SIDEKICK SK7770 Spinning Wheel Instruction Manual

: June 29, 2024
: SIDEKICK

Table of Contents

SIDEKICK SK7770 Spinning Wheel
Product Information
Product Usage Instructions
CONTENTS
ASSEMBLY
USING YOUR WHEEL
MAINTENANCE
STORAGE
TWO YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

SIDEKICK SK7770 Spinning Wheel

Product Information

Specifications

Model: SK7770
Product Name: Sidekick Spinning Wheel
Manufacturer: Schacht Spindle Company
Address: 6101 Ben Place Boulder, CO 80301
Contact: 303.442.3212

Product Usage Instructions

Assembly
Your Sidekick shipped fully folded. To set up for spinning, follow these steps:

Remove the Flyer: Slide the flyer from the left treadle and set it aside.
Detach the Treadles: Unscrew the footman knobs securing the treadles, fold them down, and slide them together in front of the drive wheel. Lock them in place using the quick release lever.
Attach the Footmen: Insert the footman knob shafts into the holes at the front of the metal tabs and screw them in.
Unfold the Front Maiden: Open the front maiden quick release lever, flip the front maiden into a vertical position, and slide it away from the front maiden stop.

Maintenance & Warranty
For maintenance and warranty information, visit schachtspindle.com.

FAQ

Q: How do I fold the Sidekick spinning wheel for travel?
A: Refer to page 6 of the manual for instructions on folding the wheel for travel.
Q: Where can I find additional spinning accessories for my Sidekick?
A: Visit the manufacturer’s website for a range of spinning accessories compatible with your Sidekick spinning wheel.

SIDEKICK TM SPINNING WHEEL
ASSEMBLY, MAINTENANCE & WARRANTY

Find out more at schachtspindle.com
Schacht Spindle Company 6101 Ben Place Boulder, CO 80301 303.442.3212
© 2023 Schacht Spindle Company, Inc.

Thank you for choosing the Sidekick spinning wheel. We hope you will have many pleasurable years together creating wonderful yarn. Please DO read the instructions, even if you usually skip this step. Happy spinning!

ASSEMBLY

Your Sidekick shipped fully folded. Remove the wheel and all accessories from the box. We suggest that you save your box for future travel or shipping.
When you want to travel with your wheel, you can fold it following the directions on page 6. To unfold the Sidekick and set up for spinning, follow these steps:

Remove the flyer from the left treadle: Slide the flyer toward the back of the wheel until the orifice comes out of the hole in the treadle support bar (Figure 1A). Then angle the flyer and pull it forward to remove it from the storage strap (Figure 1B). Set the flyer in a safe place until Step 6.
Detach the treadles: Unscrew the footman knobs that secure the treadles to the sides of the wheel (Figure 1B). Fold down the treadles.
Slide the treadles together until they meet in front of the drive wheel (Figure 2A). Press down the handle of the quick release lever to lock the treadles in place (Figure 2B).
The quick release lever was set at the factory; you should only need to flip its handle left or right. If you have to loosen or tighten it, hold onto the knob in the center brace and turn the handle as needed (Figure 2B).
Attach the footmen: From underneath the treadles, insert the footman knob shafts into the holes at the front of the metal tabs. Screw the knobs into the ends of the footmen (Figure 3).
There are two holes in the metal tab at the end of each treadle. When the wheel is folded, use the hole at the rear of the tab to attach the treadle to the side. When the wheel is unfolded for spinning, use the hole at the front to connect the footman.
Unfold the front maiden: Open the front maiden quick release lever (Figure 4A). Flip the front maiden into a vertical position, then slide it away from the front maiden stop, as far as possible (Figure 4B). Leave the quick release lever open for now.
Unfold the rear maiden: Open the rear maiden quick release lever (Figure 4A). Flip the rear maiden into a vertical position, until it rests against the rear maiden stop (Figure 4B). Close the quick release lever.
Set up the flyer with bobbin and whorl: One bobbin was stored under the maidens; remove it and place it on the flyer shaft, with the large end at the back of the flyer. Choose one of the whorls attached to the wheel and add it to the flyer shaft (Figure 5). Whenever you install the flyer on the wheel, you can change bobbins and/or switch whorls.
Unhook the drive band and Scotch tension brake: When the wheel is completely folded, the drive band and Scotch tension brake hook around the Scotch tension peg (Figure 4A). To set up for spinning, slip them both off the peg. Keep hold of the drive band so it stays in position on the drive band pulleys. (When the rear maiden is unfolded, you can hook the drive band and tension brake around it.)
Install the flyer on the wheel: Lift the drive band and Scotch tension brake, holding them tightly so the drive band stays in position on the tension pulleys. Slide the flyer through the Scotch tension brake and under the drive band. Place the flyer shaft in the rear bearing. Place the orifice in the front bearing, then slide the front maiden back until it rests against the front maiden stops. Tighten the quick release lever on the front maiden.
The front maiden must be vertical; the rear maiden must be vertical and pushed tightly against its stop (Figure 6). When the maidens are correctly positioned, there will be a gap of about 1/16″ between the front bearing and the shoulder of the flyer shaft. If there is no gap, see “Adjusting the Rear Bearing” below.
Set up Scotch tension: Place the Scotch tension brake into the groove on the bobbin. Stretch the drive band over the whorl and set it into one of the whorl grooves (Figure 6).
Be sure that the drive band travels from the front of the drive wheel, under the left pulley, around the whorl, over the right pulley, and down the back of the drive wheel. There should be no twists in the drive band.
The orifice hook can hang from the slot in the front maiden for convenient storage (Figure 7).
If you wish to use the carrying strap, clip it to the metal rods at the back of the wheel, on the rear maiden and the center brace (Figure 8).

USING YOUR WHEEL

The Sidekick spins in Scotch tension mode, with the drive band going around the whorl and the Scotch tension brake (also called the spring-and-string) going around the bobbin. Always set up the bobbin with its large end at the back of the flyer.
It’s easy to increase and decrease take-up (the speed at which yarn winds onto the bobbin). Start treadling until the flyer spins. To increase the take-up of yarn onto the bobbin, adjust the Scotch tension peg to stretch the spring. To decrease the take-up, adjust the peg to relax the spring.

USING DIFFERENT FLYER WHORLS
The type of fiber you are spinning and the kind of yarn you want to produce will determine which flyer whorl to use. Your spinning wheel comes with a medium speed whorl and a fast speed whorl. We offer other whorls so you can spin any type of yarn you wish. The general rules to remember: the larger (slower) the whorl, the thicker the yarn, the less the twist, and the greater the take-up.

WHORL RATIOS
The extra slow whorl is not recommended for the Sidekick.

Whorl Ratio
Slow Speed 4:1 / 4.8:1
Medium Speed (included) 5.7:1 / 6.8:1
Fast Speed (included) 8:1 / 9:1
High Speed 10:1 / 12: 1
Super High Speed 11:1 / 13:1

CHANGING BOBBINS

Open the front maiden quick release lever and slide the front maiden towards the front of the wheel.
Remove the flyer shaft from the rear bearing and the orifice from the front bearing. Lift the flyer, bobbin, and whorl from the wheel. Hook the Scotch tension brake and the drive band over the Scotch tension peg or the rear maiden.
Remove the whorl from the flyer shaft. Install a new bobbin with the large end at the back of the flyer. Reinstall the whorl or change whorls.
Reinstall the flyer and set up Scotch tension (see Steps 9 and 10 above).

FOLDING THE SIDEKICK
Reverse the steps for unfolding:

Remove the flyer, bobbin, and whorl. Hook the Scotch tension brake and the drive band over the Scotch tension peg.
Remove the whorl and attach to a wheel side with a whorl knob.
Remove the bobbin and set it in the notches at the top of the sides. Fold the rear maiden down over the bobbin. Fold the front maiden down over the rear maiden.
From underneath the treadles, remove the footman knobs.
Open the treadles quick release lever and slide the treadles away from each other. Fold the treadles up against the sides.
Insert the footmen knobs through the rear hole in the metal tab, then screw into the hole on the wheel side. The treadles are now attached to the sides and the footmen will swing freely.
Store the flyer on the left treadle, oriented so that the hooks are next to the treadle. Insert the flyer shaft through the storage strap, then slide the orifice into the hole in the treadle support bar.

