The Gill Box

A top is a long piece of wool that has been washed and dyed but which has not been twisted. It is quite thick and not very strong.

The Gill Box combines ten tops.

In the video opposite ten tops - five brown and five beige - are being drawn into the machine.

The Gill Box drafts the tops (draws them out, making them longer) and twists them together to make them stronger and to blend the colours.

The name "Gill Box" is an anglicised version of the French word "aguille" which means "needle." Part of this machine is a comb with many thin teeth, like needles.

The Gill Box produces a sliver.
The sliver is put into a drum and taken to be processed by the next machine: The Draw Box

The Gill Box