Schacht SPINNING WHEEL WS6502 Quick guide

MATCHLESS DOUBLE-
TREADLE SPINNING WHEELTM
assembly,maintenance &
warranty
Find out more at schachtspindle.com
Schacht Spindle Company 6101 Ben Place Boulder, CO 80301
p. 303.442.3212 f. 303.447.9273
© 2019 Schacht Spindle Company, Inc. 04.19
WS6502
WS6504

– 2 –
DOUBLE-TREADLE WHEEL
rear leg
drive band tension
knob
yer
orice
yer whorl
bobbin
mother-of-all
Scotch tension peg
front maiden
quick-release
lever
footmen
right treadle
adjustable
foot
front leg
rear leg
treadle support
bar
adjustable
foot
treadle support
brace
rear leg
left treadle
rear brace
drive band
IMPORTANT! Don’t throw away the shipping box and box inserts for your
spinning wheel. Save them in case you ever have to ship or pack your wheel.
drive wheel

– 3 –
REQUIRED TOOLS
#2 Phillips screwdriver
books or blocks of wood
UNPACKING YOUR WHEEL
Unpack the box and make sure you have
all the parts.
PARTS & HARDWARE
Large box:
1X double-treadle wheel
1X tensioned lazy kate
2X treadles with attached treadle
yokes
1X treadle support bar
Small box:
1X yer, bobbin, and medium speed
whorl (fast whorl is attached to the
rear leg behind the mother-of-all)
3X bobbins
Bag:
1X threading hook
1X 4 mm hex wrench
1X 5 mm hex wrench
1X Scotch tension brake spring and
cord
1X extra drive band
2X footman hardware assemblies
10X #8 x 1/2" Phillips truss head sheet
metal screws
2X #8 x 1" Phillips truss head sheet
metal screws
1X treadle support brace
We are pleased that you have chosen one of our Schacht spinning wheels and trust that
it will give you many fruitful hours of spinning. We have taken great care in the design
of our wheels to make them efcient and sturdy as well as aesthetically pleasing. Our
wheels are constructed using traditional woodworking joinery, following the concept
that form follows function. We feel that good design and quality craftsmanship, along
with regular maintenance, ensures that your wheel will endure.
Each part has been specially designed with function in mind. During manufacturing, we
inspect every part for quality, and a skilled craftsperson completed the nal assembly.
Should you have any questions about the quality of the work or the materials, please do
not hesitate to contact your dealer or our customer service department directly.
Your Schacht spinning wheel is a precision tool, having many moving parts that require
regular care and maintenance. The better you understand your wheel, the more able
you will be to take advantage of its many features.
Please read this booklet before you start spinning on your wheel.

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assembling your wheel
Work on a raised surface such as a table
or counter (covered in a blanket or towel).
ATTACHING THE TREADLES
1. Place the left treadle and right treadle
wrong side up on the work surface, with
their straight edges facing you and their
narrow curved ends pointing inward
(Figure 1). The treadles should lie at: let
the hardware on the curved ends hang off
the back of the work surface or set them
on books or blocks of wood.
2. Orient the treadle support bar with
the treadle hinges on the bottom facing
you and their holes lined up with the pilot
holes on the underside of each treadle
(Figure 1).
3. Using a Phillips screwdriver, attach
the treadle hinge to the left treadle
using ve #8 x 1/2" Phillips truss head
sheet metal screws. Insert a screw at
the innermost edge and fasten loosely,
then insert the screw at the outermost
edge (Figure 2). Tighten the screw
only until it stops turning. Go back and
tighten the rst screw, then insert the
remaining three screws. Be careful not
to overtighten the screws. Repeat for the
right treadle.
ATTACHING THE TREADLE
SUPPORT BRACE
4. In front of the treadle support bar,
position the treadle support brace with its
long angled edge down (Figure 3). Using
two #8 x 1" Phillips truss head sheet
metal screws, attach the treadle support
brace to the treadle support bar. Set the
treadle assembly aside.
ATTACHING THE TREADLE
ASSEMBLY
5. Lay the wheel on its back, setting the
rear brace and rear leg on books or blocks
of wood to raise them about 5" from the
surface. (This height allows the wheel to
lie at.)
FIGURE 3: ATTACH THE TREADLE SUPPORT
BRACE
treadle support bar—
angled edge down 1" screws
FIGURE 2: ATTACH THE TREADLES
rst screw second screwsecond screw
FIGURE 1: POSITION TREADLES AND
TREADLE SUPPORT BAR
treadle support
bar (bottom
side)
right treadle
(bottom side)
left treadle
(bottom side)
FIGURE 4: REMOVE HARDWARE
front leg
bolt &
washer
short rod
work surface with blocks elevating
rear leg & rear brace
front leg

