What process would you use or what machine would you want to make large sheets of felt. Uses would be saddle pads or if soft enough felt blankets etc.
It depends on how many you plan to make, I think. The only real requirement is a large working surface - when I did a blanket size project, I cleared out a concrete 2 car garage floor to work on. Do you have a carding drum? Have you seen the saddle pads that are made with roving - hooked like a rug? This technique seems to be better adapted for saddle pads - the end result is nice and thick. I saw a website with instuctions, but I'll have to search a bit to find it. Are you interested?
Here are some basic felting instructions for batts... http://gfwsheep.com/flatfelt/flatfelt1.html I can't find the one on saddle pads! ARGGGH! I'll keep on looking....
Ross, I'd love to know more about your "large powered carding drum". Is it something you bought commercially or something you made yourself? What do you do with it? How large is the width of the carded fiber? Right now I am carding all my wool for felting BY HAND and I am getting forearms like Popeye the Sailor! I would love to eventually get some type of drum carder. However, I first want to see how my felt work sells and try to get some indication of whether the market will hold over time. I feel uncomfortable diverting family finances for something that may not pan out. Just yesterday I got up my nerve and placed some of my felt work on consignment in an area craft shop. I am also working to develop additional markets for other felted products. Any suggestions for best-selling felt items? I am focusing mostly on craft type things with an eye to eventual apparel such as slippers, hats, mittens, etc. I had never considered the saddleblanket as an item to be felted. Thanks! Lori Ohio Valley Soays
I FINALLY found it: http://www3.telus.net/Habitat_Farm/tutframe.html (this is the tutorial for those saddle pads that are hooked.I was so impressed when I saw one "in real life" - it can look remarkably like a sheepskin if you want it to. I thought they would make great mattress pads, car seat covers, etc.) This person writes that he/she? can complete one pad in four hours... After seeing your carder, though, I'm thinking you were thinking about doing this in a big way...maybe you a need an industrial needle felting machine....
We are thinking that processing all our wool and mroe besides would be a good sideline or complimentary line to the farming and kennels. I'm not sure it would all go to saddle pads but it would go to "industrial" use stuff untill we get some fine wool breeds. We still have to see how good the wool we have is! Thanks for the web sites, they're very much appreciated!
