]

awww. i keep wishing i had more time and wherewithall to put up with various amounts of dreck. i sure do miss alt.poly at times.