– 5 –
6. Using the 4 mm hex wrench, remove
the front leg bolt and washer attaching
the front leg to the cross brace (Figure 4).
Leave the short rod in place on the front
leg.
7. Slightly loosen the lower rear leg bolts
on both rear legs (Figure 5). Do not loosen
or remove any other bolts or screws on the
rear legs. Pivot the cross brace downward
so it lies nearly at.
8. Set the treadle assembly in place:
Hold it by the treadle support bar and
tilt it, tting the curved ends and treadle
yokes under the drive wheel (Figure 6).
Then raise the treadle support bar until
the treadles are perpendicular to the
work surface, so the notches between the
treadles t around the front leg.
9. Pivot the cross brace upwards, back to
its original position behind the front leg.
Make sure that the holes in the treadle
support bar, short rod, front leg, and cross
brace align. Tighten the lower rear leg
bolts on both rear legs.
10. Insert the front leg bolt through the
metal washer, then into holes in the treadle
support bar, the front leg, and the cross
brace (Figure 7). Using the 4 mm hex
wrench, fasten the leg bolt loosely.
11. Set the wheel upright. Center the
treadles between the rear legs of the wheel
or they will hit the rear legs as you treadle.
If necessary, the treadle support bar can
slide a bit to the left or right to center the
treadles. Once the treadles are centered,
securely fasten the front leg bolt.
ATTACHING THE FOOTMEN
12. Gather the footman hardware
assemblies. Remove the cotter pins and
nylon washers from the clevis pins. Turn
the spinning wheel, still upright, so that
you can reach the footmen in the back.
13. The left treadle attaches to the
footman that is closest to the back of the
wheel. Place the footman leather inside
the treadle yoke and line up the holes.
Put a washer on a clevis pin and insert FIGURE 7: ATTACH THE FRONT LEG BOLT
leg bolt &
washer
treadle
support bar
front leg
cross
brace
FIGURE 6: POSITION TREADLE ASSEMBLY
treadle
assembly
FIGURE 5: MOVE CROSS BRACE
cross brace
lower rear
leg bolt
lower rear
leg bolt

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the clevis pin from the back of the wheel
towards the front. Put another washer on
the clevis pin and secure by inserting a
cotter pin through the clevis pin until the
cotter pin is about halfway through the
clevis pin (Figure 8).
14. The right treadle is attached in the
same way, but the clevis pin should be
inserted through the footman and treadle
yoke from the front of the wheel toward
the back.
Fine-tuning your wheel
ADJUSTING THE FRONT LEGS
The front legs of your spinning wheel
can be adjusted to accommodate uneven
oors. Simply loosen the lock nut and
screw the foot up or down as needed, then
tighten the lock nut (Figure 9).
ADJUSTING THE TREADLE HEIGHT
This adjustment is only necessary if your
treadle is either rubbing the drive wheel
or hitting the rear leg cross support. To
adjust the treadle height, remove the
cotter pin from the clevis pin (Figure 8)
and pull the clevis pin out of the treadle
yoke. Rotate the treadle yoke clockwise to
raise the treadle and counterclockwise to
lower the treadle. Make only two or three
turns and reassemble the footman and
treadle yoke. Repeat this adjustment until
you are satised with the position of the
treadle.
ADJUSTING THE FRONT MAIDEN
We have adjusted the maiden stop (Figure
10) at the factory, but you should check
to see that it is adjusted properly for your
wheel. Look down from the top to where
the yer shaft enters the front bearing.
There should be a space of 1/16" to 1/8"
between the bearing and the shoulder of
the yer shaft (Figure 10). If there is not,
fold down the front maiden and use the 5
mm hex wrench to adjust the maiden stop
in or out as needed. Fold the front maiden
up and check the t. FIGURE 9: ADJUSTING THE FRONT LEGS
lock nut
foot
treadle
support
bar
treadle
FIGURE 8: ATTACH FOOTMEN
left treadle
(side view)
right treadle
(side view)
clevis
pin
footman
wood
footman
leather
nylon
washer
nylon
washer
treadle
yoke
cotter
pin

