Understanding
The Spinning Wheel
by Eric Corran
Hardcover
220 x 305mm
182pp
Published by Eric Corran, Kew, Vic, Australia.
R.R.P.$65.00
ISBN 0-646-32068-8
As reviewed in The Australian Woodworker Issue 123
The following is reprinted from the March/April 1998 #78 issue. At the time we were unable to secure stock for the Mail Order Bookshop, but the title is now available in limited quantities.
'If you've ever wanted to make a spinning wheel, then Understanding the Spinning Wheel by Eric J Corran provides virtually everything you need to know.
The book was written and published in Australia. In 1965 Eric Corran was asked to make a spinning wheel and subsequently he made thousands of wheels under the Sheridan brand name which sold worldwide. In retirement he repaired and rebuilt both modern and antique wheels.
The spinning wheel is a popular subject for woodworkers, particularly woodturners, but for an attractive and authentic design, an understanding of both the history and the operation of the wheel is required.
One of mankind's earliest machines, the spinning wheel underwent considerable development between the 12th and 19th centuries, but by the height of the industrial revolution it was nearing obsolescence.
There are only two fundamental types of spinning wheel - the spindle wheel which can trace its origin back to the stone age drop spindle, and the flyer wheel which is arguably an invention of Leonardo da Vinci (if you want the full story, read the book).
Understanding the Spinning Wheel progresses through the history of the wheel, examining the variations in components and operation, and discussing materials, design faults and maintenance problems.
By the end of the book, the reader will have a thorough grounding on the design, construction and maintenance of a spinning wheel. The final chapter consists of a full set of working drawings for various components, and serves as a fitting finale to the wealth of information contained in the previous 24 chapters.
Understanding the Spinning Wheel is an outstanding work on an uncommon topic.
Self published by Mr Corran, now deceased, the book has been very professionally produced.
This book deserves to be in Club libraries as well as on the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in spinning wheels. Since stock is limited and it may never be reprinted, be sure to order your copy as soon as possible.
About the Author: Eric Corran spent the early years of his working life in engineering and woodworking. In 1965 he was asked to make a spinning wheel, which led to an ongoing building program and search for technical information.
The building program resulted in the design and production of several different models marketed world-wide under the brand name "The Sheridan".
The search for technical information in sources extending back to 1310AD, was less successful and became the incentive for writing and publishing this book.
The author is anxious to retain the unique character of the old spinning wheels, while introducing some modern engineering principles to ensure that the finished product will please both the maker and the spinner.
In retirement Eric is repairing and rebuilding both modern and antique wheels with the aid of his son Russ, who managed the Sheridan factory.
Photos: Spot Colour
Units of Measurement: Imperial
Contents
Chapter 1 - Setting the
Spinning Wheel in Motion
The slow recognition of Leonardo's potentials
Waiting centuries for a new language and new form of art
The inhibitions
of the past
The evolution of the two main types of spinning wheel
Part
names borrowed from members of the household
Chapter
2 - For the Spinning wheel Maker
A new departure
Unusual woodworking
operations
A rewarding project
Technical help
Basic equipment and
supplies
Chapter
3 - For the Handspinner
Know more about your wheel
What makes a good
spinning wheel
Different types
Selecting a spinning wheel
Seven points
to check
Understand your wheel and get more pleasure from your spinning
For
a comprehensive trouble shooting chart see Chapter 22
Chapter
4 - Leonardo's Principle
Leonardo's attempt to simultaneously spin and
spool yarn
His principles still in use today
The troublesome pulley ratios
The yarn traversing mechanism
The incomplete and misleading drawing
The
"Picardy" flyer
Other developments
Chapter
5 - Types of Spinning wheels
The Charka
The Spindle Wheel
The
Walking Wheel
The secondary drive, Minor's multiplier head
Flyer spinning
wheels
Horizontal wheels
Upright wheels
American Shaker wheels
Chair
wheels
Accelerating wheels
Double-flyer wheels
Pendulum wheels
Hathorns
American spinner
Production (high twisting ratio) wheels
The misleading
ratio
The Tow wheel
Picardy wheels
The Electric spinner
Chapter
6 - The Spindle wheel
Origins
The Luttrell Psalter
Mechanical
problems
Drive band slippage
Drive length
Twisting ratio
The click
wheel
The secondary drive
Minor's multiplier head
The direct drive
head
The bat head
Spindle pulley groove
Construction
The driving
wheel hub
The wheel rim
The spokes
The axle
The spindle post
The
wheel post
The table
The legs
The spindle and pulley
Chapter
7 - Flyer Wheel Drive Band Systems
Leonardo's two-band system
The
four possible types of drive band sytems
The three practical systems and their
characteristics
Single band - bobbin drag - drive type 1
Single band -
flyer drag - drive type 2
Doubled band-leading bobbin - drive type 3
The
inoperable doubled band leading flyer - drive type 4
Convertible doubled or
single band drives
Chapter
8 - Drive Type Operating Principles
Drive type 1. Single band - leading
flyer
Drive type 2. Single band - leading bobbin
Drive type 3. Doubled
band - leading bobbin
Drive type 4. Doubled band - leading flyer will operate
mechanically but will not spin
Chapter
9 - Frame Design
Lack of standardisation
Horizontal and Upright frames
Common features
Typical proportions
Technical drawings
Location
of components
Leg spigot holes
Drilling compound angles
The drive
line
The drive length
Fitting the treadling system
Effective treadle
length
The crankshaft overhang
The table
The legs
The wheel posts
and spigot
Fitting the wheel posts
Chapter
10 - The drive train ratios
Yarn requirements
The twisting ratio
The
ratio calculations
Drive types 1 and 3
Drive type 2
Multiple twisting
ratios
Bobbin pulley ratio
Flyer whorl to bobbin pulley ratio
Other
forces involved
Doubled drive band control
The unseen variables
Chapter
11 - The driving wheel
Early types
Rimless wheels
Solid wheels
Spoked wheels with segmented rim
Design and construction
Operational
requirements
Kinetics
Angular momentum
Dimensions
Weight
Spokes
Weighted driving wheels
Chapter
12 - The driving wheel components
The rim segments
Segment size chart
Segmental stability
Making the segments
Segment cutting jig
Drilling
the spoke holes in the segments
Joining the segments
Segment dowelling
jig
The spokes
The driving wheel hub
Hub spoke hole drilling jig
Drilling
the spoke holes
Chapter
13 - Driving wheel construction and assembly
The driving wheel assembly
and hub boring jig
Mounting the jig on the bench drill table
Testing the
bench drill table
The brass drill
The locating blocks
The radius arm
Accuracy with the hand-held electric drill
Guide hole sizing
Different
sized wheels
Resetting the jig
The one piece hub
The two piece hub