Rant Alert!!

So, it's been a really long time since I've posted. The last time I did, I blogged about THE wheel. Yes, I'd finally found the wheel I wanted made. WELL!

Mr. Carson Cooper assured me he could make it. Me, being the good little do bee, adhered to his requirements and sent him half down as a deposit. That's $1,200.00, folks. A few months later, I sent him $300.00 more.

$1,200.00 + $300.00 = $1,500.00. Just so we are on the same page.

Fast forward one year. Since shoring up the deal; choosing the wood,  bearings, right side flyer, etc, I hadn't emailed him, so I sent him a "touching base" email.

Fast forward one more year. (We are at the two year mark here) I send another "touching base" email.  After hitting send I thought I ought to take a look at my paperwork.  It had been over two years. Unsure as to what to do; I confidentially contacted a few friends who had wheels made by other wheel makers. Consensus was, it was perfectly appropriate to ask for a potential completion date.

So I did.

Mr (I use this term lightly) Carson Cooper immediately shot back the most hateful, nasty email I have ever received. Mr. Spiritual has a really dark side!

Next thing I know,  June 13 of 2013 I receive a notice from PayPal that Mr. Hyde has sent me $30.00 toward refunding my deposit. That is THIRTY dollars. He had not even told me he was flaking out on our deal!

I did eventually receive the whole $1,500.00. I considered myself fortunate. I ordered a Schacht-Reeves Saxony 30" in Cherry. She's beautiful!

Back to business: this year I was contacted by someone who I'd seen on the Rav Cooper Spinning Wheels forum, asking if is ever received my wheel. This led to my discovery that he has fucked many people over who in good faith ordered wheels from him, turning over hard-earned money.

Carson Cooper is a lying, hateful thief. In the hateful email he sent (over a year ago) he informs me 10 years ago he only had 7 years to live. And he still takes orders.

I have remained quiet for over a year now, and I WON'T be quiet any more!!

DO NOT GIVE THIS MAN YOUR MONEY!!

Don't be a victim. There are many reputable wheel makers out there. This fool gives them all a bad name.

BTW: I have hard copies of ALL communication through Ravelry, email, and PayPal. If you want a copy, let me know and I'll mail it!!

This has been incredibly therapeutic.

I Did It. I Really Did It.

Yes, folks, I specified in a message to Carson the wheel that I am looking for him to make. So grateful Kelly was here to assist me in the details I never would have thought of!

So, after composing the message in a word document, I copied and pasted it into a Rav message....

then......

wait for it.....

I hit "send."

Yup I did it. I really did it.

My Wheel

And here she is; or at least my "muse" for a custom wheel. I am truly in love. When I first spotted her, it was on a thread on Ravelry in the group Longbacken by Renee Darley. These are all her pictures, so I must giver her credit!

"The Lady in Black is mine" she said.  

My best friend, Kelly, was amazed that I FINALLY found a wheel that I became "twitter-pated" about. (Those who have watched Bambi know what I mean) I am not one to be drawn to the chunkier wheels, or ones that IMO appear "thick." This pretty lady is all about delicate, elegant details, and most definitely, not chunky. Oh, the tall pointy thing on the left is called a distaff. It holds the fiber while spinning. Usually for flax. I do not spin flax, so that won't be there.

See what I mean? I have no idea how old Renee's is. I hope that "my" wheel maker, Carson Cooper can replicate her as close as possible. *sigh* The most important details I am looking for are the "Maidens" which are the long, pointy pieces to the left of the picture, and the thinness of the wheel rim. The slanted bed is awesome! 

This view of the wheel shows the rim a bit better. There is also a routed detail around the side of the rim that I am looking for. The color is another detail; Black Walnut with a dark tung oil rub. I want it as dark as I can get it.

Kelly and I both are normally right-handed, but we found out that we spin left-handed; spindle and wheel spinning! Once I discovered that I realized that the main reason I hadn't felt comfortable with this type of wheel is because they were all right-handed. Yet another detail I am putting in: Left-handed! 

So, the money should be here soon ~ a week or so? Whatever. As soon as it hits the bank; I am on the phone with Carson. 

I have decided to call her "Renee" because if it weren't for her; I wouldn't have found this magnificent wheel that sent me down this road.

Updates to come!!

running in circles