Which one first? Drum carder or spinning wheel?

[fancyarbor]

Okay, so I will have enough money to buy a decent drum carder OR a spinning wheel shortly but have no idea which I should invest in first.

What do you all think?

[aehathor]

That's a toughie. I would suggest the wheel first, then hand carders, and save up for the drum carder. If you already have fleeces you could safely store them until you have a drum carder and work with purchased roving and the hand carders for a bit.

Which wheels and carders are you interested in?

[Jane Doe]

I'd say wheel then carder.....
cause I bought them the other way round and regretted it 

[fancyarbor]

Looking at the Ashford Joy spinning wheel and the Strauch Petite Drum Carder.  I've done a class using different spinning wheels and loved the Ashford Joy.  I got the recommendations for the Strauch Petite on this site from other people who have one. 

[fancyarbor]

Thanks for everyone's replies so far!  Just wanted to mention that I already have Ashford wool and cotton hand carders.  I'm just impatient to get big batches done at a time.  The main reason I picked the Strauch drum carder is that it can do fine fibers like Alpaca.  I have lots and lots of Alpaca at home. 

[lissaw70]

I'd say wheel first also............

I bought my kiwi.............th en had the dh watch for a carder online............. .(he's a serious shopaholic when it comes to the 'bay    ).........he managed to find a fabulous deal on a Clemes & Clemes that needed a belt..........which we then crafted for about $4 out of gas/nitro rc fuel line...............

My 2¢ is that drum carder before the spinning wheel = lots of beautiful batts + serious frustration with slower spinning.........

[Jane Doe]

My 2¢ is that drum carder before the spinning wheel = lots of beautiful batts + serious frustration with slower spinning.........

I second this

[SpecialKRJ]

I had this same dilemma, though I won't have enough money for either any time soon. I posted an ad on Craigslist, and a nice lady replied with some very helpful advice.

She told me that on etsy, there's a seller named artclub who sells wheels, the prices are incredibly reasonable, especially for a single treadle. SHe's also having a sale right now for the summer, and free shipping, and she offers layaway options. Right now, a single treadle Fricke wheel bought from her shop will cost you 279. Free shipping.

She also directed me to another etsy seller by the name of fancykitty who sells drum carders that she says are fantastic quality for great prices. She recommended the Fancy Kitty Kitten drum carder. It's small, but not tiny, and it comes with the option of a brush attachment or none, and you can get either superfine, fine, or medium fiber carders. The one I've got my eye on is the medium with a brush attachment, and it costs only 379. (Gah, it's so weird saying 'only' 379. These things are definitely an investment. X_X)

I'm by no means an expert. I don't know what the heck I"m doing most of the time. But, the prices are less painful than most, and the layaway option for the wheel is scrumptious and tempting. ^_^

[ariaya]

I'd definitely go for a wheel before a drum carder.  You can always buy fiber prepped .. and carding by hand doesn't take *that* long.  As it is I still have more fiber than I cold spin, and I have both a wheel and a drum carder   I have the Strauch Petite and love it!

[Faren]

I would definitely buy a wheel first. I know Nikol from artclub, she is the one that has Yarn School http://harveyvilleproject.com/?page_id=71
I've been once and it is sooo much fun and I learned a lot.  I also bought my drum carder through her etsy store (not on layaway though) and she sent a pound of great fiber to play with.  It was a Strauch Petite and I love it. 
I have treadled a Fricke wheel and it was very smooth.