Skein Winder III
Unfinished PVC winder with counter and yarn guide ............................$1095
Painted option ..................................................................(plus)... $100
Wood Frame .....................................................................(plus)... $300
(You may order by phone: 888-699-2919 or by sending an email to: Elemental Affects. Call or email for additional information. *Credit cards are accepted but please do not include your credit card information in the email.)
I originally developed this winder as a solution to a problem in my own business. I need to skein several hundred pounds of yarn every year. As a small yarn company, I work at a capacity that is too small for large commercial machinery and too large for hobby machinery. Developing this skein winder has made such a tremendous difference in my ability to skein yarn efficiently that I decided to share it with my fellow business owners. Originally developed for my main product (1 ounce skeins of Shetland Fingering weight yarn), it has subsequently been improved for more general use after input from my beta testers. It's now ready for prime time!
The winder takes up approximately 9 square feet of floor space. Additional space on at least the left side of the winder is necessary for skein removal. The shaft of the wheel stands at about 3 feet from the ground. The winder may be operated efficiently from a chair situated in front of the winder -- needing to stand only when removing the skeins. At least one customer has chosen to put the winder on a table to satisfy her production methods.
To operate the winder, cones are placed under the winder and tied onto the yarn wheel. Power is initiated by the foot pedal. When the rotation counter is within a couple of rotations from the desired count, turn off the power by way of the foot pedal and stop the winder with your hand. The wheel may also be turned manually (in either direction) while still attached to the motor. (Future enhancements may include an option to have the winder turn off automatically when it reaches a specified number of rotations, but this option will be at a substantial additional cost.)
Dyers wishing to re-skein from swifts may mount up to 4 swifts behind the winder and move the yarn guide to the back of the winder. Or, a second winder may be purchased without a motor and with a tension control. (Call for price.) The second winder may be placed behind the motorized winder to hold the dyed skeins and used instead of individual swifts.
The stand is made from sturdy, thick walled 1" pvc pipe and fittings. Once glued together, this provides an economical yet sturdy, long lasting frame while allowing for partial disassembly for shipping. (A custom wood frame option is available for a substantial additional charge. Call for details.)
- The wheel that holds the skeins is now custom-machined from aluminum pipe and fittings. All connections have been designed to eliminate points for yarn to catch upon when skeins are removed from the winder. The winder may be ordered in sizes to produce skeins from 36" (1 yard) to 72" (2 yards) in circumference. One arm of the wheel is designed for easy tension release to facilitate yarn removal.
- The motor is a single-speed gearmotor, operated by a foot pedal. The motor was carefully selected after extensive testing. By changing the pulley and belt, it may be operated at either 60rpm or 90rpm. I have been operating my motor at the 60rpm for the last two years. I have found that too much speed, combined with multiple skeins/cones can create messy yarn winding problems. However, I've added the option to increase the speed by 50% to satisfy customers who wind fewer (and larger) skeins at the same time. The motor on my own winder has operated reliably under continuous use (6 - 8 hours in a single day) and continues reliably after 3 years. The motor comes with a 1 year manufacturers warranty.
- The winder is currently operated by a foot pedal. When ordering, you may choose either a pedal that requires continuous foot pressure to remain on, or a pedal that may be toggled on and off. This is a machine which should be monitored and not left unattended during operation. However, it is clear that when you are winding several ounces of a lace-weight yarn you might like the option of getting up from your chair to answer the phone while the winder is turning. In which case, you should order the toggle foot pedal. If you only wind short skeins (as do I) then, the continuous pressure pedal is recommended.
- The electronic counter attached to the skein winder counts rotations of the yarn wheel. It operates on battery power and uses magnets to trigger the rotation count. (It is based on the same winder offered for sale separately by Janel Laidman.) The counter has a reset button that must be used to reset the rotation count to zero before winding each set of skeins.
- A yarn guide with metal "eyes" is attached to the front of the winder. This guide may be shifted from right to left to accomodate adding muliple groups of skeins to the winder before unloading.
- An instruction video is included to support assembly of the winder. Assembly requires a rubber mallet and some pvc glue -- both easily available at the local hardware store. (The amount of assembly is determined by shipping requirements. The further I am allowed to break the winder down, the cheaper the shipping costs. * *