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    Help me please! I'm just sitting here pulling seeds out of cotton. I have a quarter cup of cotton seeds to my almost two cups of material. THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY!!!

    My fingers are sore and my nails are splitting. Can anybody suggest an easier way to do this?

    +2  Views: 757 Answers: 4 Posted: 9 years ago

    4 Answers

    Julie watch this short video here. It looks like the seeds can be removed with a block of wood and a metal bar.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXp-O6SIeyg

    hector5559

    That's Teds dinner done then C/B,
    jhharlan

    I've forgotten about that one! Boards I've got , now for the metal dahl.... thanks!
    Ducky

    Moderator
    Well, isn't that interesting. Of course, the help would come from that gal from the south, ya'll. :)
    country bumpkin

    Moderator
    Tee Hee! :)

    Sorry jh....no such thing as growing cotton up here. Wouldn't have a clue.

    jhharlan

    But it's awful. The fibers cling to the seeds and you have to pull, separate, pull, pick, pick, pick. I have sent off for a "drop spindle with instructions" so I can spin my cotton into thread. I'll crochet something and sell it for a fortune. I'm planting the seeds next spring.....
    Ducky

    Moderator
    I would search for some help but I don't even know what to 'search'. Can you give me some examples? (Removing seeds from...? How to clean....?)
    jhharlan

    "Cotton ginning by hand, removing cottonseed , prepping cotton for spinning....." A pasta maker works but who do I know that has one?
    Ducky

    Moderator
    I'll let you know if I find something that looks like it could help.

    I've looked for small cotton gins or hand crank gins , haven't come up with much you might want to try craigslist or something similar  down there. If your not doing that much I seem to remember seeing something like two file/rasp cleaners separating cotton.

    jhharlan

    Oh, thank you. File/rasp? Can you elaborate? I've read of using a pasta maker but I don't have one (are you kidding? Homemade pasta isn't worth the effort -I've done it). Craigslist? I'll give it a try. Again, thanks.....
    JDB

    file or rasp cleaners are short wire brushes that are designed to clean metal files or rasps. you would have to experiment but I think you pull them in opposite ways with the cotton in between. Type file cleaner in google or eBay.
    jhharlan

    I just got off of Craigslist. Found a gentleman wanting to get rid of gin parts for free. Maybe a little cannibalizing, spit ball and bailing wire I might can get it to work. I’m planting about a hundred seed next spring. Thanks for the heads-up!
    JDB

    Good luck sound like a nice project, Hope everything works out.
    Ducky

    Moderator
    Maybe this? Looks like a lot of work though.
    http://wn.com/Cotton_Seed_Flicker
    jhharlan

    I've been trying to do the same thing with a doggy brush. One still has to pull the seed out as I've not grown, what WAS it called? Free Seed cotton? I've grown "let's all stick to the cotton" kind. But thank you. It never occurred to me to flip it over!

    Just go buy cottonballs at the store, work from there. Watch for different size pieces of cotton. The cotton pulled off the seed will not be as strong as rest of cotton. Just so you know, its called linters, its what they make paper money out of. Hope you enjoying weather there, its 19 degrees wind blowing 37 mph and snowing here in west texas.

    Ducky

    Moderator
    Snowing? So those weather people didn't lie to you after all? :(
    jhharlan

    Z, it's dropped 40 degrees here and with rain plus thunder. As for cotton, I've grown my own. I had two plants, about 15-20 bolls and I just want them ready to spin. I'll do it and then crochet something fabulous and expensive…… Thanks for the education!
    zorro

    Well they didn't lie,but still have not got the heavy snow here yet. It is blizzard like conditions though as they said it would be. Several place have got over 17 inches so far. The cotton fields are covered in snow.
    jhharlan

    Is it common for a boll to have 8+ seeds inside?
    zorro

    That's common to have 8. When planting be sure to fertilize well. Potassium is necessary for good fiber strength.I would suggest using diatomaceous earth in the soil and sprinkled on plant as it matures. This will stop bad worms and good nutrients for the plant as well. The plant needs lots of heat and water
    jhharlan

    Heat I'm counting on, I live in our great state. Watering is how I relax and unwind..... thanks, will Mirical Grow work?
    zorro

    Miracle grow will do just fine. Don't plant until may though when soil temps are warm down there.
    jhharlan

    Down there? Austin? How high up are you?
    zorro

    Austin elevation is between 500 and 1000 feet above sea level .South of Lubock, north of Midland where I am its about 3000 feet above sea level.


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