WHY ARE MY BATTS FULL OF NEPS?
Whenever a fiber artist makes a batt full of nepps they always blame the drum carder. The carding cloth is not correct, the drums are not the correct distance, one is carding too fast, etc, etc, etc. It is usually not your drum at all, but your fiber. Let me explain.
There are a few ways that the neps in your batts are due to the fiber.
- First, the tips of the locks may be tender. As the locks are carded the tips break off forming neps. There may also be second cuts that have hunkered down in the base of the lock, exposed during carding and forming neps.
- Second, the lock could be weak and break all along the staple. When this weak lock is carded is it shredded and form mucho neps.
- Lastly, if you are carding a fine grade fiber it could be too tender and delicate to card. Your drum carder could be breaking the tender fiber and forming neps.
No matter what grade cloth you have on your drum carder, it will not change the outcome given these lock issues.
Your soap choices during scouring could also cause weakness in the wool fiber. If this happens when you card, what you thought was a sound fiber, will break when carding and form neps.
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To learn more about fiber grades, fiber soundness and breaks, soap choices during scouring and the impact on the wool check out my new book. Available on Amazon in Kindle format or paperback.
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