# Yarn Swift, Done! (Lots of Pics)



## Nickbee (Nov 9, 2007)

For those of you who don’t know what a yarn swift is it’s used to either unwind yarn from hanks into balls or to wind yarn into hanks from bobbins (after spinning yarn from fiber). Now apparently hanks come in all different sizes, so the swift needs adjustability (hence all the fricken holes). 

Now why do I know so much about yarn and now knitting? It was my friend Kara’s fault. She knew I was kinda handy with wood and needed one of these things. I happened to need a scarf to replace the one I lost last year. So she gets a yarn swift, and I get a 6 foot hand knitted scarf made from Peruvian highland wool. And I get to work a project that involves wood and mechanical toys. 

So after seeing some poor models on eBay I decided that a good basis of the swift would be a lazy Susan. After an hour at lowes contemplating materials and designs I decided on Poplar for wood and a 5” bearing (which has a weight capacity of 350 lbs, that’s lots of yarn!). The hardest thing to work out in my head, while shopping for everything, was how to mount the bearing between two circles. Once that was figured out everything else was cake. The finish is 3 coats of gloss Minwax brush-on poly finished with a final coat of Minwax spray-on satin poly. After it cured for 3-4 days I buffed it out with 0000 steel wool and Johnson’s wax. The result is a smooth finish that should play well with delicate yarns. The bottom of the swift has a layer of shelf liner cork for protection and anti-skidness. 

Here are some pics of the final product:


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## Nickbee (Nov 9, 2007)

And here are some photos of the production. BTW I found out much later about circle guides for routers. Needless to say the Bosch 1617 I just picked up came with one! That will save time in the future!!!!


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## Nickbee (Nov 9, 2007)

Now that this project is done it’s full steam ahead to get my router table set up. A bunch of goodies are on order. But that’s another post


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Very cool, something you don't see every day there Nick! Thanks for sharing the pics and I bet you will look quite dapper in that new scarf made from the Peruvian Yak  

Hey, that B & D jig saw, that was my very first jig saw and the drill to match that I received as my very first Christmas gift in 1980 from my wife. Long time since gone about 1990 or so. 

Nice work Nick!

Corey


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Great presentation!


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## Nickbee (Nov 9, 2007)

ya that jig saw SCREAMS retro!!!


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Nick.... nice job on both the project and the pictures. That is an unsual project for sure and very functional at that.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Now THAT'S my kind of photo-shoot. Neat idea and really well made. I guarantee that once you have routed circles which need virtually no sanding, you will never return to the jig saw.


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## Nickbee (Nov 9, 2007)

I agree Harry! And if you see the sander I used it's only 5". I got it for my hobby of building RC airplanes. It got the job done but it took a while! I look forward to cutting circles with my router the next time I need to!


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## Nickbee (Nov 9, 2007)

My friend got her yawn swift and started using it. Here are some pics:




























And here's a link to a video of it in action (used along with a ball winder)...

http://www.nickbee.com/vids/swift10.wmv

Needless to say it's great to see something I made in use like this!


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Wow, that is fantastic, you should be proud Nick! Well done!

Corey


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## Nickbee (Nov 9, 2007)

Thanks! And thanks for all the suggestions on the finish. That was my 1st post here! You guys do rock!


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## Woodwonders (Oct 24, 2008)

NIck
Nice work...any chance i could get some detail info on this...My wife does alot with yarn..( makes it ) and this would make a perfect xmas present!


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## Rolf Maxa (Feb 8, 2005)

Really nice work Nick. It's not something you see every day.


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## Nickbee (Nov 9, 2007)

If you look here you’ll see posts on my friend’s blog that had lots of details while making the swift.

Oct posts:
http://shellssells.wordpress.com/2007/10/

Nov Posts:
http://shellssells.wordpress.com/2007/11/

Just click the posts with Nick in the title

I did not make formal plans for this. But fire off any questions you might have.


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## Woodwonders (Oct 24, 2008)

Thanks Nick... went and read up on it...I will have to give it a "SPIN"


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

"Thanks Nick... went and read up on it...I will have to give it a "SPIN"

Shouldn't this post have gone under "joke of the day" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## guyonahog (Jun 20, 2007)

Really nice job. I like those kind of projects. Great photo essay to boot!


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## turzle (Oct 26, 2008)

I am just new to this forum and this is a real neat device, I think I will give it a whirl for my wife as well. You said you had trouble figuring out the lazy susan mount, just a suggestion, you only need one hole in the base to mount it to the top. Put in one screw, rotate base then put in the next and so on. 
Great work, great finish.

Steve


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## Nickbee (Nov 9, 2007)

Very True Turzle! BTW if you guys build these things please post pics. It will be great to see your versions. I'm about to make another one from red oak in exchange for some hand knitted socks.


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