Large Capacity Yarn Winder, 10-16 oz Hand Operated Yarn Baller, Metal Yarn Ball Winder, Durable Crochet Tools & Accessories, Fiber/Wool/String Ball Winder, for Crocheting

I recently bought this yarn winder, and it’s been a fantastic addition to my knitting setup! The metal gears are sturdy and make winding yarn a breeze. I love how fast it works—the only limit is how quickly I can guide the yarn. The table clamp is solid, and the cakes come out perfectly uniform. It’s so much better than my old plastic winder. Highly recommend this to anyone who loves knitting or crocheting!

Didn't work for me. Returned.

I've been looking at yarn winders for a couple months and finally chose this one due to its favorable reviews of other sellers' offerings. This one was newer on the scene, so it didn't have many reviews yet, but it's exactly the same product as those with many more reviews, all of which were highly positive. This seller offered the winder for a couple dollars less, so I went for it.It arrived yesterday and I put it to the test with the main reason I bought it ... to wind big cakes from "Pound Of" skeins. (Their yarn barf is horrendous and not just at the beginning.)The assembly was a little challenging, and I'm no stranger to using tools. If I hadn't seen several videos, I would have been more frustrated with the lack of assembly instructions. Do the screws go in from underneath or on top? What's the best way to put on the vertical guide arm? I figured it out (while dropping the small screws, multiple times, that skipped across the floor, attracting the cats to play).The clamp is secure and the handle is easy to turn. I clamped the winder to a 3/4 inch board, but it would accommodate nearly 2 inch thick surfaces. That's a big plus over some other winders that reviewers have complained about a narrower throat. The long clamp plate is also a plus over just a long rod that many other winders have. This one is much more stable than those would be. The handle is comfortable and spins easily. The green clamp end is cast iron. (You can tell from the substantial weight.) I feel that adds to its durability and stability.Everything is very stable while in use, even with the massive cake I made. The "Pound of" skein is 1020 yards total, but I had already used about 20 yards. (Total skein weight is 16 oz. I had about 14 oz. left to wind up.) This winder took all the rest! I kept wondering what would happen toward the end, expecting the yarn to wander off the edges. Didn't happen! I kept going until all the yarn was wound, coming within less than a 1/2 inch from the guide arm and all the way out to the edge of the circular base, which I'd expect is its near maximum capacity. As can be seen in the photos, the cake is nearly 7" wide by 5 1/2" tall. Yow! My new little buddy can handle exactly why I bought it.I think all of the winders I researched on Amazon and other sites are over priced for what they are, but this one was the least expensive and had all the better features like the long, flat clamp plate, the circular knob, and the nylon gears (which were greased, and I gently wiped off the excess).One other thing: There have been concerns from some You Tubers that winders, in general, might stretch new yarns too much for long-term storage. I didn't use much tension while holding the yarn coming out of the skein. Just enough to feel for snags or knots. On the cake, the yarn doesn't feel any harder than in the skein. The cake is still squishy and the yarn is still soft and not thinly stretched. I think it's going to store without ruining the yarn's integrity.It's quiet, very quick (about 5 minutes for this massive cake), and apparently very durable. Maybe the gears will want a little grease in the future, but everything else seems strong and long lasting. Big 5 stars!QUESTION: Why are there two winding arms? For two yarns at a time? For balance?SUGGESTION FOR SELLER: Include printed instructions or a link to a video to show how to assemble and how to maintain over time.