Mystery Tool

I inherited this from my mother. I don't know where she bought it, she was always finding interesting stuff. She thought is had something to do with winding yarn but I don't see how. The cross bars are nailed in place, there is nothing that is either adjustable or removeable. Can anyone here identify it? I already tried a reverse image search but didn't find it.

Welcome to Permies!

We have a whole thread just for things like this: https://permies.com/t/90251/ungarbage/game-Post-unknown-objects-ID
That would be a good place to add your picture. If I had to make a guess, I'd say it was for winding wool into skeins. It will be interesting to see what others would think.

Cherry Knobloch wrote:I inherited this from my mother. I don't know where she bought it, she was always finding interesting stuff. She thought is had something to do with winding yarn but I don't see how. The cross bars are nailed in place, there is nothing that is either adjustable or removeable. Can anyone here identify it? I already tried a reverse image search but didn't find it.

I think I've seen something similar for winding kite string.
Here's a link to something like it.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-12-inch-Wooden-Windbreaker-Kite-String-Winder-Wind-Breaker/333179351665?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20160323102634%26meid%3D30d7ed6bf34c4db9a26b3749fba8f702%26pid%3D100623%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D123697677022%26itm%3D333179351665&_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1

Here's a couple...

Clothes line winder. (It is conceivable it was used for winding kite string, but very unlikely. Too heavy. Absolutely not for skein'ing thread/yarn.)

Jim
www.ohiofarmmuseum.com  

I've seen similar homemade devices used for rolling up extension cords. But I could see rolling up rope as well.

Forget going to the expensive gym. Put a pulley in a tree with a bucket of gravel attached to the end of a cable. Now use a device like this to work out the arms lifting that bucket as you move them in a bicycle manner.

Dale Hodgings wrote:

Forget going to the expensive gym. Put a pulley in a tree with a bucket of gravel attached to the end of a cable. Now use a device like this to work out the arms lifting that bucket as you move them in a bicycle manner.

"Active" muscle action is much easier than "controlled stretching" so a person may be able to lift the bucket to a height that will be difficult to control the decent safely (because the muscles would be tiring also). I'm all in favour of exercise, especially free exercise, but please nibble at this suggestion carefully and preferably not where people will egg you on to go further than is safe.

Thank you all for your replies. I have looked at it for years and that never occurred to me. I knew it wasn't for winding yarn because it couldn't be removed from the winder and unwinding it while weaving, crocheting or knitting would be awkward. I googled "antique cord winder" and saw several similar, even though an image search didn't show anything. Thanks again, the mystery is solved!

I’ve seen these alternatively used for winding yarn for eventual knitting..in which case there are some that allow the removal of one side rail to take the finished bundle of yarn off and repeat the process..for home spinners.  And more modern ones used recreationally for Kite string management.  There are even utilitarian versions for winding extension cords!  I’m sure they have been adapted to wind everything ‘windable’ ever made!

Cherry Knobloch wrote:I inherited this from my mother. I don't know where she bought it, she was always finding interesting stuff. She thought is had something to do with winding yarn but I don't see how. The cross bars are nailed in place, there is nothing that is either adjustable or removeable. Can anyone here identify it? I already tried a reverse image search but didn't find it.

Is this for making more-than-one-ply twisted twine or string?