Shirts and Stuff
Here is a sneak peak at our new shirts and logo’d gear. We should be getting hats and T’s in soon. If you have any special requests, please let us know, and we will due our best to get it in for you.
Mach 3 and New Treadle Design
Well, it has been a crazy year for the SpinOlution team. As we strive to improve, we have taken a long look at our products, compiled issues and problems, and have committed to the new Mach 3 and Treadle Design.
Mach 3… There have been rumors for awhile that we would produce a Mach 3, and we are in the final prototyping phase (1 built, and a second being assembled with fixes) . What is new on the Mach 3. We have taken from the lessons learned from the Echo, and built a large and sturdy “T” frame Vs. the “A” frame the Mach 1&2 were built on (don’t worry, if you like the “A” frame design, we will continue to offer it as well”. Then we redesigned the treadle to alleviate the occasional knocking noise we get from the pitman bearing going from one wall of the treadle to the other, in the drive grove. This redesign also allows for easier band replacement.
The New treadle design works so well, we are working towards updating all the other wheels (Echo, Bee, Hopper and Mach 2) with this new treadle.
Stay tune for pictures and more information as it comes out of the shop.
Kris and Mike Pauly
Artisan Loom design cont.
So, since we had developed our intended goals for our new loom (cut down the warping time of weaving projects by 50% and re-warp by 75% with less aches and pains) we were on our way. We identified several ideas to handle these goals. However, as I hope to demonstrate, once you start down the path of development with goals driving the design, you don’t always end up where you thought you would.
The idea of changing heddle positions from harness to harness, within the loom, was only part of the issue. The actual threading of the heddles required a hook. From our design of our wheels, you might gather, we don’t like the requirements of additional tools, unless it is absolutely required. Our open orifice was an attempt to make spinning easier. Who would have known that the open orifice would facilitate art yarns as well as our goal of easy setup of the wheel. Not us, we would like to take credit for that, but honestly, we kind of fell into it, thanks to the help our great dealer network and users feed back!
Our initial thought for the heddle, was to to make the eyelet, not an eyelet at all, but open from the top. We had decided early in the development, that the Jack style loom was the simplest, and most efficient. Since the Jack looms only pushed the harnesses upward, we had no need to capture the warp from a downward pull. The tension of the warp would keep the warp at the bottom of the heddle, naturally. So we drew up a long “U” for the eyelet. By this point we had already found a company to help us with the metal stamping that would be required to manufacture this part. We send the design to the company, and they were perplexed as how to manufacture the designed heddle.
Metal stamping is as much art as it is science. The major issue was, this long (6in) toothpick of a splinter hanging off the side of our heddle. The heddles need to be stamped, cleared of remnant fragments, and polished. The polish was the major problem. You can’t polish a loose piece of metal that moves freely. So after long discussions, we decided on a bridge across the top of the heddle. This would allow the heddle to stay in one piece for polish. We would be left with a 6in whole, that would easily be threadable without the use of tool, and if the user wants to remove the bridge, the warp can easily be dropped into the eyelet from the top. So what started as a complete open eyelet design, ended up as a heddle that can be changed from one harness to another, and a huge 6in eyelet that can easily be threaded by hand (no hook required) meeting our primary goals!
As I will mention many times, where we start and where we go is driven by the goals. We got where we wanted to go, but the form is always the surprise.
At this point, we have submitted out heddle design, and is in the process of being prototype. In the next few postings, we will put up some pictures of the prototype, and maybe a video of how it works.
Stay tune for more, as we continue down the road of our design.
Top 6 Reasons to try a SpinOlution Spinning Wheel!
#6. Industry’s Best Manuals – Written by a published Spinner for Spinners. We know our Spinning Wheels are different. So to help you understand them better, we worked with a industry leader to write our manuals for you. Down load one today, and read it over.
#5. Ergonomic Design – Designed with Real people’s natural movement in mind. Imagine sitting in front of a Spinning Wheel, and allowing your hips and legs to separate naturally, Or the movement of the treadle to move more natural to your own joints. We have had many spinners thank us for providing a wheel that doesn’t hurt when used.
#4. Efficiency - More Bearings means Less work = More Spinning! You want to spin smarter, not harder. So every point of the SpinOlution Spinning Wheels that could induce drag, we fitted with a sealed bearing. This also means no more oiling. No more drips of oil collecting dust, or stained carpets from dripping oil.
#3. Easy Bobbin Removal – No more fuss over taking the bobbins off. It should be a chore to get at your fiber when you are done spinning. No more disassembling drive bands, brakes or flyer’s. Just pull the orifice bar off, and slide out the bobbin. It doesn’t get any easier than this.
#2. US Made – We are proud to make the claim, our products are designed and manufactured in the USA.
#1. More Standard Options – We work hard to make a wheel that has as many standard features as we can. no more buying additional whorls for high speeds. Our flyer’s are paired with optimal pulleys from the get go to give you the best range, high and low. Our smallest bobbins are the standard size for most wheel companies.
What are you waiting for. Find a local dealer and take our wheels for a spin. Your wallet, joints, and overall spinning experience will Thank you!
The Wind Spinnning Wheel
Behind the Scenes Developments
SpinOlution has typically designed scotch tension based wheels. The Mach I and II, Bee and Echo are all based on adjusting the tension to the bobbin. This design has been very popular, and Mike believes this design is the most efficient design in spinning wheels. However, that being said, many in the spinning world enjoy what is commonly referred to as a bobbin lead system. After talking with a few spinners that enjoy this type of wheel, Mike decided that he would design and build a wheel off of this premise. Again, his design criteria would be to incorporate new technologies and materials to make the wheel the most advanced and efficient wheel of it’s type on the market…
The Wind, a bobbin lead spinning wheel, will be released around Jan 1, 2010. This wheel is designed with a 20 inch wheel like the Mach II, however it will be placed behind the body of the wheel and it will not have any slots. The Wind will incorporate several bearings like all of the other wheels, and include 3 aluminum hubs. The tension knob will be located under the flyer and will include 6 speeds on the whorl. We will also incorporate the extra large bobbin of the Mach II into the Wind. This wheel will be a no holds bar, top of the line wheel, that will be the most efficient wheel in the class of bobbin lead wheels.
Keep watching for more updates as the design and prototyping continues.
Good Spinning!
North Country Fiber Fair
September 18 – 20, 2009
Friday – workshops, Saturday 9 – 5:30, Sunday 9 – 4
Codington Co. Expo Complex, Watertown, SD
