different bobbin shuttles

[simplicity]

I am wondering about getting an aero shuttle, but I want to know about other brands of bobbin shuttle. Has anyone had any experience of the Susan Bates or Pony or Birch shuttles? Are they as good? Apparently the Susan Bates fits the aero bobbins, do the others? Birch and Pony have nicer colours, but what about quality???

[BridgetH]

I have several shuttles and loved my Boye metal one the best - until I got the Aero shuttle. The hook is so tiny! It's my new love. It's longer than the Boye, but it didn't take me long to get used to it.

[dharts04]

LOVE my Aero!! I carry one shuttle and multiple loaded bobbins in my "tiny tatting tin" and can pop off butterflies or flowers for someone, and still have my regular project working, just by popping out the bobbin.
I love that some of the ladies have been decorating their Aeros by decopaging them. I really want to try that!!

[jenninbrissy]

I have an Aero shuttle and love how it has a crochet hook built in so I don't have to carry a crochet hook around as well ... but I am tempted to get a shuttle that clicks :D.

[susiearnholt]

I actually like the Pony shuttles because they stay "clicky" longer than the newer aeros do. I like the Susan Bates I have for the same reason (and you can find them for only $2 at HHtatting). Of course, my favorites are Jane Eborall's pop-a-bobbin shuttles (which use aero bobbins) and my silent tatters (from Roseground), but I don't necessarily want those in a purse.

[RandaGray]

I'm going to duck tomatoes here when I say this, but the only plastic bobbin shuttle I've ever used was an Aero, & it only lasted me one day. Within an hour the bobbin that came with it was spinning freely & none of the others would stay in. The "teeth" on the inside were worn out. Could be me.
I've never tried any of the other plastic bobbin shuttle brands, but the Pony ones tempt me because they come in colors!! :)
Considering all the people that adore their Aero's, it's quite possible that I got mine from a bad batch. I know almost all of you other bobbin shuttle tatters like them... The nice thing is you can "neuter" them & make them pretty. There's an Etsy seller that makes me want to try again. That's just my opinion, so take it for what it's worth (not alot) :)

[IdahoCanuck]

Well, I'll take the tomatoes instead of Randagray... My Aero lasted a bit longer but not much. And it wasn't just the bobbin spinning. Mine also split across one side just below the end with the hook. I really wasn't happy with it anyway so no love lost... However, I did sort of like the little hook. I don't really care for any of the bobbin shuttles and I absolutely despise any of the metal shuttles! I would really like to try a wooden one... My favorites are the cheap little clovers with the pick which I find I like better than the hook as it works just as well as most hooks with out getting hooked where you don't want it hooked. I still rely on my mini hooks for joins and such. And with the 40% off coupons at JoAnn's or Hobby Lobby it works out to less than $2 each! So I can have several of them around.... They are like my bobbins with a shuttle added on. :)

[Sherongb]

Chronology: English Aeros, then German, then the Pony in India, then Susan Bates, then the Pony here in the USA and other brands were the order of who made them.

The English and German have butts that the bobbin can be put onto to hold onto as you wind thread on the bobbin, the Bates is too big for the hole and the Pony I have not tried but I think it's also too thick for the bobbin.

The Bates is very tight when you get it, I needed to use something to push the bobbin out to wind it then push it back in place, but after a few days it loosened up then rapidly the bobibn went to a free spin state. Same bobbins also (when tried) were loose in my German Aeros. But I used the same bobbins for months in my English bobbins when I got them (in fact I have not bought more bobbins since I got the English Aero's several years ago). I have heard, when the Pony brand was first introduced in India, that they bobbins needed frequent replacement in those also. I don't know about that brand from personal experience. The problem area is the change in the plastic used based on changes in what chemicals that are allowed to be used at the time the shuttles are made.

There are other bobbin shuttles I am aware of.

Jane Eborall has the Pop A Bobbin shuttles. I got one with the home made hook and was not happy with the hook. I replaced it with the hook from a Bates shuttle and am much happier with it. But not all the Aero bobbins I have hold well with it, the spin a little too freely for my taste although they might be fine for others. I have heard they are now being made with a true crochet hook and this might be better. I also don't like the point on the butt end, I would like it better if it were less sharp.

