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Drum Carder for Wool and Fiber
Drum carders are an essential tool for fiber artists who love blending and carding wool and other fibers. At Golden Fleece Carders, we offer drum carders with three carding cloth options: 54, 72, and 120 TPI (teeth per inch). Choose between our standard model or our WIDE model, designed to create larger fiber batts. Proudly made in the Netherlands, our drum carders are shipped worldwide, bringing quality craftsmanship to fiber artists everywhere!
Drum carders
Drum carders
Drum carders
Drum carders
Drum carders
Drum carders
Drum carders
Drum carders
Drum carders
Drum carders
Drum carders
Drum carders
Drum carders
What is a Drum Carder?
A drum carder is a great tool for preparing wool for spinning. It has two drums or cylinders covered in wire teeth. The drum with the smallest diameter is called the lickerin. The bigger drum is called main drum of swift. Simply feed the fibers through the licker-in while turning the crank handle clockwise. The wire-covered drums rotate to align and blend the fibers, creating smooth, even batts that are ready for spinning.
Compared to hand carders they can process larger quantities of fiber more quickly. Using a drum carder significantly reduces physical strain compared to hand carding.
A drum carder can achieve the same beautiful fiber blends as a blending board, but it offers even more versatility. Unlike a blending board, a drum carder can also be used to process and card raw fleeces, making it a great all-around tool for fiber artists.
You can securely clamp the drum carder to a table or workbench for stable operation.
Our drum carder is also available with an optional packer brush, which helps create denser batts by pressing the fibers deeper into the wire teeth.
A drum carder is also perfect for creating beautiful blends of different fibers and colors. To make your own custom blends, simply feed the fibers directly onto the main drum.
Standard or WIDE Drum Carder?
Our standard drum carder features 7.5-inch (19 cm) wide drums, while the WIDE version features 12-inch (30 cm) wide drums.
The best size for you depends on how you plan to use your drum carder and how much fiber you want to process. The standard model is an excellent choice for beginners and fiber artists who work with smaller batches of fiber.
The WIDE model is especially popular with fiber artists who primarily use their drum carder to blend different fibers and colors. The wider drums provide more working surface, making it easier to create larger, beautifully blended batts. It’s also a great choice for preparing and blending wool for felting projects.
Which Carding Cloth TPI Do You Need?
We offer drum carders with three carding cloth options: 54, 72, and 120 TPI (teeth per square inch). Each option is designed for different fiber types and carding needs.The standard model can hold up to 2 oz (55 g) of fiber, while the WIDE model can hold up to 3.5 oz (100 g).
The 54 TPI drum carder is ideal for coarse or tangled wool measuring 33 microns or larger. It’s also a great choice for creating textured batts or incorporating wool nepps for added texture.
Our 72 TPI drum carder is the most versatile option, and an efficient choice for processing and blending a range of fiber types. It’s suitable for processing most fibers, including Merino, Corriedale, and Romney wool in the 23–33 micron range.
Finer fibers can also be processed by running the batts through the carder multiple times. This model is also excellent for blending fibers, including wool tops fed directly onto the main drum.
The 120 TPI drum carder is ideal for fine fibers measuring less than 23 microns, as well as delicate fibers such as baby alpaca, angora, cotton, and silk. It produces smooth, thick batts that are ideal for hand spinning.
Compare Our Drum Carders: Drum Size, Capacity, Fiber Types, and Price
| Article | Carding Cloth | Drum Width | Batt Size | Drum Capacity | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drum Carder 54 TPI | 54 TPI for coarse fibers | 7.5″ (19 cm) | 7.5″ × 24″ (19 × 60 cm) | 2 oz (55 g) | €369.00 |
| Drum Carder 72 TPI | 72 TPI for most fibers | 7.5″ (19 cm) | 7.5″ × 24″ (19 × 60 cm) | 2 oz (55 g) | €369.00 |
| Drum Carder 120 TPI | 120 TPI for fine fibers | 7.5″ (19 cm) | 7.5″ × 24″ (19 × 60 cm) | 2 oz (55 g) | €369.00 |
| Drum Carder 54 TPI WIDE | 54 TPI for coarse fibers | 12″ (30 cm) | 12″ × 24″ (30 × 60 cm) | 3.5 oz (100 g) | €425.00 |
| Drum Carder 72 TPI WIDE | 72 TPI for most fibers | 12″ (30 cm) | 12″ × 24″ (30 × 60 cm) | 3.5 oz (100 g) | €425.00 |
| Drum Carder 120 TPI WIDE | 120 TPI for fine fibers | 12″ (30 cm) | 12″ × 24″ (30 × 60 cm) | 3.5 oz (100 g) | €425.00 |
Extra Drums, Packer Brush, and Accessories
With our drum carder, you can change the TPI (teeth per inch) to suit your fiber-processing needs! We offer replacement drum in 54, 72, and 120 TPI, giving you the flexibility to work with different types of fiber.
For example, if you purchased a 54 TPI drum carder and later want to process finer fibers, you can simply purchase a 120 TPI drum from our online store and swap it out. This saves you money because there’s no need to purchase an entirely new drum carder.
You can also use different TPI ratings for the licker-in and main drum, as long as the licker-in has an equal or lower TPI than the main drum. For example, you can pair a 72 TPI licker-in with a 120 TPI main drum. If the licker-in has a higher TPI than the main drum, the fibers will tend to remain on the licker-in instead of transferring to the main drum.
We also offer an optional packer brush for both the standard and WIDE models. The packer brush presses the fibers deeper into the wire teeth, allowing you to create denser batts. It’s also a great accessory for preparing fiber for spinning rolags.
Why Golden Fleece Carders
Golden Fleece Carders is the only drum carder manufacturer that makes its own carding cloth, giving us control over the entire production process and helping us maintain high quality standards.
Our drum carders arrive preassembled, so setup is quick and easy. Simply attach the crank handle with a single bolt, and you’ll be ready to start carding in just a few minutes!
Each drum carder comes with everything you need to get started, including two table clamps, a set of Allen keys, a cleaning brush, and a doffer pin.
We offer free worldwide shipping, and for our customers in the United States, import duties are included—so there are no extra duty charges to worry about upon delivery.
Plus, every purchase is backed by our 30-day return policy, giving you peace of mind when choosing your new drum carder.
FAQ
For beginners, we recommend the 72 TPI drum carder, as it’s ideal for processing most fibers. You can always upgrade to a 120 TPI main drum later if you want to work with finer fibers.
If you plan to card fleece for spinning, the standard model is a great choice. If you’re more interested in blending different fibers and colors, we recommend the WIDE model for its extra capacity.
The 54 TPI drum is ideal for coarse wool and tangled fibers. The 72 TPI drum is a versatile choice for most commonly used fibers. The 120 TPI drum is best suited for very fine wool and delicate fibers such as cotton and silk. Most important is that a drum carder requires clean and dry fibers for optimal performance.
Yes, you can purchase additional drums later. We offer replacement drums in different TPI options for both our Standard and WIDE models. When swapping drums, make sure the TPI of the licker-in drum is equal to or lower than the TPI of the main drum.
The Standard model features 7.5-inch (19 cm) wide drums and can hold up to 2 oz (55 grams) of fiber. The WIDE model features 12-inch (30 cm) wide drums and can hold up to 3.5 oz (100 grams) of fiber.
No, Golden Fleece Carders offers free shipping, and we cover all import duties. That way, you know exactly what you’ll pay upfront—no unexpected fees or surprises!