Which Daedalus e-spinner is right for you?
Welcome to the flock here at Daedalus Spinning Wheels! We’re thrilled that you’re interested in purchasing one of our products. As spinners ourselves, we realize that choosing any wheel is a big decision.
The No. 1 question we are asked daily is, “Which Daedalus wheel should I get?” And while we have a handy Wheel Comparison Table to aid in your decision making, we thought we’d also list what we feel are some the most important factors to consider when weighing your options.
Above all, know that whichever “bird” you choose, you’re going to love it, just as hundreds and hundreds of current Daedalus customers can attest. In fact, you will almost never see one of our e-spinners offered up for resale. Instead, our customers are so pleased with their Daedalus e-spinner purchases that many go on to buy another (and another!).
Current models and what they're known for
Whether you’re new to handspinning or you’re an experienced spinner, you’ll find that all of our current e-spinners provide high-speed performance in both Scotch and Irish tensions, all are nearly silent while in use, built from nearly indestructible, lightweight carbon fiber/ABS, and their speed controllers, extension cables and power supply cords are interchangeable with all of our wheels. We’re certain you’ll find that the Daedalus e-spinners all outperform any other electric spinning wheel on the market and that their top speeds are higher than what you’ll need. Still, let’s take the above considerations and break things down further:
MARTIN
Have you ever rushed out to a spinning class or meetup, only to arrive and realize you’ve forgotten a key component of your spinning wheel? Who hasn’t! Meet Martin, our newest spinning wheel to market. This e-spinner has the same hard-wearing, precision-spinning capabilities our customers have come to expect from the Daedalue lineup, with a twist: everything you need to spin is contained in Martin’s hard-shell plastic case, for the perfect “grab and go” spinning experience--even if you’re just headed from one room to another.
This sweet little spinning wheel is meant for spinning your basic range of yarns, from fine to bulkier weights, except for art yarns. Unlike most of our other birds, Martin operates in a single, Scotch tension, drive system. It’s also our first e-spinner with its own analog (dial knob) Internal Speed Controller, but, like our other e-spinners, Martin pairs equally well with our external soft-start, soft-stop (digital) programmable external speed controller too.
Despite its tidy setup, Martin is uniquely unfussy and uncomplicated. Other attributes include:
-
Simple but nuanced Scotch tensioning
-
12mm orifice with a 6mm reducer
-
Uses internal or external (sold separately) speed controller
-
Reverse directions/plying with the click of a toggle
-
Two onboard lazy kate axles (with room for two more), complete with Akerworks TensiTamers
-
Room for 4-5 oz of fiber inside closed case.
SPARROW
Affordable and adorable, the Sparrow is our most in-demand Daedalus e-spinner. It may be small in stature, but the 1.5 lb. Sparrow is a dynamo. This wheel is for the spinner who loves to spin fine yarns, though its 6 mm orifice can handle up to a heavy worsted/Aran weight yarn. Bobbin capacity is roughly 5-plus oz of yarn spun at 30 WPI. If you’re a spindler who prefers to ply using a perfectly responsive wheel, and/or if interested in achieving the most whisper-thin yarns you’ve ever spun, this is the Daedalus spinning wheel for you.
STARLING V3FP
Can’t decide between the Magpie and the Sparrow? You can’t go wrong with the Starling V3FP, our “in-between” powerhouse. The Starling has a small footprint, weighing in at just under 2.5 lbs., and yet it’s capable of spinning at 2,360 RPM. Despite its capabilities, this e-spinner is small enough to take with you to your next guild meeting or spinning class. It has a 12 mm orifice (with a 6 mm reducer), making textured and bulky yarns equally as possible as lace-weight and low-twist singles. It has large-capacity bobbins which can hold 12-plus oz of yarn spun at 30 WPI.
This e-spinner is an excellent entry point to owning and experiencing a Daedalus spinning wheel and can suit most any style or gauge of yarn. You’ll love it both spinning your singles and then plying them.
V3/V3FP Lace Flyer
Compared to the original Starling V3 Flyer (now known as the Standard Flyer), this will allow much higher speeds (over 3000 RPM) and very light take up. This configuration is ideal for cobweb and gossamer spinning, as well as short staples like cotton that need a very high twist rate. 200 wraps per inch (WPI) is not uncommon in skilled hands. The Starling V3 Lace Flyer can ONLY be used in Scotch Tension. Please do not use this flyer in Irish under any circumstance, not even for rewinding.
The Starling V3 Lace Flyer is a modified version of the Falcon Flyer. Several dimensions were modified to accommodate the Starling chassis, and the gear ratio was tweaked a bit. But the revolutionary aerodynamic coupling is unchanged, allowing for ultra-low take up, and making the system polite and friendly to use at these high speeds.
The Falcon still holds the record for a docile 4000 RPM spinning wheel, and is a serious beast when it comes to these types of jobs. But the Lace Flyer for Starling V3 will give the user a very similar experience, albeit not at light-speed like Falcon easily manages.
FALCON
This is a specialty e-spinner created specifically for those who spin thread and cobweb singles on the regular and are looking to do so with the option of production-level speeds. While we love to see our e-spinners out in the world, this is not an entry-point wheel, nor is it the right wheel for everyone. If you’ve maxed out the speed options on your Sparrow or Starling and find yourself waiting for twist to build into your singles while spinning at 100%, this could be the e-spinner for you.
Be aware that unlike our other Daedalus models, the Falcon is Scotch-tension driven only, offering the lightest of takeups combined with speeds previously unseen on the electric spinning wheel market. While the unit spins equally well at its lowest speed, it was designed for a specific market of highly experienced users whose requests for this e-spinner piqued our engineering minds into action.
MAGPIE V2
Standard Flyer & Art Flyer
Our most powerful and adaptable wheel to date, with an RPM (rotations per minute) of 2,550 with the standard flyer in use (1,550 with the art flyer—still worlds ahead of most e-spinners). We consider this our “all in one” spinning wheel, as it will spin fine singles as easily as it will spin your longest locks, super bulky yarn, coils and beehives, and every single yarn you can imagine in between. The art flyer’s 32 mm (1.26 inch) orifice (with a 20 mm reducer) means no more struggling with your loftiest, most inspired yarns, although the Standard Flyer’s 12 mm (with 6 mm reducer) still provides a soft landing whether you’re spinning low-twist singles or delicate lace. This e-spinner is for experienced and beginner spinners alike.
Wheel Cost Comparison
Wheel Stats Comparison
Current Wheels RPM Comparison
The above stats were recorded from the personal wheels of Rebecca Giles. The RPM (rotations per minute) can vary slightly from one wheel to the next. The speeds listed on our wheel pages for each wheel is what we would consider a conservatively rated speed however after the initial break-in in shop and after being fully broken in wheels may see an increase in speed performance. Please use the above information as a general guideline for comparison to help you ballpark your speed from one wheel to another.
* Due to Falcon's wide range of speed we have included a more detailed table on the Falcon page which goes in increments of 5%.
** Magpie V2 has recorded RPM stats for 15% available on the Magpie V2 page.
*** RPM Data for Martin is with the External Speed Controller.