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The Macro Yarn Machine: Building Instructions

Visual building instructions for the open-source multi-yarn circular knitting machine. You can find the STLs on my Github.

How exciting you want to build the Macro Yarn Machine. I have built this machine as part of my Master’s project in 2024, and I would have never been able to build it without relying on published Open-Source Hardware projects and the community.

Therefor I want to credit:
1.) Circular Knitic by Varvara Guljajeva and Canet Sola, 2014. https://github.com/var-mar/circular_knitic
2.) HILO Spinning Machine. As I have been working with Sara Diaz Rodriguez closely for the past 2 years and learned about Open Textile Hardware from her. https://www.hilotextiles.com/

If you want to credit my machine, please use: „Macro Yarn Machine“ by Jasmin Martinez, 2024 further information: Master Thesis: Martinez, Jasmin. Hacking Textile Tools. 2024. Kunsthochschule Weißensee (Weissensee Art Academy). Mentored by Prof. Christiane Sauer and Prof. Dr. Lucy Norris.

Note: I reverse-documented building the machine, which should explain why the parts are full of soil and grease. Please excuse this and let me know if it makes anything unclear to you.

Now – let’s start building!

3D printed parts of the machine body

Big Bottom Gear
3x Bottom Gear Fix
4x Wheel Structure
Outer Cylinder
4x Holder for Threaded Rods
4x Inner Cylinder

Needle Guide Bottom
Needle Guide Top
Middle Layer
Lid Holes
Funnel
Needle Holder

4x Yarn Wing Guide
4x Yarn Tension Holder
4x Spool
4x Spool Holder
(Small Motor Gear)

Hardware

8x Threaded Rods M8
12x Wing Nuts M8
20x Flange Nuts M8
4-16 Brother KH230 Needles
4x Book Scews

16 Ceramic Eyelets 5mm
8x Deep Groove Ball Bearings 4x9x4mm
12x M3x6
12x M3x12
8x M3x8

4x Thrust Ball Bearings F8-16M 8x16x5
3x M4x12
4x M4x20
4x M4 Nut

Building the Bottom Gear

3D Printed Parts:
Bottom Gear
4x Wheel Structure

Hardware:
4x M4x20 Screw
8x Deep Groove Ball Bearings
4x M4 Nut
8x M3x8 Screw

Step 1: Insert Bearings into the 3D printed Bearing Holder
Step 2: Fix the bearings by inserting the M4x20 screw and fix with M4 nut.
Step 3: Screw Bearings with M3x8 on Bottom Gear

Build Bottom Needle Guide

3D Printed Parts:
Needle Guide Bottom
Outer Cylinder

Hardware:
8x M3x6 Screws

Step 4: Screw Needle Guide Bottom on Bottom Gear
Step 5: Use M3x6 screws
Step 6: Place the Bottom Cylinder around the Outer Cylinder

Finish Machine Body

Insert needles and inner cylinder parts

3D Printed Parts:
4x Inner Cylinder

Hardware:
4-16x Brother Needles KH360

Note: Cut bottom part of the needles with a bolt cutter as you see in the picture.

Step 7: Place needles inside your preferred slots
Step 8: Fix needles by inserting inner cylinder part
Step 9: Fix inner cylinder wby sliding in the 4th part

Finish Needle Guide

3D Printed Parts:
Needle Guide Top


Hardware:
4x M3x12 Screws

Step 10: Slide the top needle guide on the outer cylinder
Step 11: Fix it to the structure with M3x12 screws, fixing bottom needle guide with the top
Step 12: Your main machine body is finished

Attach to board

Hardware:
9x M3x12 Screws

Wood Board:

42x42cm (updated version)
or
45x51cm (see my version 1)

Note: To cut out the hole from the wooden board, place the outer cylinder on top of the table, draw the inner circle on the board. Use a drill to make an entry for the jigsaw and cut.

