:: Spring 2006 
Feature
Drum Carding for Smooth Spinning
The drum carder is a machine that aids fibreworkers in the preparation of fibre for spinning. Its basic design consists of two drums covered with tiny erect wires, a hand crank, and a simple system of pulleys and belts that enable the drums to turn simultaneously. As fibre is fed into the in-feed tray, it is caught by the tiny wires on the first drum and cranked onto the tiny wires of the second, larger drum. As the fibre travels between the drums, hundreds of wires separate the fibres, much as a comb separates the hairs on one’s head. The fibre collects on the large drum.
When the carding is finished, the fibreworker uses a knitting needle or doffer pin to lift the fibre and gently pull it apart. The carded fibres can be spun as roving or as a rolag. If left as a rectangular batt, the carded fibre can be used as for felting.
In the photo, Susan McFarland of Susan’s Fiber Shop in Columbus, Wisconsin, demonstrates the proper use of the drum carder in separating and blending fibres. She is shown teaching a workshop on drum carding at the Southeast Animal Fiber Fair in Asheville, NC October 22, 2005. Ms. McFarland can be contacted at for product information on drum carders and other fibrework equipment at www.susansfibership.com. She is also the contact for the Midwest Felting Symposium in Madison, WI, July 26-30, 2006 (tel.: 920-623-4237 or e-mail: susanfiber@internetwis.com).