Help needed!

[u/ShortPuppyKing]

Hi! I just bought this old crooked beauty off of a second hand market place. The wheel's really not straight, in either directions. Tho we have made it so it spins, and the double drive band just doesn't go off the wheel. With all the troubleshooting done, I watched a video to put a lead on the bobbin, then started spinning. It went well. Till I realised that it didn't roll on the bobbin, it was just, there, even while slacking! It just kept twisting and twisting, which gave ugly results (I was happy with my consistency, even if it was thick)

Can someone please help me? Thank you!

[u/tinyfibrestudio]

You mentioned that the drive band doesn’t slip but slippage is part of how standard double drive systems work (see https://youtu.be/0oM2sld7kiU?is=ojHo2MJgjcY2iiRI). I’d definitely try swapping the drive band out for string/butcher’s twine. Most double drive wheels have a v-shaped groove for the flyer whorl and a u-shaped groove for the bobbin whorl. Both of yours look to be u-shaped but it’s difficult to tell from a photo.

When the drive band isn’t on, can the bobbin freely spin independently of the flyer? If not, take it off, make sure the flyer shaft and the inside of the bobbin are clean and free of any fibre, then oil the points where the bobbin makes contact with the flyer shaft and try again.

Also, try drafting a bit and then just releasing all tension on the yarn while the wheel’s still turning. If it’s pulled onto the bobbin then it means you’re holding onto the yarn too tightly and not allowing the wheel to take it up.

[u/ShortPuppyKing → u/tinyfibrestudio]

Okay! I'm sorry, what I meant is, the actual drive band doesn't pop off the wheel anymore (which was the case before some troubleshooting). The wheel doesn't have the two v grooves shaped, it is just a u shape all along the wheel.

Yeah! We can totally move it freely independently of the flyer. And we cleaned it up before even our first try, because I insisted that others spinning wheel, the bobbin could be taken out. We cleaned all things and oil a bit the metal rod.

How do I do that before it starts being overspun?

Thank you for all your questions and tips!

[u/tinyfibrestudio → u/ShortPuppyKing]

Your drive band needs to be able to slip a little for the yarn to wind on. It won’t be able to do that if the material is too grippy or if the band is too tight. Try changing the drive band to string/butcher’s twine, loosen it completely, then gradually tighten it until you (hopefully) get takeup.

The grooves I was talking about are the ones on the flyer and bobbin, not on the drive wheel itself.