Build the Yarn System

Attach the Rod Holders

3D Printed Parts:
4x Threaded Rod Holder


Hardware:
8x M3x8 Screws

Step 12: Attach the Threaded Rod Holder to the Bottom Needle Guide
Step 13: Use M3x8 screws to attach
Attach the Rods

Hardware:
4x Threaded Rods M8x250
8x Flange Nuts M8

Step 14: Insert the threaded rod with one flange nut already screwed on it
Step 15: Tighten the structure with a second flange nut, screw it from below the threaded rod holder and tighten
Yarn Wing Guides

3D Printed Parts:
4x Yarn Wing Guide

Hardware:
4x M3x6 Screws
4x Ceramic Eyelets 5mm

alternatively: 3D printed Eyelets

Note: The Ceramic Eyelets have been harder to acces, therefore I designed the eyelets as an STL. If you print with a silky PLA, they work just as perfect! Find the Eyelet STLs on my Github.

Step 16: Slide the Yarn Wing Guide on the Threaded Rod
Step 17: Tighten the M3x6 screw
Steph 18: Tighten until Wing doesn't move on it's own
Mid Layer

3D Printed Parts:
Mid Layer

Hardware:
4x Flange Nuts M8
4x Ceramic Eyelets 5mm

alternatively: 3D printed Eyelets

Step 19: Screw the flange nuts onto the Threaded Rods
Step 20: Insert the Mid Layer; add a ceramic eyelet on every second slot
Step 21: Secure the mid layer with another flange nut

The mid layer has openings for the funnel, attached the machine looks like this:

Lazy Kate Spool Holders

3D Printed Parts:
Spool Holder


Hardware:
4x Thrust Ball Bearings

Step 22: Glue one side of the Thrust Ball Bearing on the bottom of the Spool Holder. Slide the rest of the parts on top of the flange nut. It should move easily without friction.
Top Level Yarn System

Hardware:
8x Wing Nuts M8
4x Threaded Rods M8x250

3D Printed Parts:
Top Layer


Hardware:
4x Flange Nuts M8
4x Wing Nuts M8

Step 23: Screw a Wing nut on the threaded rod, insert into the middle layer hole and fixate with a second wing nut from the bottom of the middle layer.
The middle layer is all set up.
Step 24: Screw the flange nuts on the threaded rods, put the top layer on them and fix the structure with butterfly wings
Yarn Tension System

Hardware:
8x Ceramic Eyelets 5mm
4x Book Screw

Step 25: Build the tension holder by adding 2 eyelets in the lower openings; the book screw is placed in the top opening
Step 26: Slide the tension holders onto the top layer, screw them onto the layer (if necessary)
Machine Fixation for the Table

3D Printed Parts:
3x Bottom Gear Fix
Hardware:
3x M4x12 Screws

Step 27: Place the gear fixers equally around the big bottom gear and use M4x12 screws to fix on the table.
Table

You can design the table basically
how you like: Adjusted to your height,
bigger or smaller work station etc. The updated version of the machine will be detached from a table structure – since the board can be attached on existing tables.

Here you will find my measurements for a simple table.

Tabletop:
450x510mm
Legs length: 1000mm
Diameter leg bars: 25x25mm
Connecting bars: 25x30mm

Round hole: I used the „Outer Cylinder“
to draw the holes of the screws and the
outlet on the wood board. The diameter is
110mm.

Electronics:
The square hole for the electronics table is 175x175mm

Bildschirmfoto 2025-01-20 um 15

End Notes:
You will find a STL File named „Needle Holder“ – you can also print those but I had the feeling it doesn’t quite work the way it should. Any feedback is welcome!

I am currently working on the instructions for the electronics. If you need something right now, please take a look at the instructionfor the Electronics of the Circular Knitic.

Anyway: You build your Macro Yarn Machine – congratulations!
I’m happy to collaborate for further developments, contact me via E-Mail: studio.jasminmartinez@gmail.com
Let me and others find your process and developments via the hashtag #macroyarnmachine

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