– 7 –
using your wheel
CHANGING BOBBINS
Open the quick-release lever on the front
maiden (Figure 10). Hold the yer with
one hand and pivot the front maiden
forward until the yer orice comes out of
the front maiden bearing. Hold the drive
band up and out of the way as you pull the
yer towards you until the yer shaft is
out of the rear maiden bearing. Remove
the yer whorl. (Unlike most spinning
wheel yer whorls that screw onto the
yer shaft, our quick-attach whorls push
on and pull off the square part of the yer
shaft.) Remove the bobbin and replace
it with another one. If you are spinning
in double drive mode, face the small end
of the bobbin toward the yer whorl; in
Scotch tension mode, the large end of the
bobbin faces the yer whorl.
INSTALLING THE FLYER ASSEMBLY
Open the quick-release lever on the front
maiden (Figure 10). Swing the front
maiden forward. Insert the yer-bobbin-
whorl assembly tting the small end
of the yer shaft into the rear maiden
bearing. Be sure to lift the drive band up
and over the bobbin and whorl pulleys.
Pivot the front maiden up and t the yer
orice into the front maiden bearing. Push
the quick-release lever away from you to
secure the yer.
DOUBLE DRIVE MODE
We have shipped your wheel set up for
double drive mode, with a medium speed
yer whorl. (The fast speed whorl is
attached to the wheel behind the rear
leg. Use whichever whorl you prefer and
store the unused whorl in this location,
attaching it securely with the knob.)
For double drive mode, the small end of
the bobbin faces the yer whorl (Figure
11). Place one loop of the drive band over
the small end on the bobbin and the other
loop over one of the grooves (pulleys) of
the yer whorl. FIGURE 11: DOUBLE DRIVE MODE
large end
of bobbin
small end
of bobbin
yer
whorl
yer whorl
storage
drive band
tension
knob
double
drive
band
FIGURE 10: THE FRONT MAIDEN AND
MOTHER-OF-ALL
shoulder
of yer
shaft
front maiden &
front bearing
(tilted forward to
show detail)
quick-release lever
maiden
stop
front
bearing

– 8 –
Adjust the tension on the drive band by
turning the drive band tension knob. Start
with a loose drive band. Begin to treadle
slowly, tightening the tension knob until
the yer and bobbin both begin to turn.
Now you can begin to spin. Turn the
tension knob in a clockwise direction to
increase the take-up of the yarn onto the
bobbin or counter-clockwise to reduce the
amount of take-up.
SCOTCH TENSION OR
FLYER LEAD MODE
Remove the yer (see the “Changing
Bobbins” section) and install the Scotch
tension brake spring and cord.
Slide the loop end of the Scotch tension
brake spring and cord under the rear bar,
laying the loop to one side (Figure 12).
You can use your threading hook to pull
the loop up if needed. Adjust the Scotch
tension peg so that the hole in the shaft is
visible. Pull the straight end of the cord
over the front bar and into the hole. Tie
a double knot in the end of the cord to
secure it.
Install the yer with the large end of the
bobbin toward the back of the wheel
(Figure 13). Place the loop over the large
end of the bobbin and the drive band
over the whorl. (You can double the drive
band for Scotch tension although we
recommend tying a single drive band.)
The drive band should be taut but not
overly tight.
Turn the Scotch tension peg to take up
the slack in the cord, allowing the cord
to wind around its shaft. If the cord slips
and won’t wind up, you can make a double
knot about 1" from the end of the knot. Do
not cut the cord.
Now you can start spinning. To increase
the amount of take-up of your yarn onto
the bobbin, adjust the Scotch tension peg
to stretch the spring. To decrease the
amount of take-up, adjust the peg to relax
the spring.
FIGURE 13: SCOTCH TENSION MODE
rear bar
scotch
tension
peg
quick-release
lever
straight
end
loop end
FIGURE 12: INSTALL THE SCOTCH TENSION
BRAKE
single
drive
band
Scotch
tension
peg
brake
cord
small end
of bobbin
large end
of bobbin
yer
whorl
front
bar
hole in
shaft
straight
end

