The Complete Handbook of Spinning Wheel Accessories

I bought this hoping for a deep dive into the mechanics of my wheel, but I found the opening chapter spent a lot of time on basic physics of spinning. There are useful nuggets here, especially the bit about shaft diameter tolerance and how it affects bobbin wobble at speed. I skipped ahead to the maintenance chapter and found the lubrication schedule practical. It's a solid reference, but I had to wade through some material I already knew from experience. Probably best for someone newer to the craft than me, or someone who likes to read from cover to cover.

Finally a reference that doesn't assume you're a beginner or a marketing-savvy genius. The chapter on choosing accessories is genuinely useful - I appreciated that it doesn't just say 'buy the expensive one.' The breakdown of bobbin capacity versus drive ratio implications is something I haven't seen spelled out clearly anywhere else. I docked one star only because I'd have liked more photos or diagrams of the tension troubleshooting setups mentioned in Chapter 5. As a shop owner, I'm recommending this to all my staff.

Solid, well-organized handbook. I'm a production spinner specializing in fine wools, and the sections on flyer alignment and high-speed spinning details in Chapter 1 confirmed and clarified some things I'd been doing by trial and error. The book is dense but readable; it doesn't waste your time. My only criticism is that some of the business advice in Chapter 6 feels a bit general, but the servicing niche breakdown was a new angle. A useful part of my reference shelf.

This book is thorough, maybe too thorough for what I needed. I just wanted to know the difference between bobbins and how to stop mine from clattering. Chapter 1 explains how everything works, which is fine, but I found myself skimming large sections. The maintenance chapter is good, though I wish the troubleshooting had a quick-reference chart at the back. It's informative, but more academic than I expected. A decent resource, just not a quick fire-and-forget guide.

I picked this up to help me decide if I should replace my stock bobbins. The first chapter gave me the terminology I needed to understand my wheel's actual specs, and the third chapter helped me compare options. It's written in a very dry, technical tone that is effective but not exactly exciting. The section on lazy kates was well-done. I give it a shrug and a slight recommendation - it's a library book for me, I'll return it but I learned some things.

This is the book I wish existed when I set up my small fiber studio. Chapter 1 alone is worth it - the explanation of how take-up tension interacts with drive ratio and bobbin inertia is crystal clear and immediately applicable. I was able to adjust my wheel to spin a more consistent singles yarn the same day I read it. The maintenance chapter probably saved me from ruining a set of expensive pricey bobbins. Written with a neutral, authoritative voice that I trust. A permanent fixture on my studio workbench.

As someone who teaches spinning classes and also resells wheels part-time, I've been looking for a resource that can bridge the gap between hobbyist advice and professional practice. This handbook nails it. The chapter on business opportunities is particularly grounded and realistic, offering angles like servicing and consulting that I hadn't considered. The information on choosing accessories is methodical and measurable, which is exactly how I encourage my students to shop. Highly recommended for anyone who treats spinning seriously.

I respect the amount of research that went into this book, but I found the tone to be a little too impersonal. It reads like a manual for a machine, which it kind of is, but I bought it hoping for some wisdom about the craft. The comparison you gave in Chapter 2 on different whorl materials was informative, and the stuff about maintenance schedules is practical. I think it's a bit overpriced for what you get, though. Three stars because it's a useful reference but not a book I'd re-read for pleasure.