Kromski Minstrel Spinning Wheel


Kromski Minstrel Spinning Wheel


First, thanks for choosing the Kromski Minstrel. We want your spinning experience to be enjoyable and the first thing to do is to assemble the wheel correctly and with care so that it works properly. We suggest you read through these instructions completely before you begin as this will resolve any questions you may have before they arise. You may also use the video that came with your wheel but we ask that you read these instructions as we may have updated or otherwise corrected some information that is in the video.

After your wheel is assembled, we will offer a few words of advice about adjusting it and regular maintenance.

Finishing

If you purchased an unfinished wheel, we suggest a finish of your choosing. A good wood stain and surface finish will help prevent a degree of staining from regular use and from the use of lubricating oil. Finishing a wheel prior to assembly is probably the best way to proceed. For a clear, natural look we suggest tung oil; otherwise, any quality stain and finish is acceptable.

Unboxing the wheel

The Minstrel was boxed in Poland and has traveled some distance to get to you so the first thing to do is to unbox the wheel, remove all the parts and check for any problems that may be obvious. If you observe a problem, contact your dealer.

Make sure all parts are unwrapped and set aside. If you have an unfinished wheel and notice smudges on the wood, the easiest way to remove them is with a clean pencil eraser. Give yourself some room to work away from the parts so you don’t step on anything. Smaller parts are in plastic bags so you may want to empty the bags and examine these items. Everything will go together easily so don’t be concerned with the number of parts.

Please refer to the video if you have any questions about how parts are assembled.

Step 1
The first step is to attach the rear leg. Hold the wheel posts between your legs, upside down. The Kromskis have put a registration mark on the legs and bench so you know how to line up each leg. The two front legs look the same but there is a left and right leg. The treadle pieces must be positioned on these legs as the top ends are inserted in the bench. The treadle parts include a left and right treadle, middle support piece (place a washer on each side of support) and metal rod. A second pair of hands is good to have for this procedure. You may glue the top of the legs if you like, provided you have correctly installed the treadles. Use a light mallet to drive the legs securely. Set the frame on its legs and make sure the treadles move easily and they look like the picture. Legs can always be glued some time in the future if you want to wait.
Please do not glue the leg if you believe something has happened to these parts during shipment.

Step 2
Now you will mount the wheel. Locate the brass sleeve bearing and a small washer (that will fit on the axle) in the parts bag (another bearing and washer is already installed on the back of the crank). Position the wheel between the two wheel posts, (make sure the drive band is around the wheel, not all to one side) slip on the front washer and bearing (with oil hole in the bearing closest to the hub), and lower the axle on the two support brackets. The axle and bearings are locked into position using two pegs; rotate the bearings until the small groove is on top; slide the pegs along this groove and into the hole in the wheel posts. Snug the pegs tight.

Step 3
Locate the two footmen that connect the treadles to the crank. Remove the small screw(s) in each and slip the footmen onto the crank (gently open the cut at the top of the footman just so you can slip it on the crank). The footman with the larger top hole must be put in the back position; the rear footman mounts on the brass bushing. Pinch the top of the footmen together and tighten screws. The inside footman must swing easily on the crank; leave loose. The footman nearest the wheel hub will be tied to the left treadle; the rear footman is tied to the right treadle. Loop a length of leather through the hole at the end of each footman then thread both ends down through the larger hole on the treadle; remove any slack. Pull the two ends up through the two remaining holes in the treadle, pull tightly again, then tie. There must not be any slack in this connection. Overtime the leather will need to be re-tied to remove slack.

Step 4
The flyer, bobbin and whorls (2 - small and large) are next. Locate these items. Note that the bobbins have different size pulleys on each end. How you use these bobbins with the two whorls is important. Normal operation suggests that when you are using the larger whorl (for slowing ratios or speed of twist) you orient the bobbin on the metal shaft with the larger pulley next to the whorl. Definitely, always place the small bobbin pulley next to the whorl when you have the small whorl on the flyer. For beginners, we suggest you assemble your flyer with the larger whorl so you will be set up for slower spinning when you begin. AS WITH MOST DOUBLE DRIVE WHEELS, THE WHORLS AND SPINDLE SHAFT ARE REVERSE THREADED. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ATTACH THE WHORL IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. GOING ON, TURN IN A COUNTERCLOCKWISE DIRECTION. CLOCKWISE TO REMOVE. DON’T LET CHILDREN PLAY WITH THIS.

