Maintenance
Swift and Skein-winder Maintenance
The manual swift and skein-winder need the following maintenance:
None
Bearings
The main shaft and bearings need no maintenance. In the unlikely event that the bearings wore out and the shaft did not turn true anymore, then these bearings are replaceable by the user in the field. The bearings do not need lubrication.
Main Shaft
Not subject to any wear or problems. The shaft does not need lubrication.
Original Wooden Yarn Guides
The user must make sure that these do not loosen up through use. If they start to loosen up (the machine screw is not tight into the wooden dowel) then the metal insert in the dowel that the screw goes into can start to work its way out and then there may be a catastrophic failure.
If the metal insert in the dowel starts to come out, the part needs to be replaced. It cannot be repaired.
We recommend in that case that the user upgrade to the new Flexi-skeiner guides which use some of the user's existing parts. The user uses some new parts provided in the kit and combine them with some of their existing parts to end up with a new Flexi-skeiner guide which will not break.
Since the user's original aluminum arms had their measurement decals applied when the wooden guides were included, the user will have to add an additional 1/4" to their measurements. There is no easy way to upgrade these decals in the field. Users should simply add a mark 1/4" further out from the middle after each key indicator line. This revision will then allow the user to accurately measure skein sizes after they have upgraded to the new flexi-skeiner guides.
Wooden Handle
The wooden handle must also be kept tight at all times. It is also subject to the same possible loosening effect that the wooden yarn guides are subject to but to a leser extent.
All new production includes a slightly different handle design which can never fail for theis reason.
Aluminum arms
There is no need to lubricate the tracks in the arms.
Sleds and Brakes
The brakes should last a long time (probably for the life of the product). If they ever need to be replaced (or if you lose one), you can order a brake and easily install it yourself.
The black knobs need no maintenance.