You can now easily transport the Sidekick with the carrying strap.

ADJUSTING THE REAR BEARING If the flyer has been correctly installed
(see Step 9 above) but does not spin when you treadle, check for a gap of about 1/16″ between the front bearing and the shoulder of the flyer shaft. If there is no gap, use a #2 Phillips screwdriver to loosen the screw in the rear maiden (Figure 9). Position the flyer correctly, with the gap. Then tighten the screw in the rear maiden.

USING THE TENSIONER
The poly drive band has a memory and can be used with any whorl. Sometimes you will need to tension the drive band, especially when you move from a slower (larger) whorl to a faster (smaller) whorl. If you find that the drive band is slipping, place the drive band over the pulley of the tensioner, located at the back of the wheel on the center brace (Figure 10).
When you are not spinning, remove the drive band from the tensioner; this will extend the life of the drive band.

LUBRICATING MOVING PARTS
Your wheel was lubricated and tested at the factory before it shipped, but it may have sat unused for a while since then. Before spinning, and for every few hours of spinning, oil it with a medium-weight oil such as 20- or 30-weight SAE motor oil.

Use a drop of oil

on the flyer shaft where it touches the bobbin ends (Figure 11A).
where the footmen connect to the cranks (Figure 11B).
The front and rear maiden bearings are self-lubricating and do not require oiling, although oiling will not damage them.

MAINTENANCE

A regular schedule of care and maintenance will ensure you and your Schacht spinning wheel many productive years together.

Periodically clean excess fibers from all parts of your wheel.
Clean dust and dirt from the drive wheel with a damp cloth.
Periodically lubricate the moving parts.
Touch up worn or chipped areas with fine sandpaper and Danish oil.
Check screws for tightness. (Changes in the environment and the action of spinning can cause screws and nuts to loosen over time.)

STORAGE

Try to keep your wheel in a dry, moderate climate and avoid extreme temperatures—store away from direct sunlight.

THE FINISH ON YOUR WHEEL
Your wheel has been finished with Danish oil, which penetrates into the wood. If you need to touch up chips or scuffs, lightly sand the worn area and apply a small amount of finish using a soft, lint-free rag. Use Deft natural color Danish oil, following the directions on the container. Always clean and dispose of applicators and oily rags according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
If your wheel needs more thorough cleaning (for example, dirty treadles), wipe it down using mineral spirits and a rag, then reapply Danish oil as described above.

SERIAL NUMBER
Your wheel’s serial number is stamped in the wood on the underside of the right treadle. The first four digits are the month and year of assembly; remaining digits are the wheel’s identifying number. •

TWO YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY

Schacht products are warranted, to the original consumer purchaser, by Schacht Spindle Company to be free of defects in material and workmanship. Schacht Spindle Company’s obligation under this Warranty shall be limited to the repair or replacement of any part or parts which may prove defective within two (2) years following the date of original purchase by the consumer, and which Schacht Spindle Company’s examination shall disclose to our satisfaction to be thus defective.
If a problem with this Schacht Spindle Company product develops during the warranty period, first contact the Schacht Spindle Company dealer from whom you made the purchase. If the problem cannot be handled through your dealer, contact our customer service department. At our option, it may be required that the product be returned to our factory, freight prepaid, for inspection and repair and/or replacement.
This Warranty covers normal consumer use and does not cover damage which occurs in shipment or damage that results from alteration, accident, misuse, abuse, or neglect.
This Warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights that may vary from state to state.
This Warranty is not valid for equipment that has served as dealer floor models that have outlived the term of the warranty or products that have been purchased through a third party.
Proof of purchase date and a serial number when applicable are required for all Warranty claims.