How do I remove a drive wheel from my Echo?
You may need to remove the main (drive) wheel from your MACH or Echo for troubleshooting or repair.
The Wheel Wobble on the MACH 2 is due to the wheel shaft moving. Here is how to add a set screw to hold the shaft and keep the wheel from wobbling.
Purchase a wood screw at your local hardware
Use a small drill about 1/8" and drill a pilot hole about 1 1/2 " above the wheel shaft on the back (drill at an angle: that will hit the shaft at the halfway point about 1/2" in)
Screw in a #8 screw about 1 3/4 inch long - this will hit the shaft and lock it from moving. This will remove most of the wheel wobble.
How do I balance a Pollywog Drive Wheel?
You may need to remove the main (drive) wheel from your Pollywog for troubleshooting or repair.
How to silence a singing spinning wheel. Why is my wheel squealing? My wheel is singing opera!
SpinOlution spinning wheels squeal, chirp, or sing when they are ready for the tension block to be maintained.
The noise is caused by the flyer rod rubbing against worn felt and creating a high pitched chirp, squeal, or ringing noise.
How to Fix:
The tension block can be found on the side of the flyer head and can be removed by unscrewing the black screw counter clockwise.
Remove the tension block
Inspect the bottom of the felt
Rough up the felt
Rotate the block 180 degrees
Place the block back into the hole
Add the tension hardware on the screw so it rests on the block (white bushing flat against the wooden block and screw against the black knob) down
Screw the knob down to add tension and start spinning!
TENSION TIPS
To set: Start by twisting the knob until there is no pressure on the spring resting on it, so that any more clockwise twisting of the knob would cause the spring to start to compress.
Hold the leader straight from the orifice hook toward you, not at an angle. Always go along all the pegs from the first one you come to, to the front of the flyer arm.
Hold the yarn you are making in a line from the center of the orifice hook to you. You may find you need to increase tension slightly – only a quarter turn at a time – as the bobbin approaches full.
The fuller the bobbin is, the more it can overcome the braking pressure. This is true of any Scotch tension based flyer system.
On large bobbins, the weight of yarn on the bobbin will make treadling under high tension difficult. Remove some tension and allow the weight of the yarn to function as momentum based tension while you finish filling the bobbin.
To spin ultrafine or short staple fibers, try completely removing the tension block.
SQUEALING / CHIRPING NOISE
DO NOT OIL, SERIOUSLY. NO OIL.
This will happen during the lifetime of your wheel and is considered routine maintenance. It means the Tension block needs to be rotated or fresh felt to absorb friction and silence the noise of it pressing on the flyer.
To rotate: spin the block around 180 degrees and insert it back into the head.
To change the felt: Scrape the felt off. Apply rubber cement to the block and apply fresh felt to the cement. Wait to dry completely and then place back in the head secured by properly aligned tension hardware.
How do I repair a hairline fracture or crack in the wood of my wheel?
You can easily fill any wood cracks with glue and a clamp. Here is how:
Using white wood glue, lay a bit at the crack and use your finger to push the glue into the crack, adding more glue until the crack is filled.
Clamp on either side of the wood where the crack is
Glue will come out after you set the clamp - this is normal
Wipe with a damp clean cloth and set for 12 hours
The glue is stronger than the wood, so repairing a crack with glue makes that area the strongest point in the wood - which may prevent future cracking as well.
It is good once a year to thoroughly look over your wheel to make sure you don't see any hairline cracks and to fill those with glue.
SpinOlution Wheels are Finished in Clear Lacquer. To clean, use furniture polish.