Builders of Electric Spinning Wheels (in alphabetical order)
You may be interested in looking at other commercial e-spinners.
I'll save you some time Googling. One thing you quickly learn is
that there are a number of very different approaches to building
e-spinners.
These are what I've been able to discover, and I don't guarantee I've
included all of them. Let me know if I've missed any. RPM
figures are actual RPM measured with a laser tachometer.
Alden Amos
Alden Amos, who wrote
The Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning
, makes a "Motor
Spinner" which looks much like a standard spinning wheel would
look if you threw away the treadle and big wheel, and stuck an electric
motor in its place.
Street price: $800
Ashford
Ashford, the New Zealand
company responsible in large part for the resurgence of interest in
spinning, has a new electric spinner. Uses Ashford Jumbo
bobbins. It looks much like the
original but weighs less (a little over 6 pounds) and is a little smaller than
the original. No foot switch. 12 volt operation, includes 15
watt AC adapter. 1200 RPM no-load.
Street price: $875
Below: HansenCrafts miniSpinner on the left, Ashford 2009 E-spinner on the
right.
Babe
The Babe
Electric Spinner is, well, different. I believe it's 120
volt operation.
Street price: $300 to $425
Ertoel
Ertoel, an Australian company, makes the Roberta
Electronic Hand Spinner. 10 pounds. Foot switch
optional. 120 volt operation, 12 volt optional at extra cost.
Street price: $950 to $1070. Foot control $76.
Fricke Enterprises
Fricke
Enterprises (Granite Falls, WA) makes an electric spinner. 120
volt only. Foot switch optional.
Street price: $475 (standard bobbin model), $611 (jumbo bobbin
model). Foot switch $30.
HansenCrafts
HansenCrafts (Chimacum, WA)
makes the miniSpinner, a very compact e-spinner. Uses
HansenCrafts Jumbo bobbins or optional WooLee Winder jumbo bobbins. 4 pounds, 12 volt operation, includes 15
watt AC adapter, foot switch, 12 volt cigarette lighter cord. 1600
RPM no load.
Street price: $725 to around $1245, depending on wood and flyer style
Womack Butterfly
Jerry Womack builds the Butterfly
Electric Spinner. 10 pounds, foot switch optional. 120
volt/12 volt operation. 1300 RPM no load.
Street price: $848
Above: miniSpinner on the left, Butterfly on the right.
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