In My "Spare" Time: Year 13, Week 48, Day One (week 693)

Year 13, Week 48, Day One (week 693)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
01-09-16 Saturday

66 degrees early morning, 80 degrees late afternoon, Indian fog reported in the area (Apache fog) I saw a little mist in my early morning drive, and some low hanging, tree high clouds but nothing else early morning. Scattered clouds of various densities during the day, with sun peaking out often. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department of Tourism.

We figured there would finally be some yard sales today. We were past the holiday season so we went out hunting. We decided not to do a full yard sale hunt, just go through half of two sections, taking a shortcut between them.
In the first area, there was nothing, but when we got into the Deerfield / Light House Point area, we did find some yard sales. I was really good at first. I would look at what the people have, see some things of interest and force myself to walk away. There was nothing I could not live without. A couple times, there was some things I knew someone might like, but I decided they did not have any more shelf space to display them...... I am being nice to them this time...
I then found a sale where I picked up a couple figurines. I have a friend that likes frogs and got a pair of them. There was a kitty and a set of Pentair drafting pencils (ultra fine leads with the lead holder-pencils).
At the last yard sale we went to, there were several families selling together. I saw something I sort of wanted for a long time. I had toyed with the thought of making one. I do crochet as one of my hobbies. I have toyed with the idea of making my own yarn. I have made, but not used some drop spindles for making yarn. My main problem is “carding” the yarn, a process of making the fibers parallel. I kind of wanted to make a spinning wheel but never quite understood how they worked so making one was out of the question unless it was simply for display. At this yard sale was a spinning wheel sitting there, I walked past the spinning wheel several times. I was told that it belonged to his great grandmother’s sister, Great Grand Aunt. I knew for a fact that it was something that I would be kicking myself for if I did not come home with it, and I would be kicking myself if I did come home with it. I walked by it a bunch of times. The wife said he might go down a little. He said something about “I will go down a lot.” And “I don’t want to take it home.”
I had no choice.. No choice in the matter at all.
We rested when we got home, then I went outside to photograph my finds, and look over the spinning wheel. I pulled up on my tablet a search on spinning wheels. Pictures showed that what I thought was to go into one hole in the base, was actually the treadle. I then did a closer search on it.
This is a Saxony style spinning wheel. One model I saw in pictures that looked like this one said they were made from the late 1800s to 1900. That could well be when this was made based on the age of the guy who sold it.
More searches showed how they actually worked. I then examined the working parts and found that the spool assembly was worn out. Unusable. I have the problem of not fully understanding exactly how this works and is assembled. I can make anything if I put my mind and time to it but I do have to know how it works first. I saw in a search I could get a set of four spools and the working mechanism for twice what I paid for this wheel. I doubt I would get into spinning my own yarn, but it would be nice to have it working. It might be worth the price to get the parts. Of course, I likely could find the right parts on line at a less price if I searched.
There is a U shaped piece with hooks on it that wraps the newly made yarn onto the spool inside it. (I wondered how Sleeping Beauty pricked her finger on the spinning wheel and it must be the hooks that caught her finger) It is on a shaft that also has a pulley that the big wheel spins. It is all stripped out and I cannot figure out exactly how it was arranged. I assume that the spool on the inside does not spin so the yarn builds up on it. The pulley and the U thing spins and the yarn feeds through the center of the shaft and onto the U device. There is a square section of the forged shaft on the end that has the hole for the line to feed into, and the other end has an extremely worn thread of a size that fits nothing in real life. I need to see a working unit to understand how it is supposed to work.
This spinning wheel shows signs of repairs over the year. The wheel has loosened up and there are now gaps in the sections. That can be fixed easily.
I took a wire and temporarily hooked up the treadle and was able to spin the wheel. The pictures show they used a wooden arm, which I can make no problem. I give thanks to all who posted the pictures and articles I examined. There was even a video on how to thread the machine for use. I looked for any “reporting marks” and saw nothing. This was a nicely made unit. Several parts need to be tightened up a little bit but could be used without that.

If I never replaced the spindle unit, it would still be a fantastic display piece. Boy does that look good. I figure eventually I will get the replacement parts so it can be used. There is a hole in the base for something else but I need to search the web for what is missing. I have seen something on some spinning wheels that I have not learned what it is. I will have to do more research over time. It would be nice to have it working again.
At the moment I am “storing” it at mom’s. She sort of wanted it and she found a nice place for it to sit on display for the moment. It will come home to me when she decides she needs the room.

The study of the spinning wheel took up enough time that wood working was out of the question.

I will have to see what happens tomorrow.

Year 13, Week 48, Day Two (week 693)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
01-10-16 Sunday

78 degrees, high, low and middle height lightly colored clouds in the morning, a black boil of a front came through, then high platelets and feathers. We are expected to get into the 50s tonight. Later in the week they are forecasting temps near our 56 degree frost temperatures. I cannot wait until winter is over. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department of Tourism.

The way the approaching clouds looked said that wood working was unlikely. Radar showed it would wet weather for a couple hours. The stuff on the radar images passed through about the time Mom served lunch. Since it was leftovers, she had it ready soon after I arrived. Good meal. The showers split and fizzled before it got here so the plants just got a taste before it was past.
I did not get enough sleep last night so after lunch, I decided to go home rather than work on anything. I feel guilty about not making use of the opportunity, but I need to take care of myself. I also figured that if I was home, something there might actually have a chance of getting done.
I did rearrange some of the stuff in my truck earlier so I did accomplish something today.

I heard rumors that Mom may have plans for me for next weekend. I will have to see if I actually accomplish anything.