Taming the Beast

or how I came to love my Schacht-Reeves. The Schacht -Reeves is my dream wheel (well, one of them, anyway). So, I saved my pennies and bought one last year. I just couldn't love the wheel!  No matter what I did, I just couldn't get it to spin like I thought it should. Specifically, I like spinning long draw and I just couldn't seem to get the takeup strong enough to provide resistance for long draw. I like a grabby wheel for long draw and the SR was just too gentle. I tried both DD and ST. No luck and I had intended the SR to be a production wheel!

So, the drive band search began . I usually spin DD on my other wheels so I started by stringing different double drive bands.  I tried both thick and thin butchers' twine, crochet thread, hemp, cotton, candle wick, etc., no luck. So, I decided to work with the wheel in ST and tried a single loop of the candle wick for the drive band. Viola! Worked like a champ. 

There's a moral to this story. If your wheel isn't performing the way that you need it too, change the drive band. If that doesn't work, change the brake band and don't give up. 

Notes:

Generally, a thicker band is for a thicker yarn and a thicker band will be grabbier. (more surface area). Also, drive/ brake bands wear out. Yep, even the fishing line types and stretchy types. Pollutants and sunlight wear these down even though they don't stretch out in the way that a cotton band will.

Don't be afraid to have several drive bands at the ready. I've read of folks who keep three or four at the ready.

What about the brake band? I've decided to ditch the spring that came with the wheel and try a rubber band and some festive looking butchers' twine in the hopes that the rubber band will allow for more fine tuning. I'll give it a go when I finish what I spinning. I'm also going to keep looking for a material that will work for DD.