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Jan 12

Support Bearing Adjustment for Old Matchless Spinning Wheel

Important: Determine if Walnut Support Bearing is Broken

Tools Needed:

  1. 2-5mm hex wrenches
  2. Ruler

Place a towel on a regular height table. Put wheel on the towel with the back facing you. This is for your comfort and ease of work.

On the SW Rear Leg sides, there are three bolts, one through the MOA. Two through the Support Bearing, loosen these two bolts with the 5 mm hex wrenches. Push the Support Bearing Forward, slightly tighten the bolts to hand tight.

Next, measure:

A good place to measure is where the rear legs start to bend. This is the outside bend of the rear legs about 8 inches off the floor. Make these measurements even, meaning if one is 24/32 inches the other must also be 24/32 inches. This is accomplished by pressing forward or pulling back on either side of the wheel. It can also be accomplished by moving the support bearing adjuster from one side to the other side. Please note: This is already set so instead of moving the adjustor, move the wheel to even the side to side measurements.

Look at the wheel from the side. The distance between the drive wheel and the rear legs at the top and bottom of the drive wheel must be even. Choose a point on the wheel (for example, one of the glued joints or make a light pencil mark or use a sticky note). Measure the distance between the wheel and the rear leg at the top near the MOA. Rotate the wheel point downward until the joint reaches the curve of the rear leg, where the measurement was taken previously for the side to side measurement and measure again.

These two measurements must match; if not, gently manipulate the drive wheel by moving the top or bottom of the wheel, push forward or pull back depending on the measurement until each measurement is the same. Please note: this measurement may vary a little from the side to side measurement. (Example: Top to bottom measurement may be 25/32″, side to side may be 24/32″).

Tighten the bolts in rear legs and MOA.

Set the wheel on the floor with the back facing you. Look down between the wheel and rear legs and between the wheel and the treadle. The spaces on each side should be parallel or even across. If the space between the rear legs and wheel are uneven, re-measure and adjust.