This is how I go when I go like this.......

I have been perfecting my drum carding skills and there are a couple of things that I have learned along the way that for some reason I didn't get before. (Probably because I am more of a skimmer than reader....ya' know I don't really read the directions)

So anyway here are the top five things I have learned about drum carding:

1. A drum carder will not fix a bad fleece....
I don't care how much you spent on said drumcarder if the fleece is coarse it will not
become soft; if it has no crimp no amount of carding will give it crimp.
2. A drum carder can only remove so much VM......
Some vm will come out yes but if the fleece has lots of vm, drum carder or
not better pass it by......
3. You can't just feed the fiber through the carder as is, there is a bit of prep
required.
In other words this clump:

and this clump: need to be teased and opened or all you will have are clumps on your drum.4. Make sure the drum carder you are using is intended for the fiber you
are feeding through it.
i.e. Don't use a coarse cloth carder to card cormo!
5. Read the instructions!!
Treat it with respect and it will give you many years of wonderful use, so make sure
you understand it's care and routine maintenance.


Oh and here's a bonus: Don't loan your carder out!!! Just don't do it.