Yarn Winders - ELECTRIC

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A yarn winder is an essential tool - expect it to be an investment

So what are your winding options?
Cone winder versus Cake winder

EVEN if your winder uses a cone - if it winds diagonally (over the edges) it is NOT a CONE WINDER - that is a BALL or CAKE of yarn - a cone wound bit of yarn winds OUTWARDS (not diagonally) - which makes a HUGE difference in how even tension will be as it comes off the yarn source. For examples of MANUAL winders see the YARN WINDERS-MANUAL page.

Shareable link: https://youtu.be/bbFV-0CSBKA

SO WHAT CAN WE DO?

We can use a CONE WINDER. A cone winder (or bobbin winder - see the bottom of this page) offers consistent support and yarn tension from beginning to end. Thus a cone or bobbin is often recommended.

Whenever using any kind of knitting machine (like a CSM) we need to setup or prepare the skein of yarn so that it will feed with even tension into the machine. If we tried using a store bought skein of yarn directly with the machine, each time the oval shape/or cake of yarn got caught, the tension would change and disrupt the resulting knit fabric. This is why I personally recommend coning your yarn - not using a cake winder with a center pull.

Knitting Machines and Circular Sock Machines are very sensitive to tension changes.

Look how quickly the yarn feeds off this cardboard cone. Click here for another video example

MY ALL TIME FAVORITE MANUAL CONE WINDER is reviewed on the YARN WINDERS-MANUAL

SEE the yarn winder-SUPPLIES page for trouble shooting and cone sourcing (or subsituting)

Currently it’s my opinion - THIS is the BEST cone winder currently being made.

Electric Speedy Cone Winder™ with or without the speedy guide and go™ optional upgrade

Joyce Knit and Sews - USA | Website | YouTube video on how to use this winder | Email: joyceknitsandsews@gmail.com | Electric cardboard cone winder with optional manual or upgraded automatic yarn feed with case. Winder also offers twist and click cone adapters allowing for a diverse cone use. I bought the Speedy Cone Winder withe the upgrade Speedy Guide and Go (that stores all in a custom case). For specific info please see their website. I UTTTERLY love this winder - all the components are efficient with the system taking up very little space while being a quiet winder.

SEE MY DETAILED YOUTUBE VIDEO ON THIS WINDER

Benefits to winders available by this company

Winders offered with different price points - manual, Speedy Cone Winder (with manual yarn directing) and Speedy Cone Winder upgraded with separately purchased Speedy Guide and Go (which includes storage case).
Only currently made winder that offers adapters to utilize a range of commonly used cones with easy Twist Lock.
These winders don’t rely on belts or silicone bands to function (no concern of those becoming stretched or worn)
Winder design offers open end free access of the yarn wind for easy mid-wind removal (should things get tangled at the yarn source). Issue I found with the Dreaming Robots design.
The Speedy Winder with Speedy Guide and Go fit perfectly in a small beautiful case and comes with everything needed and efficiently can be safety stored til needed.

Cons:

-I am right handed and would prefer (on the speedy guide and go upgrade) to have the Speedy Winder facing the opposite direction- with the cone top facing away (not toward me). So oriented I would then have full view of the power and speed controls while still having my yarn source on the left.

-It’s 3D printed (over plastic injection moulding). Which isn’t a big deal if one is careful with the winder and components.

DEC 2024: THEY NOW HAVE AN UPGRADED MOTOR VERSION - see their website for more information

SN200

Silver Needles Electric Winder - NO LONGER IN BIZ

PROS: very easy to load and use.

CONS: Vendor no longer communicating-website out of date. Expensive, a bit noisy to use and is a bit cumbersome. Uses specific cones.

Their prior model the SN100 uses small topped “witch hat” style cardboard cones. See my BLOG entry on the SN100 - My winder has been self serviced and after cleaning, oiling it mostly works well. These cones are still sold by Erlbacher - see their contact info on New CSM machines

YouTube shareable video links: https://youtu.be/tjeZQ2uLTTY | https://youtu.be/3WE7LGuF0ss

My YouTube Videos: The older SN100 versions with rubber belt | Inside the newer SN100 winder |

ELECTRIC BOYE WINDER: I purchased this vintage discontinued winder - the motor was sad and loud. I adapted mine to use the same royal style plastic cones and enhanced the motor using a drill.