Now install the tensioning parts. Locate the ornate tension adjusting screw and a small block of wood that has the rear leather bearing attached. Slip this block of wood into the large slot at the top of the wheel; the leather should face forward. Drop the adjusting screw down into the top of the rear post and into the wood block. Turn clockwise until the block begins to rise.

Take the assembled flyer to the top of wheel. At this location, you have a “U” shaped leather bearing up front and a leather bearing with a small hole at the back. Take the drive band (a double loop piece of string that is already in position on the frame) and place one loop on the bobbin pulley, the other on the large groove on the whorl. Insert the back of the flyer into the small hole in the rear bearing and drop the front (the large piece of metal) down into the front bearing. The front should snap into the front bearing.

The leather bearings work great on spinning wheels but they do require oiling. New bearings absorb a good deal of oil. We suggest you oil now and continue until the leather is saturated with oil.


Step 5
Now you will add a number of small items to your wheel. The extra whorl you have can be conveniently stored on the wheel. Between the two front upright posts is a threaded metal stud; screw your extra whorl on this stud (remember whorls use reverse threading; to attach here, turn it counterclockwise. We suggest that you use a marker and draw arrows that show what direction to turn to mount a whorl here).

The threading hook is stored on the wheel bench in a hole designed just for this.

A bobbin holder - for your two extra bobbins - is attached off to the right side of the bench using a round headed bolt, washer and wing nut. Locate the washer and wing nut under the bench.

Post cap - the left front post accommodates a fancy post cap that is removed when you mount the Minstrel distaff. When not using a distaff, place the cap on top of the post.

Optional Distaff - If you have the Kromski Minstrel distaff, it is located on the left front post. Remove the post cap and mount the horizontal arm and the distaff. The arm can be rotated to change the location of the distaff.

Scotch tension setup (you may ignore if you do not intend to use Scotch tension). The brake band for scotch tension is in the parts bag with a spring attached. Attach the spring to the eye bolt that you will install in a predrilled hole on the left side of the Mother-of-all (that is in-line with the bobbin pulley). Loop the string over the bobbin pulley, then down to another predrilled hole. Attach another eye bolt. Thread the brake band through this eye bolt. Secure by tying the string through the hole in the brake peg with enough slack to allow you to wind the string around the peg as you apply braking to the bobbin. It is best to wind so that to achieve more braking in a clockwise direction. If you are not using the brake (when in double drive operation), drape the band under the flyer. (If you would like to remove the spring for easier bobbin changing, use pliers to open the eye bolt a bit.) This entire proceedure can be reversed so that the peg is on the left side, if you please.

Wheel adjustment
Place the drive band (two loops) so that one of the loops rests in one of the grooves of the whorl and the other loop rests on the bobbin pulley. Place the drive band around the wheel. It may be necessary to tighten or loosen the tension on the band by turning the tension adjusting knob at the top of the wheel. If you are a beginner, the question always is, “how much tension?” The drive band should not slip on the wheel as you treadle, but until your begin spinning, it is impossible to know if the band is set right. Part of spinning is adjusting the tension for the conditions your are working with. It is acceptable for this wheel to have the flyer at an angle, front to back. Depending on the whorl and groove you are using, the front of the flyer might be high or low as the front bearing is not adjusted.

As with any new wheel, there will be a break-in period, not only for the wheel but for the spinner to get accustomed to the feel and adjustments that need to be made during spinning. Follow the lubrication suggestions below and then treadle for a while without spinning. New bobbins on new flyers sometimes can be sluggish. Make sure there is nothing on the shaft that will impede easy rotation of the bobbin. Make sure the treadle/footman connection is secure.

Maintenance

All spinning wheels have points that require lubrication. On the Minstrel you need to regularly oil the following points:

Treadle ends where they enter the front legs
The metal support rod that is inside the treadle rails; locate the oil holes on the bottom of the treadle rail.
Leather bearings that support the flyer
Metal spindle shaft at both ends where the bobbin bearings ride
The footman/crank locations
The two metal sleeve bearings; a small oil hole is on each for adding lubricant.

Your Kromski Minstrel comes with a handy needle nose oiling bottle. It is ideal for all these locations. We recommend that all these points be oiled when you begin spinning for the day.

One other step you may care to take is waxing the wooden screw threads on the tension adjusting screw. To do this, remove the screw. Using a candle, paraffin or furniture wax (never soap), work the wax onto the threads from one end to the other. Apply some wax to the area above the threaded area as well. Reassemble and you should notice easier movement.