Fibre Blending Board purchase
Having borrowed a friends blending board I couldn't wait to get my hands on one of my own, but as with most things I am in the sad and sorry position of needing to be really careful with my money. How could I justify a purchase that is not a necessity?
I am also very aware that with fibre craft I am a magpie and so would be prepared (as much as possible) to sacrifice to enable a purchase to be made.
So I must find a way to cut the cost of those from the big names such as Ashford and Louet. I had to shop around and hope to find a bargain. And I had a lot of questions to ask which would help swing my decision.
I came across Spinwise offering a board with large savings by comparison and so it was to this company I posed them by email. I was answered promptly with a call back and a subsequent discussion. Unable to give definitive answers right away, Ann committed to conduct some trials on my behalf.
Shortly afterward with my questions answered, whilst i now knew that it could not do all I would have ideally wanted it to I knew I must have a blending board of my own regardless of those functional aspects it would not handle (no board could).
In shopping Roumd I found that each manufacturers board offered something a little different from the other and so I had to decide was the Spinwise board going to represent a compromise of any sort that a more well known manufacturer could provide.
The main difference in Spinwise board in the shape of the plywood that the carding cloth is stapled to. Spinwise board is oblong with an attached handle whereas the others have a cut out made in the wood to create. shaped handle. This must add to time spend in manufacture so might go toward explaining cost differences. How important was this loss of cut out handle, how much did having the square shape matter and were there benefits to either?
All blending area proportions were identical though there were pin differences. Some were longer/shorter and there was a difference between each of them in pin gauge too. For me these are marginal differences. All will blend fibres in the same way and certainly in the amount I will want them so this was not part of my consideration.
My choice therefore has largely been based on value for money and looks. It is important to me that something is a pleasure to use, in feel and in its visual appearance. Perhaps this is all those shaped boards offered...?
I came down in the end to a choice of two. Between times I had found a man online who does wood turning as a hobby. He also made a board and his did have the shaped cut out handle I liked so much. However the draw back of his offering being that his board was made from MDF rather than the the more attractive ply. Cost wise it was an additional £20 saving if I chose to accept MDF. I would though not receive any packing/blending brush with his version.
Was the handle board shape of such importance to me? Certainly the attractiveness of wood is. This is what has won the day coupled with all the advice and patient help I had received from Ann at Spinwise. I decided that the savings I would receive buying from Spinwise as opposed to either Ashford or Louet was significant enough but that the additional £20 to accept MDF was a compromise too far.
Decision finally made, payment was fast and efficient through PayPal invoicing.
I await my package with itchy fingers!
Don't hesitate to shop at Spinwise. You're in good hands.