There is the GR8 shuttle but I find I have to readjust the tension every time I adjust the thread length.

There is the Silent Tatter which allows you to set your tension and it stays until you change it. The only thing I don't like is having to carry the screw driver around with me so I can change bobbins.

Georgia Seitz's had some prototype bobbin shuttles at Tat Days and I would like to try one when they are in production, have not heard anything about them since then.

Personal feeling (if you can't tell it from the above): I use my English Aero's the most. If they are all in project packs (aka put away safely and I don't feel like looking for them) I will use the German Aero's. The GR8 sits in the shuttle box looking pretty. The Susan Bates are also in the shuttle box (and they don't look pretty) ready to be used for parts as needed. The Silent Tatters are used (and I have extra bobbins for them) but not as often. I don't choose to try the Pony as I don't need more shuttles. I might try the one from Georgia when it comes out, will have to wait and see. The Pop A Bobbin is used when I remember it.

Hope some of this helps.

[crazytatter]

I have recently bought a few Laci's because of them being bigger, made of clear acrylic with apple green, purple, and other colors. Well, the purple one at least very easily broke apart and spill out the threads I wind on there. They would be ok if and when I glue them together but just saying, they are not very sturdy is all.

[SHL72]

I currently have 5 aero type (can't remember exactly which ones only that I bought them at walmart) all but one have very free spinning bobbins. I really like them and found that putting a small piece of medical tape (white) on the inside of the shuttle, on one side helped a lot.
I also bought 3 Lacis shuttles which I love as much. It depends on what I am working on. Edgings I use the Lacis as they hold a lot more thread which means fewer refills and ends. I also have a tatsy shuttle which I have not attempted to use yet.

[Sherongb]

Bought at WalMart tells me they are the white Susan Bates shuttles. Glad to hear that adding the piece of tape helps.

[SHL72]

Actually mine are all red. Wish I could get another colour for multi shuttle work.

[susiearnholt]

Pony shuttles now come in green, blue, and yellow, and the ordinary Susan Bates are off-white.

[Judy]

Actually mine are all red. Wish I could get another colour for multi shuttle work.

What about all those personal decoration methods to convert them to other colors?

[Catriona]

I have two modern aero shuttles. the click from the bobbins lasted only a few hours but the bobbins are not loose and I can still use them perfectly well after a few months of use. My mum is getting my two silent tatter shuttles which are traditional shaped with hooks. one is going to be zebra wood and the other is going to be olive wood so i'm really excited about getting these!

[BridgetH]

I currently have 5 aero type (can't remember exactly which ones only that I bought them at walmart) all but one have very free spinning bobbins. I really like them and found that putting a small piece of medical tape (white) on the inside of the shuttle, on one side helped a lot.
My first aero was great so I bought another one. This one spins a lot easier than the first one so I used your idea and it helped a lot! I found cushioned bandaids/plasters before I got to the medical tape, and that's working very nicely. Thanks for the tip!

[rsmre]

I currently have 5 aero type (can't remember exactly which ones only that I bought them at walmart) all but one have very free spinning bobbins. I really like them and found that putting a small piece of medical tape (white) on the inside of the shuttle, on one side helped a lot.
I also bought 3 Lacis shuttles which I love as much. It depends on what I am working on. Edgings I use the Lacis as they hold a lot more thread which means fewer refills and ends. I also have a tatsy shuttle which I have not attempted to use yet.
Hi SHL72,
Thank you for your suggestion of using the medical tape inside of the Aero shuttle. I have several of these shuttles, and all of the bobbins spin freely. I will try your suggestion today. I never thought that I would get used to using an Aero with the "tail". With some determination and with some practice I am handling it quite well. On the other hand, I have an altered Aero that I bought from La Cossette at Etsy. It's very pretty, and I love using it, too.

[rsmre]

Hi SHL72,
I tried the medical tape in my English Aero, and it worked like magic. Thanks so much for sharing this tip with us.
Rosemarie

[Fox Tats]

I use paper reinforcement labels - you just peel off the little circles which fit the bobbins beautifully and you can use as many as you need to tighten up the bobbin.
I got this tip from LaCossette, who sells the shuttles at Etsy here (http://www.etsy.com/shop/LaCossette?ref=pr_shop):

Great solution! Cheap and cheerful and very effective.
Fox : )