Which Drum Carder to buy ? ?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

Hello, I am working of getting my wool carded before it turns cold here in Oklahoma and am thinking of buying a drum carder. I was hoping anyone with a particular like or dislike of a certain type/brand would be kind enough to share their opinion with me. I'm very new to spinning and am having the time of my life trying to learn, but have absolutely no idea when it comes to drum carders and would very much appeciate your advice. Thanks so much, Alicia

-- Alicia Wayland (wayland@brightok.net), September 25, 2001

Answers

I have a Louet roving carder and love it. I would really recomend it if you don't have a big production going. I just have 4 sheep and 1 angora goat, and 7 angora rabbits. It works great for me. It is easy, dosn't take up alot of space, and works very smoothly. I have had it a little over 2 years. Hope this helps! Jenny

-- Jenny Pipes (Auntjenny6@aol.com), September 25, 2001.

Alicia, Mine is a Clemes & Clemes drum carder. I have had great luck with it for the last 10 years,(replaced my hand carders I purchased in 1971). I have used it on sheeps wool, goat, rabbit, alpaca, llama, camel, buffalo and dog hair to name a few. In fact, maybe I like it so well because I don't have to use my old hand carders anymore! Good luck with your spinning!

-- cowgirlone (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), September 25, 2001.

I have a patrice green carder with a sheep drum and a fine fibar drum which I put on for angora, alpaca, and dog hair. It works great.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), September 25, 2001.

Thanks for posting this question Alicia. I, too, am just learning to spin, in fact I am buying my first spinning wheel this weekend. I'm sure carding will be the next thing I start getting interested in since my intention of learning to spin was so that I could have an outlet to use the wool of sheep. (This will be my excuse for getting sheep since I love looking at them and have always wanted to own them.) Hubby wants an alpaca and I plan to get a llama as well for protection of the flock. What spinning wheel did you buy?

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), September 26, 2001.

I also have a Louet Jr. drum carder and I love it. I also have a pair of hand cards that come in handy when you want to take some of the fiber to work on somewhere else, like the fair! The drum carder is very nice and easy to use. It can handle anything you put in it but I have best luck when I wash the wool first and then flick open the locks before I feed them into the carder.

-- Patricia Ramsey (WOOLSPIN@AOL.COM), September 26, 2001.


Thank you all so much for the super replies. It sure helps to hear from folks that have experiences to share. Colleen you asked about my wheel. I took a BIG chance (to me anyway :)) and ordered one off E-Bay. It was an old oak wheel from Germany but after talking with the owner, looking at pictures etc. I fell in love with it and decided to take the chance. It seems to be in great shape. I haven't tried it very much yet as I'm trying to get my wool carded before cold weather sets in. I've been taking a navajo spindle along in the car etc and like it well. I wish you the very best with your search, and thank you all so much!! Alicia

-- Alicia Wayland (wayland@brightok.net), September 26, 2001.

I have a very old Patrick Green carder, which has been great, but I am thinking of getting one of the Louet carders because supposedly you don't have to tease the wool first. Does anyone have any experience with these? Do they actually work as well as the literature makes them sound? I also am not sure whether to get the coarse or fine cloth on it. I have 2 sheep with longer, coarser wool - they are crosses with some Romney, some Border Leicester, and I'm not sure what else. Then I also have a Navaho Churro sheep, with finer wool. I am thinking about going with the fine cloth, because the fine cloth on the Louet still seems to be not as fine as on some of the other carders. Any advice?? Thanks!

-- Joni Zimmerman (joni@frenetic.com), December 02, 2001.

Hi, When I learned to spin, in the 70's, it took seven carders, to keep a spinner going, and seven spinners to keep a wheaver going, with the new inventions, that's not true, new, fangled inventions are great, we got store bought electricity(PG &E)about a year ago, and now I am buying modern applicances, first purchase, a toaster..

-- lacyj (hillharmony@hotmail.com), April 27, 2002.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