I've wanted to make my own spinning wheel for a long time

I have wanted to make my own spinning wheel for a long time. I have been tempted once or twice but other things have happened to prevent me. Finally after seeing a wheel someone else had made using David Bryant's plans and a Timbertops Beaver Wheel I bit the bullet and ordered a set of plans from him to make a chair wheel last week and they came today.


Luckily I had collected copies of Practical woodworking from years ago where there were a number of articles on making spinning wheel one was David's on making a chair wheel. So I am lucky enough to be able to read about his efforts and now have his full scale plans too.


I have in the past modified my own Ashford Traveller wheel and made a start on making a replica of a Louet Hat Box wheel. This second wheel I never finished off due to health problems. Since I started making it I have plans to modify it and finish it off some time or other. Mind you having seen so many new small wheels I am awash with ideas to make a small wheel.


Back in February at my Guild meeting this newly made wheel was brought to my attention to play with it and see if it was functioning properly. It was a sloping bed wheel and it was absolutely wonderful and spun like a dream. Much to the delight of it's maker and his friends. In the future I hope he will bring it to another Guild meeting to learn to spin.


At my Guilds April meeting a lady came with wonderful wheel she wanted to learn to spin with it. She was the sort of person who learns more by watching than reading. This wheel was a Timbertops Beaver, this wheel has two wheels and is wonderful. It had not been use for a while so it needed a bit of lubricating first. Once it was sorted and 5 minutes showing her how to spin she was away. I understand she had first refusal on the wheel but wanted to know if she could spin firstly and if she could get on with the wheel. I know there was a queue of members all keen the own it if she did not buy it. I do know she joined the Guild.


So after seeing and trying both these wheels I really did know I wanted to make my own spinning wheel. There was one problem I only have a Coronet Elf wood lathe it's a bit small so I am limited to the diameter of the wheel I can turn and the length of parts I can turn. I have plumped for the Chair wheel any long part will have to be joined after turning them.


Now the plans come on two pieces of paper A0 and A1 rather unsuitable as they stand to look at so I hope to cut them up and laminate them into more manageable sizes, probably as A3 sizes.

I still have to decide which sort of timber am I going to use? Should I use a native timber or an exotic timber. Some how I think the size of my pocket will end up dictating this I would like to use Yew.