The present invention relates to a spinning apparatus (5) for producing a thread (36) by means of a circulating air flow, wherein the spinning apparatus (5) has a hollow spinning cone (19) which is arranged in a spinning housing (14, 15) and, in order to generate the circulating air flow, a nozzle block (17) which can be loaded with compressed air, wherein the spinning housing (14, 15) has an expansion chamber (28) which is provided with at least one waste air channel (29), wherein a compressed air source (22) can be connected to the waste air channel (29) for the joining operation, while the nozzle block can be separated from the compressed air supply, as a result of which an air flow which runs along the spinning cone (19) in the direction of the sliver guide (18) is generated in the spinning housing (14, 15), with the result that a suction effect is produced at the inlet opening (35) of the spinning cone (19), by way of which suction effect a thread (36) can be transported through the spinning cone (19) counter to the spinning direction.