Flyer wheels

Flyer wheels (also called flyer-and-bobbin wheels) allow continuous spinning: the spinner does not have to stop drafting for the newly created yarn to wind onto the bobbin. For this to happen, the flyer needs to rotate more quickly or more slowly than the bobbin. It’s complicated, and I won’t even attempt to explain this feat of engineering more clearly than Alden Amos, so check out his book and read his excellent chapter on wheel mechanics if you are curious about the details. As far as our purposes are concerned, we’re going to focus on what it means for us as spinners rather than why it works that way.

Many of us acquire our first wheel without a thought about the kind of tensioning system it has. Maybe we find a used wheel for a great price, or we fall in love with a certain style of wheel and buy it on sight. We learn to use what we have, get used to it, and only later begin to wonder about how other tensioning systems might differ. I bought my first flyer wheel because it came in a kit form, and it was the most affordable wheel out there at the time. To be honest, I probably spun on it for a good year before it even occurred to me to wonder about how the tensioning system functioned. I knew how to adjust the take-up, and I just kept on spinning, happy as a clam. As I became a more experienced spinner, I began to plan my finished yarns more often, and my desire for certain results sparked my interest in understanding how to make finer adjustments to my wheel. Learning more about tensioning systems can help us to become better spinners and more informed wheel owners (or shoppers!).

Flyer wheels are categorized by their drive band and tensioning systems. You may have heard wheels described as “Scotch tension” or “double-drive” and wondered what the differences are. It gets even more confusing because wheels systems often have more than one name! The flyer and bobbin can be driven together (double-drive); or separately (single-drive), with either the flyer or bobbin being driven alone (“leading”). All of which leads us to the three main systems of flyer wheels:

Single-drive (sometimes called single-band), bobbin-lead, also known as Irish tension or sometimes as German tension: This kind of flyer wheel has one drive band that goes around the main wheel and the bobbin pulley (so the bobbin, being driven without the flyer, “leads”). If you treadle this wheel without spinning any yarn, you’ll see the wheel turning the bobbin while the flyer is still. A simple brake system, usually a leather strap near the orifice, controls the take-up. This tensioning system has a strong take-up and doesn’t really lend itself to fine adjustments. On the plus side, this means it’s not complicated to operate. This set up is the oldest and simplest of the three flyer systems. A well-known example of a single-drive, bobbin-lead wheel is the Louet S-10. The Ashford Country wheel is another. A single-drive, bobbin-lead wheel is great for spinning chunky singles and for plying (some production spinners like to keep one on hand just for plying). Tensioning tricks (like using bobbins with a fat core) can help spinners adjust these wheels for finer spinning as well. (My first wheel was a Louet S-17, and I managed to spin cotton on it numerous times.)

Single-drive, flyer-lead (often called Scotch tension): This wheel has one drive band that goes around the main wheel and then around a pulley on the flyer. The bobbin is tensioned by a spring-and-string or rubber band that goes over the bobbin pulley; this can be adjusted (usually with a knob or peg) to control the take-up. This system gives spinners more time for their hands to draft, in comparison to a single-drive, bobbin-lead wheel. It also gives spinners the ability to adjust tension for minimal take-up, which is often preferred for spinning very fine or delicate yarns. Wheels with Scotch tension can also be used to spin heavier yarns as well because the take-up is easy to regulate. Many modern wheels use Scotch tension, including the Kromski Sonata and Prelude; the Ashford Traditional, Joy, and Traveller; the Louet Victoria and Julia; the Lendrum; and the Majacraft Suzie [shown below], Pioneer, Little Gem, and Rose.

Double-drive, bobbin-lead: This wheel has a long drive band that goes around the main wheel twice with one loop going around the bobbin pulley and the other around the flyer pulley. Both the bobbin and the flyer are driven simultaneously at slightly different speeds to allow the yarn to wind on. Double-drive wheels are the most complicated mechanically but are not overly complicated to operate. The take-up is adjusted by increasing or decreasing the tension on the drive bands (changing the distance between the main wheel and the mother-of-all). Double-drive wheels facilitate the spinning of a wide range of yarns, from very fine to chunky. Quite a number of modern wheels come with double-drive as the standard set up, but include adaptations for switching to Scotch tension if desired, making them exceptionally versatile.

If a wheel works in both double-drive and Scotch modes, you can also adapt it for Irish tension simply by using a single drive band (or putting both ends of a doubled drive band together to act as a single drive band) that goes from your drive wheel to the pulley on the bobbin itself, bypassing the whorl you usually use. The brake band should be placed on the flyer whorl. The ratio will be limited by the size of the pulleys on your bobbin ends, but you might find this mode helpful for plying or spinning bulky singles.

I highly recommend checking out Judith MacKenzie’s “Popular Wheel Mechanics” DVD, which is excellent for both beginning and experienced spinners. Judith shows how tension adjustments are crucial to spinning the yarn you want (instead of just ending up with what happens, more or less by accident), and she demonstrates how to adjust different flyer-and-bobbin systems to achieve complete control over your finished yarn.

The following chart lists the tensioning systems of a number of modern wheels that are widely available. Because new wheels are always coming onto the market, we are only including the wheels that are easiest to find and test through local spinning shops. You may discover new treasures at fiber festivals!

Like people, each kind of flyer wheel has its own strengths and weaknesses. The tensioning system that suits you best might not be the best for another spinner. It depends on the kinds of yarns you spin most often and your own personal spinning style. Most wheels, regardless of tensioning system, can be adapted (with a few spinnerly tricks!) to spin other types of yarns. The best way to find what works for you is to try as many different kinds of wheels as you can. Guild gatherings, spinners’ workshops, and fiber festivals are great places to take a test spin.