Schacht Spindle Company Tour (picture heavy)

On Tuesday Roxanne and I went up to Boulder to get my wheel repaired.  The Man and I tried to fiddle with it when I first got it, but it never worked correctly.  The treadles would do fine for about 5 minutes and then migrate to the middle and start bumping against the each other. DRIVE me nuts... ! The man would put a bandaid around the bar under the treadle and call it good.  WRONG.   We bought it brand new so I figure, it should work correctly, right?

After some fiddling around and some loud bangs with a mallet, and and also maybe prayer, the lovely lady above fixed my baby.

So then I spun some very soft angora which I wanted to take home, but alas, they don't sell fluff there.  Darn.

Ahhhh, that's better!

The Tour:
Now starts the tour.  From the room you see above, you enter into the mill with all kinds of machinery and loudness.

This machine above uses a computer to cut with precision, every part put on it.  Right now it is cutting parts for a loom.

Safety first!!!!

The parts are then taken here to smooth out all the rough edges.

Then stored here in order to make looms and wheels to order.  At the rate they make these things I think that these shelves don't stay stocked this way very long.  Expecially with all of the Sheep and Wool shows around the country right now.

Then, the parts are taken to the "Dip Room." I named it that since I couldn't remember the real name, but this is where the natural stain is put on the pieces .  Smells good in there!


Wheels in Waiting.

And some bobbins to go.


And, that concludes our tour.  I only covered about 10% of all the machinery in there.  It is a huge wherehouse FULL of big and little machines and parts and pieces and lots of hard working men. (making us women some VERY cool toys - gotta love that!)

Stay tuned for some sweet swag pictures from last night's birthday dinner with my knitting friends here in Denver.  I'll tell you ALL about it...
And, that is all she wrote, for today, heh.

CIAO!!!

Comments

[Stacey]

Wow! Who knew that there was a spinning wheel factory that close? If this weekend goes well...maybe I'll have to take a trip down there! :)

[Stacey]

p.s...last night was so fun! Maybe we need to get together at your place or mine for the Season finale of LOST!!

[Wendy]

Whoa. My tiny little mind is blown by all those cool little pieces. And I dig George's respirator.

[Michelle]

That's really cool. I didn't know there was a place like that near here.