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The spindles listed are below are on this page.
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Button will always bring you back here from anywhere on this
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Our
flagship -- the spindle that made Hatchtown Farm!
What do I mean by that?
Oh yeah! It's about I time that I formally announced that the "Production" spindle of 1998 is a "Fancy"! Explanation?? Well, it used to be that the "Fancy" spindle, besides being a couple of inches longer was also fancier than than the "Production". My problem was that that I kept making the "Productions" prettier and prettier -- couldn't restrain myself! <G> I was running out of ways to keep the "Fancys" fancier than the "Productions"! So, it is now OFFICIAL! -- the only difference between the "Production" and the "Fancy" is the shaft length!
The
"Fancy" these days is simply the "Production Drop
Spindle" with a 2"+/- longer shaft. The longer shaft
does sometimes provide space for an extra set of decorative turnings.
This
is just a "normal" drop spindle -- I don't do plain,
but a little bit of normal doesn't hurt too much -- for
the spinner who does not want a "center-draft" hook
-- a dyed-in-the-wool <gggg> half-hitcher!
Okay, I admit it! ...I'm not real happy with the name I've picked for this spindle ...Pam absolutely HATES it! I thought about calling it something like the "Jerry Low Whorl" because it was when I was making the new "Jerry" high whorl that the real need for a shortened "full-size" low whorl hit me. <G>
You can think of the "Stubby" as a miniaturized "Production" or as a "dowel-shafted Spinimal" having the Hatchtown center-draft, slotted hook -- either makes as much sense as the other.
Well, never mind, it's a neat spindle -- the three Stubbys we took to MD S&W disappeared off the rack before noon. Come to think of it, no one even bothered to ask what the little things were called!
I'm exercising some freedom in the sizing of the "Stubby" -- making some real short (5" - "Spinimal"-sized), others are longer -- up around an 8" shaft length. I turn the whorls proportional to the shaft length. Let me know what you want!
As of late January 2002: There
are no Turkish spindles in inventory. And I have to say
that it will be MONTHS before I'd be making up a new batch of
arms.
While you can put in an order for a Turkish, it would be with the understanding that the wait for it might be so long that you'll forget you're waiting.
The shaft tapers from a 1/4" diameter at the top to 3/4" just below the whorl. Shaft's top is usually finished with a groove and knob for half-hitching. A popular option is to have the shaft fitted with the Production's "center-draft"slotted hook. The shaft below the whorl is embellished with unique, decorative turnings.
The spinner may opt to randomly wrap the finished yarn around
the arms of the whorl. 
The
shaft then pulls out from below - the arms separate and pull out
- leaving a ball of yarn.
The Hatchtown Turk's shaft is available with either a standard groove/knob-type end or with our center-draft slotted hook. Regarding the hook: I used to warn people that they might need to use a paper quill on the shaft because of the hook maybe getting tangled up when trying to dismantle the spindle with a yarnball/cop in place. I've now been told 100+ times by very very happy owners of "hooked Turks" that my fears are groundless, ...and that I should shut up. So, it's apparently not as tricky to slide the hooked shaft down through the middle of the wound-on yarnball as it seemed to me. What do I know? Not much, Jim! Yeah, I just make the things! <G>
A most
minimal spindle -- usually weighing a bit more than half an ounce
-- for spinning the finest yarns and/or the shortest staples.
It's tiny! Just the thing to have in your bag to help you survive
the next visit to DMV.
The shaft tapers from 3/8" at the whorl to an almost point at the top. Below the whorl I turn a decorative, long-spinning point. These days I'm doing laminated whorls as well as out of solid woods.
The pic at right shows 8 of the "hooked" variety of Spinimal.