Guess what I just scored of ebay! Woo hoo...picked up an (what is actually believed to be 17th cen) antique castle wheel from up in Canada. Absolutely georgeous too! Can't wait to work on it. Not from Canada though, and trying to figure out the origins...looks to be more on the Norse and Icelandic breed. Any ideas?

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Congratulations!! I think you did quite well.
I do not think its of Scottish origin as I know those well.
When you get it home can you take another image of the flier and assembly please?
and the hooks?
and the treadle?
From this first image I think its set up to do flax.

I haven't had so much experience with the wheels as to know which are which, but have plenty of silk, mohair, irish linen, merino, etc. to work with on the way. Something should work. LOL

I added the pics I currently have, into a gallery of mine, so as not to eat up too much space with them. I am also contemplating on constructing some Nostepinnes to help deal with the yarn once it is spun. I am not too big on the skein winders, but need something to make it work, and they happen to be historically correct and easy to use. I figure a turning lathe should do the trick, and have access to one. Ever try your hand at these or ever use one?

I appreciatel your help in this. I have been wanting a wheel for some time, but didn't want to spend $400+ on one. Can't believe I lucked out that well. Should be portable and light enough to drag around to events too.

Meg said she has or will make a detailed post about what is what on a wheel soon.
Not me on the Nostepinnes, maybe by a different name but what we normally use are the winders.
When Meg gets home tonight she wants to see your images.

Don't worry about images in the posts, we have two web hosting packages with space and band width out the yahoo!!

I'm currently working on some gray cashgora from one of our own goats - it started out as a project to make some really soft baby socks for my then unborn daughter - maby if i work hard i will get them done before the end of this winter - or in any case before her feet get too big for my limited supply (the goat has now passed on)
i also need to weave more baby blankets - since i have a loom warped up for at least 4 more after the one I've already wove and pulled off (no i didn't want to wait till all the warp was used - i was too impatient and wanted to see how it turned out - which was pretty good.)
for me theirs always partially finished projects for me to work on at any given time but those are my two main ones right now.
Jennifer

Well met Jennifer! Sounds like some wonderful fiber...hope you get to finish it. I can completely sympathize with the impatience thing too...seems that curiosity can get the best of us!

Look forward to hearing how the blankets turn out. Would love to have a larger loom, but for now, just have the small tapestry frames I made recently. Hope they end up turning out well.

I currently have tea towels on my portable floor loom. I have a overshot runner on one of my small travel looms. I need to finish putting the aprons on my mechanical 5 harness loom, so much work to get done.

Galla congratulations on the new wheel. Thanks for the extra images. Do you know what the drive ratio is? Fast for cotton/linen or Slower for wool? I am no good at telling where wheels came from. Does the wheel have any markings or plates under the bench that would give a suggestion of who made it or who the spinner was?

Have you had time to get the treadling slowed down enough to allow you fingers to work at drafting the fiber for constant use?

I have a Nostepinnes made of a piece of dowel rod that I use when I am drop spinning away from home. I have always wanted to find an old broken wood chair (not repairable) and see if I could get a fancy turned Nostepinnes. It has been years since my lathe has be used.

Sounds like some wonderful projects Meg! Can't wait to have the space for larger looms...figure the work might progress a bit quicker. Right now I just have the small tapestry frame I put together and is just a basic frame used with a pick up stick to create the sheds. Works well enough.

The ratio on the wheel is about 6.75. As far as I can see, no markings, but upon closer inspection, looks as though the tredle was added much later (possible handcranked version originally), being a different type of wood and newer screws.
As for the continous tredling/spinning...not just yet. Figure it will take me a bit more to get used to. Trying to learn with the left foot (being a right hander) hasn't made the learning much easier either. LOL

I believe I have my father talked into helping out with the lathe work for the nostepinne. Sounds like a great idea making one out of a dowl rod...found a beautiful piece of red paduc wood that is very reasonable and just the right size for making one. Have to try the dowel thing too..

thanks for the update!

Do you ever use your tapestry loom for plain weave projects or is it reserved for tapestry weaving only?

It could be that the wheel has had a lot of use and those pieces have been replaced. Here is what the crank side of Duncan's wheel looks like.

Hope this helps.

How are you getting used to the new wheel? Sometimes when the wheel is old it needs a lot of oil and working so that it will spin quietly and freely with out dragging.
If it makes much noise try to locate where it is coming from and correct it.
You should have your leader tension coming from the flyer just tight enough that it will wind the yarn onto the bobbin when you release tension on the fiber but not tight enough that you have to fight it taking the fiber up before you are ready.
It took me more than a while to get it right. When my daughter started to spin she had to teach herself how to adjust the wheel as I learned to spin from her.
She started with a spinning wheel and then went to a drop spindle.

I would very much like to see the nostepinne that you and your father create, the wood sound like it will be gorgeous.

Thank you for the picture! That helped a great deal. I did post on this on the other topic too.

Getting used to it fine. It will just take me awhile to get it all worked out. Just a bit different trying to use my left leg instead of the right one. Figure it is one of those things that comes with time. I still break the yarn quite often, so also getting real familiar with having to re-thread my wheel too. I am a fairly patient person, so shouldn't be too bad. When I first began on the wheel, it did take quite a bit of oil to get it headed in the right direction, but very easy to use now and with very little noise coming from the working parts. I am hoping to make a new flier and some more bobbins for it, as both original pieces have been repaired numerous times and are wearing out now. Will plan to use the originals for templates, then keep them put away somewhere for safe keeping or display.

For the tapestry loom, I have not tried any other projects on it as of yet, as it is my first loom and first project on it. I would like to create some other pieces on it and have plans for those in the future. Just a simple frame and use the handmade maple pick up stick to create the sheds. I will try and get pictures to post as the project progresses to keep you up to speed on how things are going. The pattern for the loom was taken from a medieval tapestry that shows a woman working on a lap loom. Also working on getting up a website on the same, to help others who might be interested in starting similiar projects. Will let you all know when it gets up. Should only be a couple of more weeks.

Still working on a date to get the turning done. We have plans for a few nosties, some turned crochet hooks, knitting needles and possibly some bobbin lace bobbins. I am working toward getting a mini-lathe to keep a few projects going for sale as well. Working on that website as well. Will post as soon as we have some done up.

So many projects...so little time...