Posted by Maureen on Thursday, 30 March 2000, at 9:49 p.m.:
In Reply to: spinning wheel posted by Suellen Cowley on Friday, 24 March 2000, at 7:59 p.m.:
I'm not familiar with the name Gerard Gerhardt, so I
can't help you with the price or history of the wheel.
The part that attaches the treadle (the part your foot
pedals) to the crank on the wheel is called the footman.
If your husband enjoys woodworking, the footman is a
relatively easy part to make. It would probably be easiest
if you found another old wheel to use as a sample.
You can make a temporary footman by just using a
piece of string or leather cord (shoelace) to attach the
crank to the treadle. Make sure the string or cord is
not elastic. Use a drop of oil at the crank for
lubrication.
It's a wise idea to make sure the wheel works before
you buy it (unless it's a real beauty and you just want it
for decoration). It can be very expensive to
replace missing parts on a wheel.
Good Luck!