Ok, I say, "new" because I obsess over things in series. Right now, my new obsession is knitting machines. Not just any kind, but circular. I've recently been given a commercial circular knitting machine circa 1940s, made by Scott and Williams Inc. of Laconia, N.H. I've conducted some research and found that the company had a mill in Laconia which was purchased by an organization who fought to save the mill from destruction.
I've also learned that the machine was used to make "Surgitube" medical gauze. From what I've found out about these antique circular machines so far, most of the personal machines are or were used to knit socks. This machine however, has additional parts that allow the machine to run for hours with self feeding mechanisms and the addition of an after-production motor. Ok, so will I ever need to make yards and yards of any knit fabric? Probably not. But, I do know that I can remove some of the added devices and take the machine back to its original form for knitting circular tubing without automation.
The pictures above are of the machine, as you can see, the yarn mast holds up to 6 cones of thread/yarn. Pretty cool. Instead of a crank, I have a wheel - I'm hoping to find a replacement crank online that will fit the machine.
I've also learned that the machine was used to make "Surgitube" medical gauze. From what I've found out about these antique circular machines so far, most of the personal machines are or were used to knit socks. This machine however, has additional parts that allow the machine to run for hours with self feeding mechanisms and the addition of an after-production motor. Ok, so will I ever need to make yards and yards of any knit fabric? Probably not. But, I do know that I can remove some of the added devices and take the machine back to its original form for knitting circular tubing without automation.
The pictures above are of the machine, as you can see, the yarn mast holds up to 6 cones of thread/yarn. Pretty cool. Instead of a crank, I have a wheel - I'm hoping to find a replacement crank online that will fit the machine.
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