Standard series

View our selection of Used and Refurbished Standard Series Drum Carders for sale.

The Standard Drum Carder

The name says it all. Since our 8" hand crank drum carder first went into production nearly 40 years ago, they have been the standard that all other carders are measured against. That sort of excellence does not happen by accident. Other manufacturers use off-the-shelf card clothing which is merely a larger version of hand carder clothing.

Our proprietary 72 teeth per inch mill-style card clothing has sharpened and honed teeth as well as a specific knee height, angle and foundation. This allows the user to card nearly all fibers in only one pass - from wool to cotton to Suri alpaca and everything in between - without making any adjustments. The Standard Drum Carder is the only carder in the industry which sets the licker-in drum in eccentric bearings which are precisely adjusted for drum spacing before leaving the factory and do not need to be adjusted differently for each fiber.

The main drum was the first in the fiber arts industry to be set in oil-impregnated bronze bearings that never need to be oiled. The stainless steel doffing strip keeps the card clothing from being damaged by doffing even after many years of carding. The Standard Drum Carder comes with a flicker for pre-teasing and cleaning the drums as well as a No Bend stainless steel doffer.

The urethane drive belt usually lasts 10 years or more and is easily replaced without making any adjustments to the carder. For the fiber artist using very coarse fibers or who seek a rough textured batt, 56 tooth per inch coarse cloth is available. In 2013 we upgraded The Standard to the serpentine belt which added two ball bearing idler pulleys and eliminates the cross in the belt. The result is a much easier carding experience. Each Standard is crafted out of carefully selected Oak hardwood and protected with a two coat lacquer finish. Expertly crafted, assembled, and tested in our woodshop in Pinole, California. The bottom line: no maintenance, no adjustments needed, single pass carding, and the ability to card a wide range of fibers. Why buy anything that does not measure up to the Standard?

Mini-Standard Drum Carder

Harry and Olive Linder were renowned cotton spinners and very close friends of ours. They traveled the world teaching cotton processing and spinning, but disliked dragging a full 8" carder with them because it took up so much space. We created a smaller version of the Standard Drum Carder for the Linders, utilizing the same great features as the 8" Standard but in a 4" width. The custom carder we made for them was so popular that we made it a regular production item.

The Mini Standard Drum Carder has the versatility and durability of the full size Standard Drum Carder and is perfect for anyone with limited storage space, small projects, or anyone who enjoys carding on the go. In 2013 we upgraded The Mini Standard to the serpentine belt which added two ball bearing idler pulleys and eliminates the cross in the belt. The result is a much easier carding experience. Made of carefully selected Oak hardwood and protected by two coats of lacquer, each Mini Standard is crafted, assembled, and tested in our woodshop in Pinole, California.