My jammy daughter has been given a Haldane wheel by a member of our spinning group!
It has taken several hours of jiggling, adjusting and oiling but it is now working much more smoothly than it was. It is much harder to treadle than my Ladybug, but is growing on me. I look forward to finding out more about this wheel.
I also managed to get half an alpaca fleece for a huge £2.50 so I don’t feel left out in the goodies stakes!
Spinstar Creations 
What a lucky girl, I hope she has many years of happy spinning with it. Haldanes are so solidly made aren’t they. Such a shame they don’t make them any more; I would very much like a Haldane Orkney (although I am very satisfied with my Ashford Traveller).
I have learnt loads from this wheel because it is so easy to see which bit does what – I think it could come to bits and fit into a neat little box without having to use a screwdriver anywhere, it all just slots together! Going to have to work out the best way to clean up the wood next…
Well done on rescuing this wheel and giving it a new lease of life. Haldanes have a lovely rustic look and if your daughter gets use out of it then it’s both beautiful and functional. Perfect.
I know you’ve brought a few wheels back to life – any suggestions on what to clean the wood with? I’m nervous!!
hello- I now own a Haldane like the saxon-type wheel that you have pictured. It arrived with one back leather bearing gone and a replacement maiden that looks like it was made a century before. I have replaced the bearing with a belt leather cut-out, and have oiled up the wheel with tung oil etc. It had been very neglected.
I’m not used to a double drive and find the treadle difficult and hard to control. Do you have any suggestions for making this wheel more approachable? It is all there and very presentable but is cantankerous and only accepts me some of the time as in rarely. Love a response to this question. For a few brief moments, it spun beautifully, very silent and comforting but shifted gears on me in a few moments. I know its in there but doesn’t seem to want to arrive.
Hi Ronnie
I have to say that I still find the Haldane rather temperamental! I don’t use it a great deal, partly because I love my Ladybug, and partly because every time I go to use it I have to move it and the legs fall off (which I have heard is traditional for Haldanes…)! Also, it seems very keen to rotate backwards as soon as you stop treadling.
However, when I have stuck with it I have managed to build up a rhythm and improve things it is good to use. I’d try:
oiling anywhere there is a metal part;
adjusting how the footman is attached to the treadle;
checking that the wheel and whorls are in line and possibly try adding a weight of some sort to the wheel to see if it can be persuaded to keep spinning in the same direction (maybe a blob of blu tack or a coin attached with blu tack?).
I removed the drive band for a while and tried to get the treadle/wheel working happily together, then added further adjustments.
Also, the top of the footman seemed to lean in towards the wheel, so tried to push it away and keep it upright by winding some string around the side of the joint nearer the wheel
some of these are a bit hit and miss, but worth a go! Let me know how it goes.
Thank you. I will try a few of those suggestions. Spin on.