This bobbin was designed by Norm Norlander as a complement to his Nor-Vise, a true rotary tool. It allows the rotary tier much greater control of the thread than any standard bobbin because it will retract the thread that has been pulled out. The bobbin kit comes with 3 extra spools and a winding hub that allows the user to readily wind thread onto the precisely made aluminum spools. Winding can be done with an electric drill or with the vise. Both are fast and easy.

In rotary tying it’s essential to pull the thread out and hank it over a post out in front of the vise so that it doesn’t wind back up while using the rotary vise feature to apply chenille, yarn, hackles, etc. If the bobbin doesn’t retract the thread, then the tyer is faced with mechanically re-winding the thread after every operation. That’s a real pain in the you-know-where. With Norm’s Nor-Bobbin, the thread is easily pulled out and easily retracted, making rotary tying not only fun, but efficient, as well.

Notice in the photo below that the thread is wrapped a couple of turns around one of the legs of the bobbin. That’s to provide just enough friction to prevent the bobbin from rewinding by itself, when you hang it down while tying. Extra thread tension is achieved by touching the spool with your finger(s).

Cutting the thread can be a problem unless you know how to use the bobbin. Pull it out about 14 inches and the clutch engages, allowing you to pull out extra thread that won’t be rewound. Then when the thread is cut, it will still extend beyond the end of the ceramic tube. One can also hang the bobbin on the thread post before cutting.

While designed specifically to work with Norm’s great rotary vise, the Nor-Bobbin can be used independently, giving the tyer the ability to retract thread swiftly and easily.

When you buy a Nor-Vise kit you not only get the necessary thread post with the vise, but you get the Nor-Bobbin kit and a very nicely done DVD explaining how to use all the parts of the Nor-Vise Rotary Tying System.

The Nor-Bobbin is an essential, easily used part of the rotary Nor-Vise System