The Golden Fleece Drum Carder gives spinners, felters, and fiber artists a hand-operated way to card and blend fiber into generous 7.5 × 24 inch batts. Choose 54, 72, or 120 TPI based on the fibers you work with most, with matching carding-cloth density on both the licker-in and main drum.
Every Revolution Fibers configuration includes the matching 7.5-inch Packer Brush. The brush presses fiber farther into the main drum's carding cloth as you work, helping you build denser, more evenly packed batts without purchasing the brush separately.
Built with a birch-plywood frame, highly tempered steel carding cloth, inserted bearings, and an industrial poly drive belt, this is a practical manual carder for preparing fleece, blending fibers and colors, and getting fiber ready for spinning, felting, and other fiber work.
Which TPI should you choose?
54 TPI - Coarse
Choose 54 TPI when you primarily work with coarse wool and more robust fibers. The more open carding cloth is designed for coarser fiber preparation.
72 TPI - Standard
The most versatile choice for many wool types and everyday fiber blending. Golden Fleece recommends 72 TPI for common wool types including Merino, Corriedale, and Romney. If you work across a range of typical spinning fibers and want one general-purpose carder, this is the natural place to start.
120 TPI - Fine
Choose 120 TPI for fine wool and more delicate fibers such as alpaca, angora, cashmere, and cotton. Its denser carding cloth is intended for finer fiber preparation.
On each Revolution Fibers variant, the licker-in and main drum use the same selected TPI.
Looking for fiber to card and blend? Browse our spinning and felting fibers for wool, roving, top, and other fiber-prep materials.
Packer Brush included
You do not need to decide whether to add the Packer Brush separately. Every Golden Fleece Drum Carder sold by Revolution Fibers includes the correctly sized 190 mm / 7.5-inch brush.
The brush applies light pressure against the fiber on the main drum, helping seat it deeper into the carding cloth. This supports denser packing, more even fiber distribution, and more uniform batts.
The Packer Brush comes with the hardware needed for installation, including two brackets, two wrenches, two O-rings, and an installation guide.
Built for regular fiber preparation
The standard Golden Fleece carder creates a batt approximately 7.5 inches wide by 24 inches long, giving you useful working capacity without the larger footprint of the WIDE model.
If you want more working width for larger 12 × 24 inch batts, compare the Golden Fleece WIDE Drum Carder with Packer Brush.
The manual hand-crank design uses inserted bearings and an industrial poly drive belt for controlled operation. Table clamps help secure the carder while you work, and the included doffer pin helps lift the finished batt from the main drum.
Highly tempered steel carding cloth provides the working surface across both drums, while the birch-plywood frame keeps the machine sturdy without unnecessary complexity.
What is included
- Drum carder in your selected 54, 72, or 120 TPI configuration
- Matching TPI on the licker-in and main drum
- 190 mm / 7.5 in Packer Brush
- Two Packer Brush mounting brackets
- Two installation wrenches
- Two O-rings
- Packer Brush installation guide
- Table clamps
- Doffer pin
- Cleaning brush
- Allen keys
Specifications
- Operation: Manual hand crank
- TPI options: 54 Coarse, 72 Standard, or 120 Fine
- Drum configuration: Matching TPI on licker-in and main drum
- Batt size: Approximately 7.5 × 24 in / 19 × 60 cm
- Frame: Birch plywood
- Frame size: Approximately 10 × 24 in / 25 × 60 cm
- Carding cloth: Highly tempered steel
- Drive: Industrial poly drive belt
- Bearings: Inserted bearings
- Packer Brush width: 190 mm / 7.5 in
- Weight: 7 kg
- 54 TPI overall dimensions: 64 × 32 × 26 cm
- 72 TPI overall dimensions: 64 × 33 × 27 cm
- 120 TPI overall dimensions: 64 × 32 × 26 cm
Setup and what to know before buying
The drum carder requires attachment of the operating handle. The included Packer Brush is installed using its supplied brackets, hardware, wrenches, and installation guide.
Choose your TPI according to the fibers you expect to card most often rather than assuming that a higher TPI is automatically better. A coarse 54 TPI cloth and a fine 120 TPI cloth are designed for different fiber-preparation jobs, while 72 TPI provides the broadest general-purpose middle ground.
This listing uses matching TPI on both drums. Revolution Fibers is not currently offering mixed licker-in/main-drum configurations.
Frequently asked questions
What does TPI mean on a drum carder?
TPI refers to the number of teeth per inch in the carding cloth. The tooth density affects which fibers the carder is best suited to process. Lower TPI is generally used for coarser fibers, while the denser 120 TPI cloth is intended for finer and more delicate fibers.
Which TPI is the most versatile?
For makers working with common wool types and a range of general fiber blends, 72 TPI is the broadest general-purpose option. It sits between the coarse 54 TPI and fine 120 TPI configurations.
Should I choose 54 or 72 TPI?
Choose 54 TPI if coarse wool and robust fibers make up most of your fiber preparation. Choose 72 TPI if you work more often with common medium-to-fine wool types and want a more general-purpose carder.
When should I choose 120 TPI?
The 120 TPI model is intended for fine wool and delicate fibers such as alpaca, angora, cashmere, and cotton.
Is the Packer Brush included?
Yes. Every Golden Fleece Drum Carder sold by Revolution Fibers includes the matching 190 mm / 7.5-inch Packer Brush and its installation components.
What does the Packer Brush do?
The brush presses fiber farther into the carding cloth on the main drum. This allows fiber to pack more densely and helps create more even, consistent batts.
How large a batt can this carder make?
The standard model produces a batt approximately 7.5 inches wide by 24 inches long, or 19 × 60 cm.
How does the standard carder compare with the WIDE model?
The standard carder produces an approximately 7.5 × 24 inch batt and has a smaller footprint. The Golden Fleece WIDE Drum Carder increases the batt width to approximately 12 inches for makers who want more working area or broader batts.
Is this drum carder electric?
No. It is operated manually with a hand crank.
Does it arrive fully assembled?
The primary carder is largely assembled, but the operating handle must be attached. The included Packer Brush also needs to be installed using the supplied mounting hardware and guide.
What else do I need to use it?
The carder already includes table clamps, a doffer pin, cleaning brush, Allen keys, and the complete Packer Brush package. Your fiber is the primary additional material needed for carding.
A practical fiber-prep tool with the Packer Brush already included
Choose the TPI that matches the fibers you use most, secure the carder to your work surface, and prepare full 7.5 × 24 inch batts for spinning, felting, blending, and further fiber work. With the Packer Brush included in every Revolution Fibers configuration, the carder arrives as a more complete fiber-preparation setup from the start.
Explore our spinning and felting fibers when you are ready to choose wool and fiber for your next carding or blending session.
