The Twisted Sheep eSpinner has been designed with portability in mind and that means being able to power it on the go. We use an INIU 20,000mAh battery bank (available from Amazon) and it will easily power our eSpinner for several days of demonstrations during the various shows we attend.

You can of course use other brands and all you need to watch out for is that the USB-C output supports 15v / 3A / 45W minimum. A higher output capability like 15v / 65W is also perfectly okay to use. Typically we've found that 10,000mAh batteries are likely the smallest that will support the necessary power for the eSpinner.

For those wishing to travel by air, current regulations allow batteries of at least 20,000mAh to be carried in your carry on baggage. Please note that it is the responsibility of each individual to check with their airline prior to flying.

The Twisted Sheep eSpinner uses the Scotch Tension system. This system employs a spring to apply tension to a band that is in contact with the bobbin. Once the spring tension has been set, the spring will work to maintain the set tension thus making the Scotch Tension system self regulating.

To work as intended though, the position of the spring in relation to the direction of rotation is very important. When viewed from the front of the eSpinner, if the direction of rotation is clockwise, the spring should be on the left hand side of the eSpinner. When the direction of rotation is counter clockwise, the spring should be located on the right hand side of the eSpinner.

To make this easy for our users, the tension knobs have been designed for easy removal for swapping them from side to side. Note that the tension band should always go up to the bobbin from the rear of the knobs to ensure the centreline of the tension band is aligned with the bobbin.

We supply 2 metres of spare tension band with each eSpinner as the tension band will inevitably wear out. For those who have run out completely, the tension band we supply is simply 40lb fishing line. After much testing we found that the strength, durability and wear resistance of fishing line was ideal. It is also pretty easy and economical to purchase.

There is very little maintenance required.

Cleaning - A soft slightly damp cloth is likely all you will need to keep the dust off your eSpinner. Note that the electrical connections are not sealed against moisture.

Oil - we've used self lubricating bronze bushings in the bobbins and sealed bearings on the flyer so technically they don't require any oil. If you are concerned about the bronze bushings in the bobbins, you can apply a very small drop of sewing machine oil to the bushings however applying too much may result in oil being thrown outwards which could potentially make its way onto your yarn.

The Twisted Sheep eSpinner has been designed to be able to spin and ply. On the side of the eSpinner there is a forward / reverse switch to change the direction of rotation as needed.

For correct operation it is very important to have the tension spring in the correct position. Please read the "Tensioner" faq if you have not already done so.

The supplied foot pedal works as an on / off switch and requires the user to maintain pressure to continue operation of the eSpinner. When you lift your foot off the pedal, the eSpinner will stop.

We have taken this approach for safety reasons.

For people with a disability who are unable to use a foot pedal, please contact us to discuss options.