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Parts of a spinning wheel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Knowing the anatomy of a spinning wheel and the vocabulary used is helpful when learning to spin and working with spinning wheels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These terms will help you reference the different parts of the wheel and understand how a spinning wheel works. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The anatomy shown below is that of a Saxony spinning wheel. An Ashford Traveler. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The parts are similar on a Castle-style wheel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Drive wheel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n The drive wheel is the large wheel on a spinning wheel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This wheel aims to spin around, adding rotation to a drive band that rotates the flyer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Drive band<\/h3>\n\n\n\n A drive band fits around the drive wheel and the whorl so that the drive wheel adds spin to the flyer. The drive band is a loop of cotton twine or something a little stretchy, like an acrylic cord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Drive band adjustment knob<\/h3>\n\n\n\n This is a knob on the wheel that will add tension or loosens the drive band. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Maiden bars<\/h3>\n\n\n\n These are upright pieces that support the flyer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Mother-of-all<\/h3>\n\n\n\n The mother-of-all is a bar that holds the maidens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Flyer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n A flyer is a horse shoe shaped piece with hooks on one or both “arms” used to guide the incoming yarn onto the bobbin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The flyer is powered by the drive band and spins faster than the drive wheel, adding a twist to the fiber. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The flyer has a spindle shaft, a hollow metal tube with a hole at the end and one on top where the freshly spun yarn feeds through, is guided by the hooks on the flyer arms, and then wraps onto the bobbin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Flyer shaft<\/h4>\n\n\n\n The flyer shaft is a metal rod running down the center of the flyer and holding the bobbin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Flyer arms<\/h4>\n\n\n\n The flyer arms are the two sides of the flyer that hold hooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Orifice hole or delta hook<\/h3>\n\n\n\n An orifice hole is the spot where the newly spun fiber is pulled through and onto the bobbin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is an opening at the end of the spindle shaft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes, it is a hook, a loop, or a tube through which the yarn is guided. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The orifice also determines the maximum thickness that a yarn can be, as the size of the hole is the limiting factor in the diameter of the finished yarn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Bobbin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n The bobbin is a shaft with a disc on either end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finished yarn wraps around the bobbin, storing it as you spin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Whorl or pulley<\/h3>\n\n\n\n The whorl and the drive wheel hold the drive band; these two work together to spin the flyer. The flyer adds a twist to the incoming fiber. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A whorl or pulley looks different on different types of wheels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes, the whorl is part of the flyer, and other times, it is a separate piece. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some wheels have the whorl in front, close to the orifice; others have it in the back at the end of the bobbin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The way to identify the whorl is that the drive band goes around the drive wheel and the whorl. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n