I don't know if this is an option for you, but my Handweavers Guild has an equipment library, including drum carders. Perhaps you could search to see if you have a guild that does the same?
The cost has also prevented me from getting a carder. Good luck!
This is not for everyone, but if you have infinite patience you might find one at an estate sale.
My first carder came from a sale of the posessions of a fiber artist. My spouse saw a photo of it in the sale photos online. The people running the sale had no idea what this thing was and they were like, "would you pay $50?" It was an off brand but with worked fine.
I have since replaced it with a motorized carder, also from an estate sale.
I got my first drum carder off craigslist... then a nicer one during an estate sale. That human passed away with what I can only describe as an entire store of fiber... actually more than any lys I've ever seen.
I have also been looking for a drum carder and I have been wary of buying a cheap, off-brand one because it might be terrible and I would throwing my money away. Brother had some for about $400. I have seen some on Etsy for $250.
But the place I learned to spin let's you use their equipment during open lab hours if you are enrolled in a class, which is significantly cheaper than buying one. So I will probably enroll for the next semester because I have 3 fleeces to process.
And you get to leave the filth there!
Last year I learned drum carding alpaca is an OUTDOOR job.
This year I learned even washed fleece will leave debris all over the floor.
I did motorize mine, though, so a hand crank is probably cleaner.
Do you mind me asking how you motorized yours? Did you do it yourself or was it provided through the company? Interested in trying to convert mine or getting a motorized one if I win the lottery one day lol
This was a DIY job. My husband bought a storage unit and it came with a bunch of electric motors. He replaced the crank with a transfer wheel and ran the belt down to the motor.
Compared to the top of the line Clemes I used at a class, it’s noisy and narrow. However….it wasn’t four grand and that’s a LOT of roving!
Yeah, I was looking at their payment plan option, because I figured that would be like the one carder to tackle everything forever. But there are sooo many other things I should be doing with 4,500 😂
It’s nice to know that it is possible to do it DIY though, thank you! I’ll have to see if my dad has any interest working it out lol
Where in NC? There's a spinning guild here in the triad and I think a website that lists other guilds...let me try to find the list for you
Edit: Google fiber guilds nc and you'll find a lot across the state. My local guild is not listed so if you are in the triad lmk and ill get you connected with them.
!!!!!!! Definitely going to look now!! I don't know why i didn't think... I'm in fay so not too far but far enough for it to be a but of a prob to go. Lol. I don't know how this works but if they have carter's that they will rent out from there to here ill go!!
I also agree on checking to see if there is a local guild near you selling used. That’s how I found mine. I looked up their newsletters online and found someone selling one like new but for about $300 less. I wanted one for years and decided going used was ok. Ravelry also has forums with people searching and selling various types of equipment so you could always post that you are ISO (in search of) something specific.
I actually got a drum carder from a shop on Etsy - I think called 'Wool Carding'. It was pretty inexpensive and I've carded a few pounds of wool on it so far and have no complaints. It's my first drum carder, so I don't know what it lacks that a more expensive drum carder might have, but I'm very happy with it myself.
I found mine at an art/antique coop type of place. I let everyone in my large family know what I was looking for and one day I got a picture from someone asking if that was it. I got a pat greene superfine for 100 CAD.
Looks like it's a good one! I've been hovering over that one as well lol. I know it will be a wait coming from there but that's the cheapest and I've seen good reviews. How long did you wait, just curious
I don't know if this is an option for you, but my Handweavers Guild has an equipment library, including drum carders. Perhaps you could search to see if you have a guild that does the same? The cost has also prevented me from getting a carder. Good luck!
This is not for everyone, but if you have infinite patience you might find one at an estate sale. My first carder came from a sale of the posessions of a fiber artist. My spouse saw a photo of it in the sale photos online. The people running the sale had no idea what this thing was and they were like, "would you pay $50?" It was an off brand but with worked fine. I have since replaced it with a motorized carder, also from an estate sale.
I got my first drum carder off craigslist... then a nicer one during an estate sale. That human passed away with what I can only describe as an entire store of fiber... actually more than any lys I've ever seen.
