I know, right? The delight at seeing the compact little spinner for the first time. Mine arrived on only the third day after I ordered, and I didn't expect it to even have been shipped yet. I might have a tiny tweek needed, but it works so well as it is, I hesitate to change anything. 😊
Well if it’s working well for you, I wouldn’t change a thing. I think the favourite alteration I made is to change the tension system for a spring and cord. I definitely notice that it pulls in more consistently with this alteration and I don’t need to run the motor quite so fast.
Oh you’re very welcome! I love the Nano, but its affordability means that quite a few compromises were made to keep the price down. It’s probably the wheel I use the most - so I want it to be all it can possibly be 😀
Hey Kathryn! I got the upgrade package, but I have noted that some Nano 2 users with take-up problems are finding that the screw that attaches the tension knob to the body of the machine needs to be tightened. I noticed you saying several times "Ah, that's better," then a moment later, "No, it's pigtailing again." This is what I've seen users with this loose screw problem saying. Removing the screw altogether may also allow you to more firmly attach your tension cord to the tension knob as well. Hope that helps!
Ooh interesting, that’s a problem I hadn’t heard of. I’ll take a look at that tomorrow. I was intentionally spinning from carded fibre, as this is more likely to catch somewhere and affect take up. I felt like I was clearing the tangle momentarily before it got caught up again somewhere, but there were definitely several factors causing the reduced take up.
@@KathrynCraftmehappy I agree. This makes it very difficult for new spinners to get started, unfortunately. Every day there are multiple posts from noobs who can't figure it out (and aren't searching for the already given solutions from experienced spinners). I worry that this turns them off of spinning from the jump. Not everyone is as persistent as you and I--that's for sure! :)
I know, it’s such a shame! The problem is that Maurice is kind of in a catch 22 situation. They’re mass produced so that he can keep the price as low as possible so that it’s affordable for new spinners. Unfortunately, this does seem to mean that they aren’t individually spin tested in the way that a significantly more expensive e-spinner would be. My hope is that this is just teething problems with the first batch off the production line and they’ll be better checked in the future but sadly there will already be a lot of spinners put off because it’s just ’too hard’.
@@KathrynCraftmehappy Yeah, I agree. You add that to the learning curve of drafting and that makes for a whole lot of disappointment. Did my suggestion help? I'm curious, since I only did the upgrade and don't have the tension knob. :)
@@jenthulhu I got quite a bit of spinning done today. I had no take-up issues at all, and I didn’t need to adjust my tension knob at all, so I don’t think I had an issue with that. I think my primary issue was the roughness inside the orifice reducer followed by the yarn getting caught on the hooks and then the tension band being unresponsive. Having filled half a bobbin now, I’m definitely noticing the increase in motor power which is very pleasing.
I noticed you have done something to the top of the battery when you sit the Nano on top? What modifications have you made to the battery? And the wat you placed the leader into the bobbin end is genius…Thanks
Thank you! I’ve cut a piece of Perspex to the same size as my battery and then used Velcro dots to attach it to the battery. I find that the suction cups only attach to very shiny surfaces. I wrote about the modifications I made to the Nano 1.1 here - www.craftmehappy.com/2020/02/electric-eel-wheel-nano-orifice-reducer.html
They are made in a very similar way to the ones that I demonstrate in this video - th-cam.com/video/UFGBQBnTIn0/w-d-xo.html I use 1mm plated copper jewellery wire that I wind around a 10mm knitting needle to make a split ring. I then use pliers to put a couple of right angles into the wire and wrap it a couple of times around the flyer arm and cut it close to the flyer with metal snips. They are just slightly more difficult to make as the flyer arms don’t detach like they do on the 1.1.
@@KathrynCraftmehappy thank you for your videos and help. I had reached out to Dreaming Robots after receiving my nano and experiencing the same issues as you noted in this video. I was very close to returning it. I’ve decided to keep it and will perform the same modifications as you have noted in this video.
Lovely! It is a brilliant little e-spinner, once all of the quirks are ironed out. Just removing the orifice reducer will help you to isolate whether that is your main problem.
@@KathrynCraftmehappy that was one of the first things I did. I think the primary flaw is the brake band. I have spare brake band for my Ashford E3 spinning wheel, but I think I can find the right springs at the hardware store and the rest of the materials at Michael’s (craft store here in the US).
@@kathleencoventry4801 some people just use a short elastic band knotted to some non-stretchy cord instead of a spring. I should think that this would work well enough to help you decide if the elastic brake band is your issue.
To be honest, I haven’t been able to test it to its limits so it’s a bit early to say. I was perfectly happy with the 1.1 for spinning singles, but I do find it’s a bit too sedate for plying. Maurice says this one is about 10% faster so I’m hoping that that will be the ‘oomph’ I need to make plying on it more fun. If you’re pretty happy with your upgraded Nano 1, it’s probably not a big enough change to make the leap…
I know, right? The delight at seeing the compact little spinner for the first time. Mine arrived on only the third day after I ordered, and I didn't expect it to even have been shipped yet. I might have a tiny tweek needed, but it works so well as it is, I hesitate to change anything. 😊
Well if it’s working well for you, I wouldn’t change a thing.
