Naming of parts
	Table (bench) - chunk of wood with legs attached to bottom, and everything else attached to top. Wheel - the big round thing Axle - metal shaft through centre of wheel Treadle - flat bit under foot Footman - I think this is what attaches the treadle to the crank Crank - extension of axle. Wheel bearings - leather, brass, ball bearings, plastic, holds axle. Flyer - complicated bit with hooks that wind yarn onto bobbin Bobbin - removable, cyclindrical thing, holds spun yarn. Maidens - posts holding flyer Mother-of-all - I think this is either the bit holding the maidens or the whole piece that contains the maidens, bobbin, and flyer. Flyer bearings - hold flyer, same materials as wheel bearings Orifice - hole in end of flyer, routing yarn to bobbin, may also be a hook or pig's tail. Whorls - small round grooved bits, on flyer or bobbin to take drive band Drive ratio - ratio of wheel diameter to flyer whorl diameter (or bobbin whorl on a bobbin lead wheel). Governs how much twist you get in the yarn for each treadle.			Click picture for animation! (127K)

Styles

• Great Wheel or walking wheel
  • (usually) turned by hand,
  • very large (eg 50" diameter),
  • used for long draw on things like cotton (high twist)
  • unusual
  • spindle, not flyer
• Scotch tension or flyer lead
  • A single band drives the flyer
  • The bobbin has an adjstable friction band to slow it
• Bobbin lead
  • A single band drives the bobbin
  • The flyer has a friction brake
• Double drive
  • Both the flyer and bobbin are driven at different speeds according to the whorls fitted.
• Upright wheel (also traveller or parlour)
  • Flyer mounted above the wheel, making the wheel more portable.
  • Will usually fit on a car passenger seat with the seat belt holding it.
• Castle wheel
  • Wheel mounted above the flyer, a very tall wheel!
• Saxony wheel
  • Three-legged 'standard wheel'
  • Flyer usually to left of the wheel
  • May have to travel in the car boot [trunk] or take the whole of the back seat.
• Charka Wheel by Jody Butler (jodyb@mcn.net)
  • Charka (means wheel) was developed in India by Ghandi in 1920 so the women of India could spin cotton thread and yarn in vast quantities. This mass production was to make Indian people less dependent upon England for cotton and he truly believed that spinning gave peace of mind.
  • The Charka wheels are imported from India, made of teak, finished and ready to use. The book size Charka includes 3 spindles, a skeinwinder, and instructions. They are designed for spinning fine fibers such as cotton, silk, angora, and cashmere, etc. into yarns. They make a great portable wheel and a good conversation piece.
    More about Charkhas at Elaine Benfatto's pages and Bosworth's Journey Wheel and Charkha site
• Electric 'wheel'
  • A flyer on bearings driven by a small motor.
  • Very compact, can be useful for people with limited use of legs.
  • Very portable, can be battery powered. (Mine has a model steam traction engine powered option for demonstrations).
• Antiques
  Have a look at the New versus old section.

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