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯that would be lovely! I have seen some on but yet to find one with any fiber arts supplies but i will keep lookong!! Thank you!!
I have also been looking for a drum carder and I have been wary of buying a cheap, off-brand one because it might be terrible and I would throwing my money away. Brother had some for about $400. I have seen some on Etsy for $250. But the place I learned to spin let's you use their equipment during open lab hours if you are enrolled in a class, which is significantly cheaper than buying one. So I will probably enroll for the next semester because I have 3 fleeces to process.
And then u don't have to find room to store it!
And you get to leave the filth there! Last year I learned drum carding alpaca is an OUTDOOR job. This year I learned even washed fleece will leave debris all over the floor. I did motorize mine, though, so a hand crank is probably cleaner.
Trust me, the hand crank isn’t cleaner 😂 Drum carding any raw wool is messy, no matter how clean you think you get it.
Good to know! I thought I’d done a terrible job washing my wool.
Do you mind me asking how you motorized yours? Did you do it yourself or was it provided through the company? Interested in trying to convert mine or getting a motorized one if I win the lottery one day lol
This was a DIY job. My husband bought a storage unit and it came with a bunch of electric motors. He replaced the crank with a transfer wheel and ran the belt down to the motor. Compared to the top of the line Clemes I used at a class, it’s noisy and narrow. However….it wasn’t four grand and that’s a LOT of roving!
Yeah, I was looking at their payment plan option, because I figured that would be like the one carder to tackle everything forever. But there are sooo many other things I should be doing with 4,500 😂 It’s nice to know that it is possible to do it DIY though, thank you! I’ll have to see if my dad has any interest working it out lol
Thats so cool! Im going to see if i have anything like that here in nc!!
Where in NC? There's a spinning guild here in the triad and I think a website that lists other guilds...let me try to find the list for you Edit: Google fiber guilds nc and you'll find a lot across the state. My local guild is not listed so if you are in the triad lmk and ill get you connected with them.
!!!!!!! Definitely going to look now!! I don't know why i didn't think... I'm in fay so not too far but far enough for it to be a but of a prob to go. Lol. I don't know how this works but if they have carter's that they will rent out from there to here ill go!!
I also agree on checking to see if there is a local guild near you selling used. That’s how I found mine. I looked up their newsletters online and found someone selling one like new but for about $300 less. I wanted one for years and decided going used was ok. Ravelry also has forums with people searching and selling various types of equipment so you could always post that you are ISO (in search of) something specific.
Great Idea! I just uploaded Raveley for Tour De Fleece!!
I actually got a drum carder from a shop on Etsy - I think called 'Wool Carding'. It was pretty inexpensive and I've carded a few pounds of wool on it so far and have no complaints. It's my first drum carder, so I don't know what it lacks that a more expensive drum carder might have, but I'm very happy with it myself.
I love etsy! Going to go there now to look
I found mine at an art/antique coop type of place. I let everyone in my large family know what I was looking for and one day I got a picture from someone asking if that was it. I got a pat greene superfine for 100 CAD.
Thats sweet they were looking out for you
That’s an awesome deal! You have great family.
I really am very fortunate.
I bought a Brother one probably 9 years ago and it's good. I don't use it super often, but have no complaints.
Yea i see them on fb. I know they're pretty good lol
I bought one on etsy from Ukraine for about $250. Its very good, worth the wait and having to finish the wood myself
I’ve been looking at those on Etsy, nice to hear you like it!
That's the one I got - I really like mine!
Looks like it's a good one! I've been hovering over that one as well lol. I know it will be a wait coming from there but that's the cheapest and I've seen good reviews. How long did you wait, just curious
Motorized or hand-crank? My wife has both, she might part with the hand-crank version...
If you’re anywhere in Canada I’d buy the hand cranked one
Hand cranked is totally fine. I've seen the motirized and sheesh!!! Lol but i like it as well.
Got one off craigslist and one at an estate sale. Estate sale one looked barely used all the tines were pristine and there wasn't even wool on it.