How Fiber Prep Is Like Riding a Motorcycle

When I wanted to learn to ride a motorcycle, I hit a double bind: I wouldn’t know if I wanted to buy one unless I practiced enough to make an informed decision. But without good bike handling skills, you won’t find anyone to lend you a motorcycle. I faced the same thing when I thought about buying fiber prep tools. A drumcarder or a set of combs or even handcards seemed like opportunities to hurt myself in new and expensive ways.

Filling the tray of a drumcarder lightly and turning the crank until a fine layer of fiber builds up on the drum can create a feeling no less exciting than hugging mountain curves on a purring motorcycle. But if you overload the drums and force the crank, you can ruin a beautiful machine.

Photo by Maggie Casey

All of these things are a little costly, can be dangerous if used carelessly, and take up space. You’ll enjoy all of them more if you have the skills to put them through their paces. And if you’re looking to buy one, the choices can be overwhelming. But unlike a motorcycle, spinning tools are available to try if you ask the right person.

Taking classes from Maggie Casey has let me play with all kinds of lovely spinning tools, and under her watchful eye I’ve never had an accident with fiber prep equipment. Maggie keeps her equipment tuned up and ready to roll, so I know the spinner before me didn’t push the drumcarder a little too hard.

To practice fiber prep, you need access to the equipment and a good teacher. An in-person class can provide both. If you need to learn at your own pace, find an online class you like, and ask your local spinning guild if they rent drumcarders, combs, or other equipment.

(As for my motorcycle, I had to buy a bike to keep learning. I made a bad selection, had a very small accident on the test drive, and wound up the owner of an overpriced lemon that I sold for parts a few months later. But no one was injured, and I still have the license in case I want to ride again.)