Yarn ball holders

[Robert Willing]

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These are yarn ball holders which provide the same function as yarn bowls. First are the turning bases being polyurethane coated, the second are the spectraply blanks used as the spindles and the laminated strip in the rotating base, third are the most recent which are made from walnut, bloodwood, and cherry, and the last is walnut with the spindle removed showing the threaded rod which attaches it to the rotating base. All of these holders rotate via a lazy susan bearing.

[David Walser]

I think this calls for a tutorial. I love the smell of a good tutorial in the morning.

Seriously, these look very nice. Just as seriously, I think many of us would like some instruction on how to make them.

[Randy Red Bemont]

I like them. Very cool.

Red

[Ryan Mooney]

Oh man, I can't let the boss see these. I've had something like this on my plate for ~a year~ but the ones I was thinking of weren't nearly as nice as these. If she see's them I'll never hear the end of it.

[Robert Willing]

I think this calls for a tutorial. I love the smell of a good tutorial in the morning.

Seriously, these look very nice. Just as seriously, I think many of us would like some instruction on how to make them.


Thanks

My next batch I will take some picx's.

[Keith Westfall]

Nice!!

But wondering for the need of the lazy susan bearing plate. If you just put the ball of yarn on the post, would the ball turn (slip/slide) around it without the need for the whole top to spin?

But they are nice and I have a granddaughter that would love one.

Anybody got a place to obtain more hours for the shop????

Thanks for showing.

[Robert Willing]

The bearing were obtained on Amazon and are 40mm in size, you will also need a 10 X 24 "T" nut to hold the spindle. Don't buy the 40mm forstner bit use a 1 9/16" because the bearings are under 40mm. The spectraply I used is the 2 X 2 size which I cut into 4 pcs. to make 1 X 1.

[Ron Rutter]

I'm with Kieth. Wouldn't a bit of friction to restrict unraveling the wool be better?

[Brian Myers]

Nice!!

But wondering for the need of the lazy susan bearing plate. If you just put the ball of yarn on the post, would the ball turn (slip/slide) around it without the need for the whole top to spin?


I have been wondering the same thing about the need for a bearing. Any that I have seen online have a bearing yet I have had one individual suggest I make some and per her description there is no bearing. She described it as being like a small version of a vertical paper towel roll holder.

[Robert Willing]

I'm with Kieth. Wouldn't a bit of friction to restrict unraveling the wool be better?

My wife uses one all the time and it is not free wheeling. I guess if it was horizontal it would be a problem but since it is vertical it works as planed.

[Robert Willing]

Just one more thought, I thought I knew what knitters wanted and thought the Americana spectraply would be a big hit (old glory red, white, and blue) and the oak would a shoe-in, but no knitters wanted earth tones. So we are discussing this with non-knitters and not including knitters maybe they would have a different perspective. I am just making and selling what my customers want.

[Marvin Hasenak]

I like them and have made several for my wife who spends hours a day crocheting, but she prefers the yarn bowls, these wouldn't get a second glance. The best deal I made was a yarn winder so that the yarn is rewound and is looser coming off than from the commercially wound ball of yarn.

[Art German]

Robert; What is the diameter of your turntable. SWMBO saw these and said I want one. I think you know what that means. Thanks in advance. Art

[Robert Willing]

I start with a 5" square and end up with 4 5/8 " to 4 3/4". Depends how aggressive I am on the lathe.

Art just a little more info:

The circle for the rotating disk is 4 3/4". I first find the center and draw a 4 3/4" circle, than drill the recess for the bearing with
1 9/16" forstner bit to accept a 40mm lazy Susan bearing to a depth of just less than 1/2 of it's thickness. Now use a 3/4" forstner bit to drill a recess in the bottom of the bearing hole so that a 10 X 24 "T" nut is just shy of protruding thru the piece. Now drill a 1/4" hole on these centers all the way through.

This will give you clearance for mounting the "T" nut later. Go to the band saw and cut out the circle. Now mount the completed circle using a 1/4 X 20 threaded rod or a bottle stopper mandrel on your lathe and true up the circle and couture to your imagination. Finish sand while on the lathe.

CAUTION: Before you insert the "T" nut drill friction fit holes for the "T" nut prongs because they have a tendency to split hard woods.

Sounds complicated but just part of the process.

[Art German]

Thanks for the update Robert that is pretty much as I had envisioned the process. Art

[Jeramie Johnson]

Very nice. Reminds me, I have a request for a two ball yarn bowl I have to make yet.

There are a bunch of different methods out there (quilters, hook n loop, crochet, knitting, etc), each will have different needs on how they want the material presented.

My better half is currently doing a hook n loop style but she makes her material. She will take pretty much anything made of fabric and re-purpose it. She shreds it, ties the ends, and that becomes her media. For her, a large bowl holds her media. The end result is much stronger than the traditional methods of yarn, etc.

Beautiful work here and thanks for posting the info. I am sure many will get requests similiar.

[Lloyd Butler]

I guess the bearing is needed if you had rewound the yarn into a ball. You can stick the ball on the spindle and it will rotate to unwind.

If you do not turn your yarn into a ball before use and just use the stock skein, normally you would pull the thread out of the centre and the ball does not spin or turn while you are using it. Maybe this would work on this style stand without the bearing.

It is an interesting project to add to the to-do list if you have people who knit or crochet.