– 9 –
best to tie a separate drive cord following
the instructions above. Several drive cords
can be left on the wheel at the same time:
simply fold up the ones not in use and let
them hang from the maiden or the front
leg.
USING DIFFERENT FLYER WHORLS
The type of ber you are spinning and
the kind of yarn you want to produce will
determine which yer whorl to use. Your
spinning wheel comes with a medium
speed whorl and a fast speed whorl. We
offer four other whorls (see the chart).
The general rules to remember: the larger
(slower) the whorl, the thicker the yarn,
the less the twist, and the greater the take-
up. In double drive mode, you can increase
or decrease the take-up by adjusting the
drive band tension knob. In Scotch tension
mode, use the Scotch tension peg to adjust
tension on the brake spring and cord.
In Scotch tension mode, the yarn will
wind onto the bobbin in the opposite
direction from double drive mode. This
does not affect your spinning unless you
change spinning modes in the middle of a
bobbin: make sure the new yarn “catches”
on the bobbin so it does not unwind.
THE DRIVE BAND
Your spinning wheel comes with a pre-tied
drive band (tied for double drive) and an
extra length of drive band. For additional
drive bands, use a soft cotton cord about
1/16" thick (an eight- or ten-ply butcher
or package twine works ne). A soft drive
band allows you to use less tension than
a harder, slicker cord, making treadling
easier. While a soft drive band will wear
out more quickly, we believe the gain in
performance is worth more frequently
changing the drive band.
TYING ON A NEW DRIVE BAND
Cut the old drive band and remove it.
For double drive mode, place a bobbin
in the yer with the small end facing the
yer whorl. Use the medium speed whorl.
Adjust the drive band tension knob so that
the yer is parallel to the mother-of-all.
Face the front of the wheel. Hang one end
of the drive band cord over the bobbin
groove so that it hangs down about 12
inches on the right side of the wheel.
On the left side, take the cord down and
around the drive wheel and up and over
the larger pulley of the whorl. Go down
and around the drive wheel a second
time. Bring the end of the cord up to the
rst end. Tie the two ends together using
a square knot. Make sure that the drive
band is very taut, since it will loosen some
with use. Cut off the ends of the cord as
close to the knot as possible.
For Scotch tension, use the same method
above, with the large end of the bobbin
should face the yer whorl. Now tie a
single drive band around the drive wheel
and the whorl. If you are using the slow
speed or extra slow speed whorls, it is
THE WOOD IN YOUR
SPINNING WHEEL
We use hard maple and black walnut in
the nest grades available. All our wood
is kiln-dried to assure its stability under a
variety of conditions. Maple is a strong and
beautiful hardwood that varies in color from
pale cream to biscuit brown. It has a very
ne grain that takes a high polish and is
extremely resistant to abrasion. American
black walnut grows wild as a tall tree of
the rich bottomland forests throughout
the central eastern and midwestern United
States. It is also successfully cultivated in
other parts of the US and Canada. Black
walnut’s deep brown heartwood beautifully
accents the design of your wheel.
WHORL RATIOS
Whorl Ratio
Extra Slow Speed 4:1 / 4.5:1
Slow Speed 6:1 / 7.5:1
Medium Speed (included) 9:1 / 10.5:1
Fast Speed (included) 12.6:1 / 15:1
High Speed* 17:1 / 20:1
Super High Speed* 18:1 / 21:1
*These whorls require our High Speed Bobbin.

