Io8 HINTS TO MANUFACTURERS. Sept. 28 



Hints to MannfaBiirers on Spinning of Combed 

 Wool by Machinery. 



In the Lift number of this work, fome hhits were given re- 

 fpeitin^^ the fpinning of carding wool, by machinery. I now 

 proceed to make fome oblervations on the fpinning q^ combed 

 wool by machinery alfo. 



I .have not heard that any thing of tliis fort has been yet 

 attempted ; it feems to me to be very practicable, though the 

 procefs mufh be, in feveral refpefls, different from that pradlifed 

 for carded wool. 



A mode of fpinning combed wool prevails in AberJeenfliire^ 

 in Scotland, that I have not met with any wliere elfe, which 

 fuggefls a hint for fpinning combed wool by machinery : yarn 

 fpun In this manner is there called p.ah, A common wheel 

 that was nfed for fpinning cotton, before the introduflion of 

 Arkwright's raacliinery, was ufed for that purpofe. The fpln- 

 iier takes in her left hand a tape * of combed wool, enters that 

 to the point of the fpindle, and with the light hand turns the 

 ■wheel ; as the fpindle is turned round, the thread is drawn out 

 by pujling back the left hand, exaflly as in fpinning carded 

 ■vvool from rcnus ; and when it is twilled enough, the wheel is 

 turned a I ttle back, and it is then put up on a pirn with great 

 ncatnefs and exf)editIon : this manceuvre is repeated veiy fafl, 

 tl.e thread, at one time, being drawn out only about a yard at 

 fartheft, the tape of wool being held loofeiy in the hand, fo as 

 to be brought gradually forward till the whole is fpun, when 

 another is joined to it, and fo on. In this way a woman will 

 fpin cafi'y, in tlie coiirfe of a day, about double the r^uantlty of 

 yarn flie could do in any other way. The thread is generally 

 little iwiiled and y7«r^, from which circumftance it has obtained 

 the denomination oifiab. 



* A tape of wool, in the technical l.mguape of the manufaftii- 

 rer, is a long; connedled parcel of vnol, in the ft?itc it comes 

 from the combs Several of thefe are uf.ially put up together, lb 

 as 10 mfke a pound weight, and twifted a 'little, in which ftate 

 this kind of wool is ufuallv offered to file. 



