So I’ve wanted a warping mill for a while, but I couldn’t spend that much money on something I knew I could make myself for a whole lot less (about $50, including the hacksaw and some blades, and it’s oak). I had to figure it out as I went and I still haven’t made the stretcher bars that hold the dowels for the cross. I’ll post that as soon as I’m done. The wind is blowing like crazy here in Central Texas today, so I can’t work on it since I have to do it outside.
Here’s what I bought from Home Depot (not sure if I’ll use all the nuts and bolts, but it’s what I thought I needed when I was figuring it out in my head and shopping):
2 – 1x2x8 oak
1 – Jr. Hacksaw and blades
1- #10-24 threaded rod (I think it was 36″)
8 – #10 wing nuts
8 – 1/4 x 2″ hex bolts
8 – 1/4″ wing nuts
5 – 1″x36″ oak dowels
2 – 5/8″x36″ oak dowels
I bought a 12×12 cutting board from Ross next door to the Home Depot for the base, but you can easily use any square of wood.
Here are the measurments that I used:
From the 1″ dowel: Leave one at 36″. Cut two to 31″ and two to 32 1/2″
From the threaded rod: cut eight 1 3/4″ pieces.
From the 1×2: cut two pieces at 26″ and two pieces at 22″ (what’s left will make the braces that hold the rods that you wind the cross on – I haven’t gotten that far yet. I’m not good at explaining things so I’ll let the pictures do most of the talking. With those and the measurements, you should have no trouble.
I drilled a 1 3/4″ hole in each end of the four outside rods (use a piece of tape to mark this measurement on your drill bit). Make sure it’s enough to go through your “spoke” pieces. I used gorilla glue to keep them in there.
With a piece of the 1×2 I made the part that the axel will set in. I screwed one side into the base, but left one side loose so that I can take the whole thing apart for storage.
Doesn’t need the washer in there. Mine just wasn’t sitting straight so I threw it in there to help. I will say… that with this set up, the side that isn’t screwed into the base makes the axel sit a bit crooked… So you might want to just keep it as one piece and screw the whole thing down.
When I was drilling the holes in the center of the “spoke” pieces… I screwed up. On the top one (one of the long ones) you only have to drill your hole about half way through. I didn’t think about it enough and drilled all the way through. Easy enough to fix my adding this little scrap on top. If the axel comes all the way through, the bottom sets on the base pieces and doesn’t turn as freely. Having a stop for the axel holds the whole thing up a bit so that it spins without a drag.
See… because I added that part on the top (or if you don’t drill all the way through the top piece) it hold the bottom of the winding unit off the base…
And here it is so far… the shorter dowels go with the shorter 1×2 pieces and the longer dowels go with the longer 1×2 pieces. This allows you to fold the spinning portion to flatten for storage.
Beautiful woodwork. I should make my skein winder… hmmm..
That looks beautiful! So nice, and economical, too. (And that Matchless ain’t too shabby, either!)
Gosh — you’re so amazingly talented Jean. Lucky for you, you don’t live near me — I’m wanting to build a “table” legs to hold a sewing box. Should be easy, right LOL???
Jean – you rock! Enjoy. Can’t wait to see what you make next.
I just looked up the price of a ready made warping mill and was shocked by the price! The one you built looks exactly like one that costs almost $300. Way to go!
Your woodworking skills are incredibly impressive. Look forward to looking at your weaving work when I have a minute. Chickens too, lucky you,
Thanks. Don’t have the hens anymore, but I’m coming down to Austin for the Funky Chicken Tour on the 7th! Working on moving my sq. foot garden to another area of our yard and making the old spot a permanent coop instead of the moveable one I had. I still have the little house that they’ll sleep in, but need to build where they’ll run around. It was just too difficult to move them daily. Especially with last year’s heat.