– 10 –
front maiden
bearing
rear
bearing
bobbin bearings
FIGURE 14: FLYER SHAFT OILING POINTS
Wood is a natural breathing material, and
like any natural material, it is affected
by its environment. Avoid placing your
wheel near direct heat sources such as
heat vents, wood stoves, space heaters,
and direct sunlight. Heat concentrated on
parts of the wheel can cause them to dry
out and shrink. This shrinkage can cause
weakness in the joints and the warping of
parts. Likewise, place your wheel where it
will be free of damp air, as this can make
wood swell and cause the moving parts
to stiffen and function inefciently. Do
not store your wheel in its box, as the
cardboard will attract moisture and affect
the functioning of your wheel.
THE FINISH ON YOUR SPINNING
WHEEL
Your wheel has been nished with
Danish oil, which penetrates into the
wood. If you need to touch up parts of
your wheel that have gotten chipped or
scuffed, you can lightly sand the worn
area and apply a small amount of nish
using a soft, lint-free rag. Use either Deft
or Watco natural color Danish oil, which
you can nd at most hardware stores.
Follow the directions on the container.
Because of the dangers of spontaneous
combustion, be sure to clean and dispose
of applicators and oily rags according to
the manufacturer’s instructions.
If your wheel is in need of more thorough
cleaning (for example, dirty treadles), you
can wipe it down using mineral spirits and
a rag, then reapply Danish oil. Be sure to
follow the manufacturer’s directions for
disposal of rags.
LUBRICATING MOVING PARTS
Before leaving the factory, your wheel
was lubricated and tested. It may have
sat unused for a while since then, so it
is a good idea to oil your wheel before
starting to spin. Use a drop of oil on the
following parts every couple of hours
while spinning:
FIGURE 15: DRIVE WHEEL OILING POINTS
drive wheel
bearings
footman
contact points

– 11 –
spinning tools & matchless
accessories
BULKY PLYER FLYER
Add new capabilities to your Matchless with the
Bulky Plyer Flyer. The generous 7/8" orice allows
you to spin yarns bigger than ever. The extra-large
capacity bobbin is great for extra-long skeins. The
package includes the bulky yer, front maiden, and
one 8-ounce bulky bobbin.
SPINNING WHEEL CART
The neatest way ever to travel with your spinning
wheel! The cart’s rubber wheels give a smooth ride
and they attach and detach quickly.
NIDDY NODDY
We’ve designed features into our niddy noddy
that we know you as a handspinner will love and
appreciate. It adjusts to make two skein sizes (2 yard
and 1-1/2 yard), folds at, and comes in maple or
cherry wood.
OIL BOTTLE
This is the perfect bottle for getting oil to all of those
out-of-the-way places on spinning wheels. It is useful
for all kinds of household oiling jobs too.
DIZZY YARN GAUGE
This handy tool, with both 1/2" and 1" measures,
can measure wraps per inch or sett. Make a
consistent sliver for spinning using the hole in the
center as a diz.
■front maiden bearing
■rear bearing
■bobbin bearings
■drive wheel bearings
■footman contact points—sparingly
The yer shaft should also be oiled where
it touches the front and rear bearings and
the bobbin bearings (Figures 14 and 15).
Use medium-weight oil such as 20- or
30-weight SAE motor oil.
Carnauba wax or paste wax can be used to
lubricate the leather footmen. •

– 12 –
MAINTENANCE NOTES
Your wheel is both a carefully engineered
piece of equipment and a ne piece of
furniture. A regular schedule of care and
maintenance will ensure you and your
Schacht spinning wheel many productive
years together.
■Periodically clean excess bers from
all parts of your wheel.
■Periodically lubricate the moving parts.
■Touch up worn or chipped areas with
ne 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.)
WHEEL SERIAL NUMBER
The serial number of your spinning wheel
is stamped into the wood on the rear of
the mother-of-all. The rst six digits of the
serial number are the date of assembly.
The remaining digits are a sequence
number for wheels built that day.
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, rst 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 specic 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 oor 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.