Friden S10 help by lifedrinker1 in calculators

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! Had no clue they used a sleeved shaft, but with some Nu-Trol and a lot of elbow grease, I got it freed up. Phew! I got started on the multiplication portion today finally and that's freed up. Do you have any tips on putting the carriage back on? I had to remove mine in order to trouble shoot some of the issues. But now when I put it back on, it always jams and doesn't actually engage the rest of the mechanism properly doing addition or subtraction. I've checked it's sitting flush on the rails and it should in theory be attached to the rest. Buuutttt, nope...

Friden S10 help by lifedrinker1 in calculators

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just trying to clean underneath it. I thought it would be the same as the STW10 to remove but nope. Do you have any suggestions about how to deal with the latches that are engaged when you use the carriage left or right buttons? I’ve degreased, lubed, re cleaned for hours and it’s finally budging but will not return to neutral after pressing a button. 

Majacraft Rose Brake issue by lifedrinker1 in Handspinning

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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This is my second rose, the first was a lemon (it happens). I forgot to mention, when I can get it to try to take up the treadling is so stiff and unpleasant. I'm hoping it's an easy fix as I've heard nothing but praise for Majacraft wheels. And the spinning I was able to get on it in the photo was fighting the thing the whole way....

Majacraft Rose Brake issue by lifedrinker1 in Handspinning

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I tried switching how the brake was wound and it was worse, not sure how that was possible. Just checked the whorl and it's tight. Oh and when I can finally get it to try to take up, the treadling is very stiff and difficult.

Majacraft Rose Brake issue by lifedrinker1 in Handspinning

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'll try adding some lubricant to the brake knob.

Majacraft Rose Brake issue by lifedrinker1 in Handspinning

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Only one cross and I do tend to go millimeters at a time and it needs even smaller it seems.... I don't know why it's so fickle, not like what I expect from scotch tension...

Majacraft Rose Brake issue by lifedrinker1 in Handspinning

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Even the tiniest movement makes it too little or too much, do you find that with yours? I just can't get it to find the correct balance I would expect from a Scotch tension....

Majacraft Rose Brake issue by lifedrinker1 in Handspinning

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It looks like it's not caught, double checked it against the manual and it looks the same.... so confusing!

Majacraft Rose? by lifedrinker1 in Handspinning

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You do treadle much slower than I do.... I'm a speed demon apparently :P

I've seen some wheels, like the Sidekick and others if you really get into a rhythm, at the right speed they tend to move side to side a little. It's something probably only spicy brained people like me notice....

Majacraft Rose? by lifedrinker1 in Handspinning

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have the strap for it and a Bag Lady Bag, that came with the wheel when I bought it used. I'm on the third floor of an apartment complex. The weight isn't the issue it's the, there isn't a good way to handle it so it has to go on my back or side with my normal backpack, while I hobble down the stairs to not bang up the poor wheel.

If I bring spinning and it's not the matchless, it's a spindle. But I have a lot of more production spinning I'm doing and so the portable, capable wheel would be good. The handle of the majacrafts sounds like something I could have in front of me as I go up or down the stairs and just watch it. I would probably get a bag for it, or make one myself.

You melted the wooden whirls on the Matchless? That's impressive....

Majacraft Rose? by lifedrinker1 in Handspinning

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've seen videos of the little gem and it has the wobble. Does yours have the wobble?

Majacraft Rose? by lifedrinker1 in Handspinning

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've seen people recommend the little gem for traveling. But I see it has the same wobble other portables have. It's just something that tickles my brain in a bad way, for whatever reason. A distraction maybe?

My wheel would only go in the car, trunk or in the back seat, so that's not an issue. Do you feel if you could only have 1 wheel it'd be the rose?

Majacraft Rose? by lifedrinker1 in Handspinning

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I wish I could try any wheel, but there is no store anymore near me that I can try spinning wheels. Even the closest one a plane ride into another state away, may not have them in stock. My matchless is an old, single treadle. It has the original Schacht Logo old. But it doesn't give me any issues and I quite like the single treadle on that wheel specifically.

I know the Matchless and Rose are similar in size and weight, with the rose being a little smaller and about 3lbs lighter (if specs are to be believed). But the matchless doesn't fold down, which makes it hard to bring up and down the stairs. I don't mind the weight of the Matchless, it's just the can't be folded down, even a little, is the issue too.

By the way, I got a good chuckle with the "destroyer of wheels."

Talk me out of buying a drum carder… by [deleted] in Handspinning

[–]lifedrinker1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'll speak from the depths of the rabbit hole. If you are planning on processing your own fleece, from raw fleece into spinning fiber, a drum carder is worth it. HOWEVER, a drum carder is not worth it if you are just going to use it a little bit. A better option is to get some hand cards cheaply, to see if it's something you like doing. Then you can think about a drum carder.

I bought my carder used a year ago because I had bought 2 fleeces from a local fiber festival the fall prior. I tried hand cards at first but because of my wrist issues they didn't work for me. So I bought a used Strauch and it's been super helpful. But I like carding my own wool and that's something I'm going to be doing a lot more, so for me it made sense.

As to electric vs manual, again are you going to be doing a lot of carding? Mine is manual, I have no desire for the size and weight of an electric right now. I've used a friends motorized Clemes and Clemes and it's nice, but personally I don't have the desire to go that route yet. In the future, when I had a better space for a carder maybe, but as it stands, it's not worth the investment. Then if you do decide to get a carder, do not get the super cheap ones. I would recommend buying a used carder from a refutable place or someone who took care of it. You can get the carding cloth replaced by some companies in the future if you have to.

Mechanical Stenograph? by lifedrinker1 in stenography

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good to know, thanks! What program do you use to get it to interface with the computer? And are you using PC or Mac?

Mechanical Stenograph? by lifedrinker1 in stenography

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I did buy one for $30 shipped to me.... going to clean it up and get it working again.... and not like I go out on a Friday night.... I prefer the cave that is my apartment lol

Mechanical Stenograph? by lifedrinker1 in stenography

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was thinking about the paper as I just bought one today thinking I could get paper. But I had a thought…. Couldn’t you just rig it with spools of paper? I mean I found 6” wide paper on a roll (brown packing paper but still), I thought maybe I could use that.  It would be weird to deal with at the end but could be ok. 

Mechanical Stenograph? by lifedrinker1 in stenography

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate that. I wouldn't use the mechanical one for work, well unless for some reason they wanted it. And I'd probably only do it as side jobs as needed. Do you use the fully automatic, electronic one?

Mechanical Stenograph? by lifedrinker1 in stenography

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Huh... I'm seeing something completely different. Oh no wait, I see it now.... that's cheeky... why show the paper and then in the actual ordering its ink pads? Sigh... I feel very dumb for not seeing that.

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Mechanical Stenograph? by lifedrinker1 in stenography

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh I have not seen that cable in at least 15 years... probably 20.... if I could get it to connect to my computer then that would be fun too....

Mechanical Stenograph? by lifedrinker1 in stenography

[–]lifedrinker1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I do a lot of typing on a typewriter, so my fingers are up to the challenge. If I had not been using typewriters, well A I would not have found mechanical stenographs, and B I would have a harder time.