I found without assisting the motor with a drill (see video) that this winder was over priced and under delivered. See my video. Shareable link: https://youtu.be/Skyu5XhQLBg

The SIMET electric (Ball) winder

This discontinued electric winder comes in two versions of yarn feed - both utilize the hard plastic Royal style cones. April 2023 I purchased one (it arrived shattered so I repaired it) see the BLOG entry. Below are some reference images for what this Italian version looks like. I LOVE this winder and although it uses the same plastic cones as my favorite manual winder - this is a CAKE/BALL winder (not a cone style winder) so I will keep this as a collector item and may only use it to provide wound yarn to attendees who don’t need a cone base for hand knitting/crochet.

LOWEST COST YARN WINDING

These style winders often means manually needing to direct the yarn (I find this difficult personally) however one can usually wind onto on a cardboard cone or a wood bobbin (see YARN WINDER-SUPPLIES).

One option uses a drillbit cone attachment like that sold by Erlbacher however it is cumbersome an difficult (and requires the drill to wind the yarn).

Buy a rubber stopper from a brewing store and insert it permanently onto a drillbit to be used on a drill or buy the drill winder attachment (and cardboard cones) from Erlbacher - see the cone section below on this page. How to wind onto a cone or bobbin is shown in the next segment.

You get what you pay for however - using a drill can be unwieldy as you have to manage the drill, the correct winding and placement of the yarn onto the cone AND any yarn skein issues but it is possible if you’re determined. :)

Erlbacher - located in the USA | Website | Facebook | Cone link | Seller website can only process United States orders so consider emailing if outside of the states. Cones are 6 3/4″ high with a 2 5/8″ diameter base. This cone is compatible with their drill attachment simple cone winder that requires manual yarn guiding to load. | Drill winder link | What you see on the right is the Drill Winder attachment for cone winding using a drill. It requires holding the drill and directing yarn onto the cone correctly.

I bought and tested this winder on extensively in Dec 2023 - while at a lower cost than some winders - I found how the yarn is threaded through the machine into the directional barrel between the machine and barrel a big issue when winding problems occur at the yarn source - yarn is trapped and cannot be removed without cutting. This is a GOOD winder but for me I found it less ideal.

Storing all the pieces for easy setup/tear down was not convienent for me - to use this winder one needs a specific table length to position and provide your own clamps to attach both the winder and separate tension unit OR as they recommend, to create a large wood board with clamps (I used heavy duty velcro). Therefore everything became an issue for storing all in one small space.

This winder had a unexplained loud clicking (confirmed normal with Maurice), had issues with yarn wind creeping up the top of the cone with slightly thicker yarn (cannot be centered on the cone) and would only work with the cones I bought with the winder.

SEE MY EXPERIENCE with this winder

Hong Kong Knitbox | WeaveR cone winder by Sunny Choi | Main Etsy Listing - Winder accessories | Prior on YouTube | Website | This maker (at the time this is entered here) offers two models, the main model with wire swift (Twister) and digital counter CW-100 and the CW-100EX which is the base machine minus the swift and counter.

My conclusion on this winder - It arrived with surprisingly unfinished edges, uneven paint, was slow and poorly packed for shipping (damaged in transit), and had continued issues with the tension feed from the yarn source to the winder. For the cost of this winder and the poor customer service I would recommend persons seek other options in a winder. I gave this winder away. Note there are other knock-offs making a lesser version with even more issues. Buyer beware.

See my blog entry HongKongKnitBox Weaver Electric Cone Winder

3D print your own winder

Royal cone style winder that is electric or manual by Holger Pandel | Files online | For the manual example see YARN WINDER-MANUAL

Misc Winders out and about(Listed in no particular order)

Heather took this vintage winder and upgraded it with 3D printed homemade parts to make an adapter that fit the spindle for cone using and a guide that directed the yarn onto that cone. | Email: heather.carter1@ntlworld.com

Hague Knitting Accessories - PDB Electric Yarn Winder | Winder on YouTube |

Industrial design Video for inspiration

Nancy Knit Knacks | Winder on YouTube |

Bobbin Winder - Leclerc | Website | Adapter Video on YouTube - etsy store on hold since 2017 |

Winch with spooling device Video - could be adapted to cone winding - uses a chain

Justheretobraap Reddit post on progress of winder

GSN Knit | Website | Winder on YouTube | Winder on YouTube |

дмитрий моталка | Winder on YouTube |

RUSXEMA.COM | Winder on YouTube | Website use google translate to see in english |

Андрей Хрущ | Winder on YouTube |

Ирина Майсей | Winder on YouTube |

LU Winder by Motocono | Winder on YouTube |

This page is a work in progress.
Feel other suppliers should be listed? Please email me with their complete with a brief summary of items and info for website submission consideration.