Maja Tips and Tricks
Suzie . Millie
. Saxonie . "ROSE" . Accessories . Dimensions . Tips and Tricks . Prices .
Contributed Tips and tricks that make the Maja even better!
I broke the bobbin brake string on my LG2. Without my knowing, the string started with itself wound close to the spring's end and as I adjusted the tension it just snapped. I tried to unwind the rest of the string and wrap the broken end around the bobbin, but I realized it would not leave much for adjustment because the string was now broken in almost equal length. So, I thought, tie them together and spin until I could get a replacement. Well, now I like it perfectly as it is.... because I have a way of knowing how much to tighten or loosen by just looking where the knot is. I wouldn't change it at all. If ever I replace it, I would tie a knot somewhere to mark zero tension.It's easier to gauge the bobbin brake tension with the knot because the view of the spring is foreshortened. Therese Cruz.. Happy spinner
Maja wheels normally have enough brake string to give you a complete new working length by cutting the worn string off (use a candle to cut the string so it will not fray) and unwinding a new length. It is not a good idea to use fishing line (monofilament). We can supply new string if you need it.
Be sure to switch the brake spring from right to left when plying on the Little Gem. THEN be sure to switch it back when you go back to spinning clockwise.
Little Gem spinning wheels can leak a bit of black oil from the underside. Do not spin over your carpet without some kind of protection.
Use a plastic 'carpet protector' sheet from the office supply store (fits under a desk to prevent chairs from damaging the carpet) under your spinning wheel to prevent any oil from getting on the carpet. If your Maja does not have rubber 'feet', you may need to use a sheet of rubber 'waffle weave' material that goes under throw rugs to keep the spinning wheel from moving around. Rubber backed kitchen door mats are also wonderful to put your spinning wheel on when spinning on hard wood floors.
My Suzie is 13 years old now -slightly scratched. I found that some bobbins (currently supplied plastic bobbins) were not responding well to my tension band and noticed the ends were loose - a drop of super glue in each end and they are as good as new. Jenny C.
I didn't much like the box supplied with the Rose for a lazy kate so my husband added a kate to the Rose in the same position as the Suzie's lazy kate. Instead of the support wood inserted down into the wheel brace as on the Suzie and the curvature of the Rose he drilled a hole horizontally on the edge of the Rose curve and inserted a dowel in the hole with corresponding hole on the edge of the kate support and he also fitted the cut out to the curve to preventing tipping. The dowel is glued into the kate frame so you can remove the kate from the Rose with only a 1/4" hole showing.
The tension knob is round and smooth, easy to slip so he made four 1/4" file grooves around the knob, no more slipping. Submitted by Esther Sharrigan, Wiscasset MEHi! I'm Jenny, a Majacraft dealer in Indiana. One of my Gem customers recently had trouble with her Gem not 'working" on the lower ratios. It was a problem of the lower band being too stretched out. Fix it just like the upper bands, clip a tiny section out, and rejoin it just like the other, and it will be good as new!
The new LG2 allows you to change the lower drive belt without cutting and splicing the belt.
To help you judge your spinning speed, stick a piece of white tape on the face of the Suzie flywheel so you can see it go around.
If your shoes slip on the pedals, stick some "bath tub no slip"s on the pedals.
Put a second flyer hook on the other flyer arm to help balance the flyer at higher speeds, and so it is always there ready when you want to ply.
If you have a "house rabbit" pet (Angora Wool supplier) store your Suzie in an upright position. In the carrying position, the drive band is too convenient for chewing. My band was 6 inches too short when I tried to reconnect the ends!
We sell replacement drive bands (see Accessories section), and can supply splicing instructions if your band is broken but has not been "eaten". Kittens will also occasionally attack a loose drive band, perhaps thinking it is a small green snake.
Put your Suzie on a piece of the rubber weave material that stops throw rugs from moving , when spinning on slick hardwood floors.
Rule of thumb for the Suzie or Rose brake string: Just like boxing; A good right cross is always right. This means cross your brake string when you spin to the right, and you are always right. (Uncross the string to ply)
This rule of thumb does not apply to the Saxonie when set up with the maiden head on the right.
Replace the braided bobbin brake string with a soft cotton (3/2) string to make the wheel more responsive when spinning very fine yarn.
We have tried this, and it makes the plastic bobbins quieter, but does reduce the effectiveness of the brake so it is not recommended for beginners who need an aggressive bobbin brake.
For spinning silk and other fine fibers, replace the current bobbin brake spring with a soft, gentle spring. (Contact me for details)
- For those times when too much or too little fleece or some veggy matter slips past your fingers and you would like to "unspin" but the wheel interprets it as "unwind", Wind up to the boo-boo and clamp a small clothes pin (I keep a 2 inch plastic one handy) on the rim of the bobbin. As you spin in a reverse direction, the flyer turns the bobbin with it and you "unspin" the yarn instead of unwinding the bobbin!.
You can use a small binder clip as an emergency flyer loop, until you can get a replacement (see Accessories section) from your dealer.
- Use one half of a self sticking "Velcro" dot (from the sewing store) to attach your started yarn to your bobbins. Use the "loops" half, not the "hooks" half.
- Stick another "Velcro" dot on your flyer to secure the end of your yarn when you stop spinning.
- If your wheel has problems taking up yarn and you've already fiddled with tension / head / band grooves, your whorl might be loose. Check and tighten the Allen screw (clickable picture below) that secures the whorl to the bobbin shaft. Use the small Allen wrench that came (Rose only) with your wheel to tighten the set screw onto the shaft. If it's loose by even 1/8 turn you will notice the difference because the whorl is slipping around the shaft, without bringing the shaft up to speed
The Allen wrench required to tighten the whorl set screw is a 2 mm. Allen wrench. Notice it is metric and not fractional inch size. I have them if you can not find one locally.
...... A great big Thank you, to those who have contributed their Tips and Tricks!
...... If you have a Tip or Trick that you would like to share with others by having it posted on this page, please send it to me:
E-mail Tracy
Subject line: "Tips and Tricks" ...... Interested in some really close up views of different animal fibers, (sheep, llamas, etc.) and other fiber related facts? Visit a Denver wool testing lab's web site at : http://www.ymccoll.com/fibers.html
Majacraft's New Zealand web site has a page of
Tips.
Click here to visit them!
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