5. The long fibers are called tops and the short fibers are known as noils.[23] Combing is the process which separates the long fibers known as tops from the short fibers known as noils.
6. The combing machine in the mill is a very complicated one. See picture, Textiles, page [41].
7. Gill and comb several strands of wool.
8. Top is too delicate, as it comes from the comb, to be handled. The next process is to combine several strands into one. Combine the several strands you have gilled and combed. Comb this one end with the coarse comb again to be sure that the fibers are perfectly parallel.
9. You gilled, combed, and gilled again. So it is in the mill. After combing, the wool is gilled again by machines known as finisher gill boxes, and wound into a ball called a top.
10. A top differs from top. Top is the strand of long fibers which comes from the comb. A top is the ball of combed wool as it comes from the finisher gill boxes. It weighs from 7 to 12 lbs. and contains 200 to 250 yds.
11. The wool is now ready for the next processes—those of drawing and spinning.
Questions
1. Why is the hair combed? Why is wool combed?
2. What is the first process of combing called? What name is given to the combs used in gilling? What are the machines called?