Drop Spindle

[humblestumble]

http://www.interweave.com/spin/files/CDspindles.pdf

[Mad About Wool]

Some people do GREAT with a CD spindle. My best friend still prefers her CD spindle over any other! I was a different story - I got really frustrated with drop spindling until I got a different kind of spindle. (Not to put anyone off, I just mention this in case you try a CD spindle and don't get the knack of it.)

[humblestumble]

what other kinds of spindles are there???

[Mad About Wool]

Some people make their own out of toy wheels and a wooden dowel. Then, there are plenty of ones that artisans make, such as:

http://www.hatchtown.com/spindles.html

http://coppermoose.com/spindles1-Mini.html (sadly not producing at this time due to a tragedy in the family, but his spindles are superb!)

http://www.journeywheel.com/spindles.php

http://www.dropspindle.info/dropspindles.html (awesome, but also expensive)

Also, numerous people sell spindles and spindle kits on e-bay.

Oh, if this belongs in the spinning resources section, feel free to move it

[VickiIL]

I love the Golding Spindles. I have been oogling those for a while. Although with my current skill on a spindle being as it is the purchase would be extravagent. (They are just so pretty!)

Anyways I have a question. Different diameters in the spindle effect spinning how? I am assuming how quickly it spins? Or am I wrong? How do I know which diameter I want?

[humblestumble]

So, of DROP spindeles, there are high whirl, low whirl, and turkish? This is the info I have found out so far.

[Arugula]

I looked at all the resources in the sticky and it seems that high whorl creates thin yarns (spins faster) and low whorl creates thick yarns (spins slower). If you want to make a thick yarn you also need to use a rolag (a rolag uses short hairs that are combed with a lot of loft creating a light, thick yarn) rather than roving (roving uses long hairs and makes the yarn tight, dense and strong). There is also the Navajo spindle spinning.

From what I've read, not what I've tried (which right now is nothing lol)

[Mad About Wool]

And the larger the diameter of the whorl, the thicker the yarn. With a small diameter whorl, you can spin laceweight. Those beauties spin at a dizzying pace!

[mintdee]

So if I were to want to get one which would you suggest for someone just starting?
I won't be getting any until feb but dosen't hurt to shop around.

[humblestumble]

Hmm, from the sounds of it, a low whorl/whirl (?) spindle with a large diameter, so that you can make thicker yarn. I know from experience that making thinner yarn is a pain in the butt! And I was doing it with a high whirl drop spindle, ...it's definitely like lace weight!