• Check the flyer bearings are at right angles to the flyer shaft. If not, loosen the screws holding the maid uprights to the maiden bar, realign the bearings and retighten the screws.
  • Check that there are large washers between the screw heads and maiden bar.
  • Check the alignment of the wheel and flyer whorl. If necessary, loosen the screws in the hinges holding the maiden bar to the top rail, align the wheel with the whorl (whorls) and retighten.
  • If the flyer vibrates, tighten the bolts and screws securing the uprights to the base, top rail, maiden bar and maid uprights.
  • Turn the drive belt adjusting knob until the flyer is closest to the wheel. Locate the drive band in the flyer whorl you are going to use and re-tie or replace the drive band with a soft cotton cord or Turbo Kit. Turn the drive belt adjusting knob until there is sufficient tension to turn the flyer and prevent it vibrating.
  • If the legs are loose in the base, you can permanently glue them in. Remove the 4 screws and legs. Wax the steel ends of the treadle rail, apply wood glue to the front legs and the front holes in the base. Insert the treadle rail into the holes in the legs. Check the treadle rail is at the front of the spinning wheel, insert the legs back into the base and tap home firmly. Check the treadle turns freely. Repeat this process for the back legs. Check it doesn’t rock on a flat surface. Then secure the 4 legs with screws
  • If the Traveller rocks on its legs, place it on a flat surface and identify which pair of legs are longer. Check to make sure these legs have been fully tapped into the holes in the base. Then, if necessary, place a piece of sandpaper under one of the longer legs and rub the back and forth. Repeat for the other leg until level.
  • The gap between the wheel bearings and hub should be 0 – 1mm (0- 1/16”). This can be altered by loosening the 2 bolts holding the wheel supports and twisting or moving them in or out. Once correct, gradually retighten the bolts while checking the wheel continues to spin freely.

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Previous model instructions
Video Tutorials

Traveller Spinning Wheel
Waulking group singer in Scotland spins on an Ashford Traveller