Yarn Counter Stand

My wife has this yarn counter she uses that she got a long time ago. She wanted to give one to a friend, but we could not find it anywhere. The closest we found was an inferior design (in my opinion). https://www.amazon.com/Lacis-Yarn-Counter-with-Clamp/dp/B00ZCUF5QW

So, I decided to make one.

The original is made of wood. Although I used to work with wood many years ago, my medium today is plastic.

The key piece of this thing is the counter. It is available and can be purchased separately. 

https://www.amazon.com/Berkley-BALC-Clip-on-Line-Counter/dp/B005OTYW2E

https://www.ebay.com/itm/266902616459

Surprisingly, the counter is designed for monofilament fishing line – but works quite well with any yarn that will fit into the slot.

Design

I decided to use Fusion 360 (design included, as always). It is parametric (if you are moderately skilled with the program).

I “reverse engineered” it by eyeball and used many of the original measurements.

• It is made in 4 pieces so it does not need support.
• The pieces are snug fit together.
• The base has an optional cutout to allow for a clamp. I designed a companion clamp.
• The cross bar that holds the counter is 7-sided so the counter mounts in a good viewing position.
• The yarn pass-through holes have no slit as I wanted them smooth on the yarn. I designed a companion threader.

Printing

There are no special requirements. I used PETG for a reasonable amount of strength. I printed at .20 as the clearances are set to .20.

Assembly

Insert the crossbar into each side piece fully. Then insert the side pieces into the base fully. It should be a snug fit.

Mount the counter onto the bar and tighten it’s clamp screw.

Attach the assembly to the edge of a table or shelf with the optional clamp.

Usage

The best way to use this is with a winder just to the right of it. 

• Thread the yarn through both holes in the stand sides. Using my optional threader should make this easier.
• Ensure the tensioner arm on the counter is flipped in the down position.
• Insert the yarn into the slot in the counter.
• Flip the tension arm on the counter up.
• Reset the counter to zero.
• Attach the yarn to the winder.
• Crank the winder while keeping an eye on the incoming yarn for knots and tangles.

Notes

You may “suppress” the clamp cutout feature in Fusion 360 if you want to use a different attaching method or your own clamp. I’ve included a base STL with no cutout.

Also note that the “barHeight” parameter may need to be increased as the current value allows just enough room for the counter’s mount screw to clear the base surface. I’ve included a side STL that is 12mm taller.

Bonus

I designed this simple threader to easily get the yarn through the holes in the stand.

Features

• Completely parametric.
• Has an oversize hole for easy yarn threading.
• Has a blunt end as it is not made for sewing.
• Fast, easy print with no support.