Yarn Swift and Winder

[thunderbirdbat]

I do like the knobs.

I assembled the swift using a spare dowel for the handle. Does not look too bad and the modification I made to the base allows the swift to be used without the upright. The center bolt is long enough to stack the pieces together and thread into an insert but I would want it lower on the upright for storage. Now the question for you all to answer. Should I add a threaded insert to the upright to keep the arms and upright together when not in use?

20250313_155627.jpg (289.27 KiB) Viewed 42638 times

20250313_160002.jpg (277 KiB) Viewed 42638 times

Now all I need to do is figure out the winder and make the handles.

[Matanuska]

Very nice. How did you slot the arms? Do I see a finger type joint on the end of the left arm in the second picture? If so, did you attach the arm tips before or after you slotted?

[thunderbirdbat]

My husband bought a couple of edge glued acacia wood panels when they were on sale. https://www.menards.com/main/building-m ... ?exp=false I have just been cutting it down to the sizes that I need. I drilled start and stop holes then routed out the slots.

[Matanuska]

That explains it - I thought you were just practicing your joinery! Do you rout using your SS, with a router table, or a hand held router? I've slotted once or twice using my SS but since I don't have the double tilt I had to do it over-table and never felt like I had enough hands and/or feather boards to feel safe. Now I just use my router table.

[thunderbirdbat]

I have a stand alone overarm pin router & table router combo.

[BuckeyeDennis]

I have a stand alone overarm pin router & table router combo.

My overarm router pin router is by far my favorite tool for slotting. With a plunge-cutting bit, you don’t even have to predrill holes to start the slot. And unlike an undertable router, there’s no need to drop a workpiece onto a spinning bit for plunge cuts. Just plunge, lock, and then guide the workpiece along the fence. Multiple passes, easy peasy.

[JPG]

The base shopsmith Mark 5/V routing is the same(only slower).

[Matanuska]

JPG - What procedure & setup do you use for slotting using the base SS routing setup? I've tried and ended up with one hand on the work piece and one on the spindle handle but couldn't figure out what to let go of to lock the spindle after the initial plunge cut.

[thunderbirdbat]

IIWM, I'd clamp the work piece, plunge, lock the spindle handle and then un-clamp the work piece run it through and re-clamp before messing with the spindle again.

[Matanuska]

Yes, should have been able to figure that out on my own. I knew there had to be a good (safe) way to do this. Thanks!