I’m thinking I need to make some sort of tensioner that immitates my fingers. Two pieces of leather? Something. If I don’t hold a very slight bit of tension on the yarn going on, the skein is too loose. But that’s with my nervous slow skeining speed. I’m not going from cones yet – just from some center pull balls – and had to keep a close eye on them so a huge glob of yarn didn’t get yanked up at the very end. Anyway, it’s awesome – and your’e correct – it would have been a bargain at twice the price (oh, that’s what Fricke charges – and I didn’t buy it).