Mixing dubbing...
 

I'm not sure who it was who was wondering about mixing dubbing for Stonefly
patterns, I lost the original email and I apologize...

Anyway, someone had advised to use a coffee grinder, (not the one in the
kitchen, a new one)... It works great and makes some nice fine and
superfine dubbing... Following is another alternative that works fantastic
and it's using "Carding Brushes":

"Carding Brushes," are called cards in the fiber trades. They're much like
cat or dog slicker brushes, except they're much larger and the teeth are
bent. They're meant to straighten, smooth and align fibers like wool,
cotton and silk, and to blend colors. They're available from weaving and
spinning shops.

Cards produce parallel fibers that aid in spinning into yarn. They don't
break up the fibers into short bits. If you buy them at a fiber store, ask
the folks there how to use them. It isn't as intuitive as it may seem.

The easiest place to get "carding brushes" is to go to your local pet store
and buy the Slicker brushes meant for grooming dogs and cats. These have
a heavy black plastic handle holding a rectangular brush head that has
dozens of metal pins set into a rubber base. The size I use are smallish
- about 1-1/2" x 3" and you need TWO.

Just about any store that sells pet supplies have them. They are not
cheap - each one costs $7-$9. But once you got em, you got em forever.

You take a big pinch of unfluffed, unblended dubbing pieces and place them
on one brush, then you scratch at it with the other brush to transfer it a
little bit at a time to the second brush. Do that repeatedly in different
directions, and voila! mixed dubbing.

Rodney...
aka smokeater734
Paramedic/Firefighter
Los Lunas, New Mexico

Thanks for the info. I don't know which would be best. I think a coffee
grinder would cost about the same as two carding brushes, but have not
priced one as yet.

Your idea is very good.


"Rodney" wrote in message
...
I'm not sure who it was who was wondering about mixing dubbing for
Stonefly
patterns, I lost the original email and I apologize...

Anyway, someone had advised to use a coffee grinder, (not the one in the
kitchen, a new one)... It works great and makes some nice fine and
superfine dubbing... Following is another alternative that works
fantastic
and it's using "Carding Brushes":

"Carding Brushes," are called cards in the fiber trades. They're much
like
cat or dog slicker brushes, except they're much larger and the teeth are
bent. They're meant to straighten, smooth and align fibers like wool,
cotton and silk, and to blend colors. They're available from weaving and
spinning shops.

Cards produce parallel fibers that aid in spinning into yarn. They don't
break up the fibers into short bits. If you buy them at a fiber store,
ask
the folks there how to use them. It isn't as intuitive as it may seem.

The easiest place to get "carding brushes" is to go to your local pet
store
and buy the Slicker brushes meant for grooming dogs and cats. These have
a heavy black plastic handle holding a rectangular brush head that has
dozens of metal pins set into a rubber base. The size I use are smallish
- about 1-1/2" x 3" and you need TWO.

Just about any store that sells pet supplies have them. They are not
cheap - each one costs $7-$9. But once you got em, you got em forever.

You take a big pinch of unfluffed, unblended dubbing pieces and place them
on one brush, then you scratch at it with the other brush to transfer it a
little bit at a time to the second brush. Do that repeatedly in different
directions, and voila! mixed dubbing.

Rodney...
aka smokeater734
Paramedic/Firefighter
Los Lunas, New Mexico

I bet you could take a couple of used toothbrushes and snip the hairs down
to about 1mm length and use those. Carding brushes tend to be quite large
(about as big as a playing card) and carding a half-thimbleful of dubbing
hair would be pretty futile.

--riverman


"gary" wrote in message
nk.net...
Thanks for the info. I don't know which would be best. I think a coffee
grinder would cost about the same as two carding brushes, but have not
priced one as yet.

Your idea is very good.


"Rodney" wrote in message
...
I'm not sure who it was who was wondering about mixing dubbing for
Stonefly
patterns, I lost the original email and I apologize...

Anyway, someone had advised to use a coffee grinder, (not the one in the
kitchen, a new one)... It works great and makes some nice fine and
superfine dubbing... Following is another alternative that works
fantastic
and it's using "Carding Brushes":

"Carding Brushes," are called cards in the fiber trades. They're much
like
cat or dog slicker brushes, except they're much larger and the teeth are
bent. They're meant to straighten, smooth and align fibers like wool,
cotton and silk, and to blend colors. They're available from weaving and
spinning shops.

Cards produce parallel fibers that aid in spinning into yarn. They don't
break up the fibers into short bits. If you buy them at a fiber store,
ask
the folks there how to use them. It isn't as intuitive as it may seem.

