So having done a fair bit of spinning on my EEW nano, it was becoming clear that a bigger wheel would be a useful addition.
Enter the Argonaut by GemmaBeaMakes
Right out the gate let’s start with the social links. Not only does Gemma sell through Etsy, she has a YouTube channel where she mainly posts blogs as well as an instagram page. So if any of this appeals to you, please check out her socials and shop! (for clarity, I’m not sponsored, and I bought the wheel with my own money, I’m just a massive fan girl of this wheel and what Gemma is doing which is why I’m sharing it all.)
Now onto the bit you came here for, the wheel! Strap yourselves in, this could be a long one!
For anyone who is not familiar with the Argonaut, this is an electric spinning wheel from UK designer GemmaBeaMakes. GemmaBeaMakes is doing in the UK, what Maurice at EEW has been doing for fibre crafts out in the states. Namely, developing fibre and spinning equipment which is affordable and provides access to those who would like to get into fibre crafts without the eye-watering u front cost that can come with some of the more traditional or legacy machines and brands.
I had been eyeing up the combes and hackles Gemma sells for a while and then mid 2024 she announced the Argonaut wheel and I knew which wheel was going to be my big girl wheel! The design of it with the ease of swapping out the bobbin without changing the tension was really appealing and it just looked like a really good ‘big’ wheel for a stupidly good price! The release day came and I found the notification at the end of the day and by the time I got to Etsy she had sold out her first pre order! Gutted doesn’t even cover it!
This said, I do want to stress that my nano2 works and works well, just (and this is a well accepted fact within the community,) it struggles with plying. It’s a small machine with a small motor and it’s not the easiest to coax into plying heavier yarn. It’s not like I was left spinning wheel less and I still love how little and portable and good at spinning fine singles it is!
However, in November, I stumbled across an open preorder and late one night I did some midnight shopping and put in a preorder for a bright blue Argonaut! Gemma produces the Argonaut in every colour of the rainbow. Probably the hardest choice was what colour would I get it in! As tempting as the bright Orange was, there was something nice about having it in a similar colour to my little EEW nano. (Plus that’s one of my favourite colours.)
And just before Christmas my Argonaut arrived along with a matching lazy Kate. (Having a lazy kate was almost as exciting as getting the wheel! No more janky bobbin holders using a chopstick!)
So, yes, I have had this wheel for around 5 months now. The delay in bringing you this post is nothing to do with this machine and everything to do with Christmas followed by life and a college course making me a busy bee! However, it does mean that I’ve had a good amount of time with the wheel now.
So what comes with the Argonaut? In the box you get, the wheel, 3 flat pack bobbins, an orifice hook with two magnets on the base for storage, a plug and cable, (but you can absolutely power this from a battery pack, and I do) and the instructions. The wheel comes really securely packaged in its box with a brick of bubble wrap holding up the flyer. This box probably did get thrown around in the UK postal system and the machine arrived safe and sound!
The wheel has a good weight to it due to the sleek black wooden base it is mounted on and loading the bobbins off and on the flyer is simple, you literally unscrew the nut at the front of the flyer pull off the orifice section and then the bobbin slides off. The bobbin is held in place using magnets when on the flyer and matching magnets on the lazy Kate also helps provide the tension needed. The bonus of being able to swap the bobbins over this way is that you don’t have to unhook the drive band or the tension bands. Everything stays the way you set it which is really helpful because it can be annoying finding that perfect tension strength again especially when you managed to get it just right!
I believe most of the machine is 3D printed, but honestly, you would be none the wiser if you didn’t know that was the case, the build is of such high quality! As consumers this means we get to pick and choose from a wider verity of colours and each machine is made to order. Honestly, kind of wish Gemma offered a rainbow version where all the different components were a different colour! It would be so pretty!
Having now used the wheel for several months, to me, as a novice spinner with limited experience and knowledge, this is a really good bit of kit and I would absolutely recommend it as a beginners wheel for anyone who was interested in picking up spinning. With the added bonus that if you live in the UK you also get to support a small UK business in the process. This said, no wheel is just plug and play, please be aware that there is a learning curve with any wheel you buy and even if you have another wheel, it still took a little while to learn its quirks, and in doing so, taught me a number of lessons which I hope makes me a better spinner in the long run.
Let’s not forget the lazy Kate though! This also comes in a wide range of colours and flat packs down for storage and transport.
Like with the Argonaut the build quality is brilliant. It also has a sleek wooden base to give it a bit of weight and the whole thing dismantles in an ingenious way. the rods and guide loop are all secure when in their flat position and assembly is as easy as placing the rods in the slots.
Underneath the blue washers are magnets, when plying, place the magnet side of the bobbin face down towards the blue washer and the friction of the magnets allows for the tension needed to when plying.
Again parts of the lazy Kate are also 3D printed allowing for a range of colours and it seemed silly not to get one which matched the wheel!
All in all, I could not be happier with my investment and I’ve had a lot of fun using my new wheel. In all honesty, I bought a storage and travel bag for the wheel and lazy Kate and the wheel has been on my desk ever since as I gradually spin up 100g of blue and purple Mario (which you can see in the earlier picture)
If you are interested in getting into spinning or you are looking for an affordable and good quality electric spinning wheel, in my opinion you cannot go wrong with the Argonaut from Gemma.
GeekySquidoo 