I think the favourite alteration I made is to change the tension system for a spring and cord. I definitely notice that it pulls in more consistently with this alteration and I don’t need to run the motor quite so fast.
Thank you for these wonderful hacks. They have helped me fall in love with my Nano once more…
So generous
Oh you’re very welcome! I love the Nano, but its affordability means that quite a few compromises were made to keep the price down. It’s probably the wheel I use the most - so I want it to be all it can possibly be 😀
Hey Kathryn! I got the upgrade package, but I have noted that some Nano 2 users with take-up problems are finding that the screw that attaches the tension knob to the body of the machine needs to be tightened. I noticed you saying several times "Ah, that's better," then a moment later, "No, it's pigtailing again." This is what I've seen users with this loose screw problem saying. Removing the screw altogether may also allow you to more firmly attach your tension cord to the tension knob as well. Hope that helps!
Ooh interesting, that’s a problem I hadn’t heard of. I’ll take a look at that tomorrow.
I was intentionally spinning from carded fibre, as this is more likely to catch somewhere and affect take up. I felt like I was clearing the tangle momentarily before it got caught up again somewhere, but there were definitely several factors causing the reduced take up.
@@KathrynCraftmehappy I agree. This makes it very difficult for new spinners to get started, unfortunately. Every day there are multiple posts from noobs who can't figure it out (and aren't searching for the already given solutions from experienced spinners). I worry that this turns them off of spinning from the jump. Not everyone is as persistent as you and I--that's for sure! :)
I know, it’s such a shame! The problem is that Maurice is kind of in a catch 22 situation. They’re mass produced so that he can keep the price as low as possible so that it’s affordable for new spinners. Unfortunately, this does seem to mean that they aren’t individually spin tested in the way that a significantly more expensive e-spinner would be.
My hope is that this is just teething problems with the first batch off the production line and they’ll be better checked in the future but sadly there will already be a lot of spinners put off because it’s just ’too hard’.
@@KathrynCraftmehappy Yeah, I agree. You add that to the learning curve of drafting and that makes for a whole lot of disappointment. Did my suggestion help? I'm curious, since I only did the upgrade and don't have the tension knob. :)
@@jenthulhu I got quite a bit of spinning done today. I had no take-up issues at all, and I didn’t need to adjust my tension knob at all, so I don’t think I had an issue with that.
I think my primary issue was the roughness inside the orifice reducer followed by the yarn getting caught on the hooks and then the tension band being unresponsive.
Having filled half a bobbin now, I’m definitely noticing the increase in motor power which is very pleasing.
Thank you so much for filming this, some really helpful tips. Now for my unboxing...!
You’re very welcome, have fun getting to know it!
I noticed you have done something to the top of the battery when you sit the Nano on top? What modifications have you made to the battery? And the wat you placed the leader into the bobbin end is genius…Thanks
Thank you! I’ve cut a piece of Perspex to the same size as my battery and then used Velcro dots to attach it to the battery. I find that the suction cups only attach to very shiny surfaces.
I wrote about the modifications I made to the Nano 1.1 here - www.craftmehappy.com/2020/02/electric-eel-wheel-nano-orifice-reducer.html
How did you make your yarn guides, including materials used?
They are made in a very similar way to the ones that I demonstrate in this video - th-cam.com/video/UFGBQBnTIn0/w-d-xo.html
I use 1mm plated copper jewellery wire that I wind around a 10mm knitting needle to make a split ring. I then use pliers to put a couple of right angles into the wire and wrap it a couple of times around the flyer arm and cut it close to the flyer with metal snips.
They are just slightly more difficult to make as the flyer arms don’t detach like they do on the 1.1.
@@KathrynCraftmehappy thank you for your videos and help. I had reached out to Dreaming Robots after receiving my nano and experiencing the same issues as you noted in this video. I was very close to returning it. I’ve decided to keep it and will perform the same modifications as you have noted in this video.
Lovely! It is a brilliant little e-spinner, once all of the quirks are ironed out. Just removing the orifice reducer will help you to isolate whether that is your main problem.
@@KathrynCraftmehappy that was one of the first things I did. I think the primary flaw is the brake band. I have spare brake band for my Ashford E3 spinning wheel, but I think I can find the right springs at the hardware store and the rest of the materials at Michael’s (craft store here in the US).
@@kathleencoventry4801 some people just use a short elastic band knotted to some non-stretchy cord instead of a spring. I should think that this would work well enough to help you decide if the elastic brake band is your issue.
Would you recommend upgrading to this model? I have the original nano with the upgraded motor.
To be honest, I haven’t been able to test it to its limits so it’s a bit early to say. I was perfectly happy with the 1.1 for spinning singles, but I do find it’s a bit too sedate for plying. Maurice says this one is about 10% faster so I’m hoping that that will be the ‘oomph’ I need to make plying on it more fun.
If you’re pretty happy with your upgraded Nano 1, it’s probably not a big enough change to make the leap…