The easiest place to get "carding brushes" is to go to your local pet
store
and buy the Slicker brushes meant for grooming dogs and cats. These have
a heavy black plastic handle holding a rectangular brush head that has
dozens of metal pins set into a rubber base. The size I use are smallish
- about 1-1/2" x 3" and you need TWO.

Just about any store that sells pet supplies have them. They are not
cheap - each one costs $7-$9. But once you got em, you got em forever.

You take a big pinch of unfluffed, unblended dubbing pieces and place
them
on one brush, then you scratch at it with the other brush to transfer it
a
little bit at a time to the second brush. Do that repeatedly in
different
directions, and voila! mixed dubbing.

Rodney...
aka smokeater734
Paramedic/Firefighter
Los Lunas, New Mexico

Coffee Grinder!
Mine still works fine after all these years.
G

Though, for large amounts of dubbing, I have been tempted to use the Oster
blender in the kitchen (liquid method) when wifey is not around.
G

"Rodney" wrote in message
...
I'm not sure who it was who was wondering about mixing dubbing for
Stonefly
patterns, I lost the original email and I apologize...

Anyway, someone had advised to use a coffee grinder, (not the one in the
kitchen, a new one)... It works great and makes some nice fine and
superfine dubbing... Following is another alternative that works
fantastic
and it's using "Carding Brushes":

"Carding Brushes," are called cards in the fiber trades. They're much
like
cat or dog slicker brushes, except they're much larger and the teeth are
bent. They're meant to straighten, smooth and align fibers like wool,
cotton and silk, and to blend colors. They're available from weaving and
spinning shops.

Cards produce parallel fibers that aid in spinning into yarn. They don't
break up the fibers into short bits. If you buy them at a fiber store,
ask
the folks there how to use them. It isn't as intuitive as it may seem.

The easiest place to get "carding brushes" is to go to your local pet
store
and buy the Slicker brushes meant for grooming dogs and cats. These have
a heavy black plastic handle holding a rectangular brush head that has
dozens of metal pins set into a rubber base. The size I use are smallish
- about 1-1/2" x 3" and you need TWO.

Just about any store that sells pet supplies have them. They are not
cheap - each one costs $7-$9. But once you got em, you got em forever.

You take a big pinch of unfluffed, unblended dubbing pieces and place them
on one brush, then you scratch at it with the other brush to transfer it a
little bit at a time to the second brush. Do that repeatedly in different
directions, and voila! mixed dubbing.

Rodney...
aka smokeater734
Paramedic/Firefighter
Los Lunas, New Mexico

My wife used to spin wool. Got all the tools.
One of the things to look out for in carding brushes (actually, they're
called combs) is the right type. You'll normally find two different
type, one for cotton and one for wool. Wool combs would be the best
type. They have a shorter brush length for the longer staples of the wool.
Dog brushes can be used, but if you'r going to do more than one or two
batches, I would suggest getting the wool carding combs.
A coffee grinder is of limited utility for anything with a staple (fibre
length) over 3/4". Rabbit and the like will work fine in the coffee
grinder. Angora or wool will not.
One of my favorite mixes is angora goat (mohair) plus about 10% angelina
fibre. Mixed with the carding combs, I can get some awesome golden
stonefly dubbing.
All of these can be bought on ebay.

--
Frank Reid
Euthanize to reply

What's angelina fibre, Frank?

Thanks. vince

vincent p. norris wrote:
What's angelina fibre, Frank?

http://www.texturatrading.com/angelina.html

This stuff is awesome. It comes in 30+ colors and puts a sparkle in
your dubbing. Secondarily, some of the fibres are fusible. You can mix
it 50/50 with your favorite dubbing and iron it between two pieces of
butcher paper to make wing and wing case material.
Spinners use it in yarn and scrapbookers use the fusible stuff in their
work.
Tom may be able to help, but there is a fly tyer out there who's buying
this stuff and repackaging it for quadruple the cost (Gartside?).
--
Frank Reid
Euthanize to reply

Frank Reid wrote:

http://www.texturatrading.com/angelina.html
etc
Tom may be able to help, but there is a fly tyer out there who's
buying this stuff and repackaging it for quadruple the cost
(Gartside?).

Could very well be Gartside's "Secret Stuff".
--
Stan Gula
http://gula.org/roffswaps

http://www.texturatrading.com/angelina.html

etc

Tom may be able to help, but there is a fly tyer out there who's
buying this stuff and repackaging it for quadruple the cost
(Gartside?).


Could very well be Gartside's "Secret Stuff".

Could be, but then again, I could never keep a secret.
--
Frank Reid
Euthanize to reply

Thanks for the info, Frank. Marvelous-looking stuff.

vince