Just curious,
I'm thinking of building a big new rug loom and was wondering if any of the designs on the market are patented? In particular, the Louet Delta loom has a parallel countermarch design that I would love to use. Their website only claims a patent on their moving breast beam. This is simpler to make than the more traditional contermarch system.
Does anyone know if this is patented?
The Toika and Varpa countermarch looms that are not the full square frame but a "T" shape would also be very easy to construct.
Dawn
Hi Weaver Dave,
I have treadled this type of countermarch, however, I have not woven anything on this type of tie-up, so I cannot comment on whether is has any limitations for weaving or if it has advantages. But, I can report that since it has a double tie-up, with more cords and more pulleys, that it feels different. There is a lot of drag created by all the extra pulleys and cords. This makes the treadling harder. Instead of a direct response when you push on the treadle, it feels more like a jack loom, requiring extra effort and producing a slower response.
Is there a reason that you would choose this rather than the ordinary, more simple tie-up? There are still two sets of lamms to make and whole lot more of the pulleys to purchase (twice as many). It only eliminates one wooden jack per shaft. This type of tie-up is well known, but from what I have seen, it is not used in Finland, Norway or Sweden.
Joanne
Thanks Dawn - I'll check out the Toika and Varpa looms.
Joanne - I was thinking of this design because it can be made smaller than the traditional countermarch. But I didn't figure on it having more drag. Thanks for telling me that - I want something that is smooth and easy to weave.
Hi Dave,
I designed the Julia countermarch. That loom is very small, 32 in x 32 in floor space and yet has the traditional countermarch tie-up. The only size requirement is space for two sets of lamms. Yes, some looms have them on one level, but then they need to be very thin, or only four shafts.
The minimum height needed on a small loom for the countermarch's two sets of lamms is about 32 inches breast beam height, which is the height of the Julia countermarch loom. Anything shorter than that does not give enough leg space, especially for average height or tall weavers.
Joanne
That's really neat! So, do you work for Glimakra? The julia looks like a very nice loom.
Yes, we distribute the weaving equipment and Swedish threads in the US and Canada. But, I am first a weaver (40+ years) and a teacher.
Joanne
What are you thinking of using for pulleys? I had considered a design like this, but am having a hard time coming up with enough pulleys at a reasonable price.
I've been searching on robotics parts websites. They have very reasonable prices. I've been searching for pulleys, hubs, wheels, and servo wheels. You should get lots of hits on all of these. I guess 2 or 3 inches in diameter would be plenty big.
Hi Weaver Dave,
I do not know if Louet has a patent on the parallel countermarch system, but I know that it works perfectly. I have a Louet Spring loom which features the same system as the Louet Delta and can only tell you that it produces a wonderful wide shed and is gentle even with fine yarns. I do not find threadling hard at all, contrary to what someone else posted. I find it in fact very easy to treadle regardless if I use four or ten shafts (my loom is a 12H)
Bridget
I'm having a conversation with the machinist we work with for my husband's motorcycle parts. He is already doing my drop spindles. He's gonna quote me a price. Everything I can find is either outrageous shipping or not enough quantities.
The extra drag that I was describing would not be noticed very much on a small
loom, which is always easier to treadle. It is more evident on larger
looms, wider warps or warps with many warp ends. And yes, the treadling on a countermarch is
certainly much easier than on a jack loom, no matter which countermarch
tie-up system one uses.
It is good to note that the traditional
countermarch tie-ups work very well. If loom height is the reason for
considering the parallel tie-up, then loom height is the issue. I
understand wanting to have a compact loom, but comfort is another issue.
I am more comfortable weaving on a loom with a breast beam height of
35 or 36 inches and I am only 5' 3" tall.
And yes, the threading is very easy. I sit
inside the loom and take the weight of the treadles off the shafts, so
that the heddles are not held tightly.
Joanne
Try this - 45 cents each because they are on sale right now.
http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/pro...
The only thing is that bracket, so the support rod would need to go through that instead of the pully sheave itself. For the bottom pulleys, that means that the rod would need to be UNDER the pulley sheave.
But you can't beat 45 cents!
Joanne,
Thanks for your input on the different types of countermarche systems. It is so very helpful.
I'm personally looking at non-traditional countermarche systems because of the size limitations of the area I have to work in. I have a tiny old house and a whole lot of "stupid" has been done to it over the last 60 years. This leaves me with an area that has a much lower than normal ceiling, just over 6'. It's low enough that my husband feels uncomfortable in there, which makes it uncontested space! There are a lot of advantages to the room as a weaving room, but the ceiling height limits the type of loom I can put in there.
I'm not sure which is crazier, building your house to fit your loom or building your loom to fit your house?
I also like the idea of being able to build a more portable cm loom. Actually, that's wrong, Glimakra's are incredibly portable, I know one that travels around the country doing demos. One that can be folded up and moved around while warped. Not that I plan on taking it to workshops, but I have a habit of needing to rearrange my living and work spaces often.
If your friend has a lathe, I think it would be easy to make the pulleys out of hardwood like maple. There is not a lot of stress on them during operation, so wood should be strong enough. Another option would be plastic, like nylon or delrin. The plastic could be more expensive to buy than the wood, but it would last indefinitely.
Now I'm wondering if its possible to design a CM loom without pulleys. I'm trying out a system of sliding triangles that can raise or lower the harness frames depending on their starting position. When you press a treadle, it puts the triangles into the proper position. I guess that's hard to picture. I'll have to draw it to explain it better.
We are looking at a nylon/poly material. I think that would also be really quiet. I don't have this type of relationship with a woodworker, or any skill with our own lathe, or I would go with wood. But it is looking like I should be able to have some of the nylon ones machines for a price more in line with what I'd like to spend.
many of the "original" countermarch loom styles have remained the same over time - because they are simple and work really well! Simple upper jacks and lower lams on a square lower frame and either a square upper frame or T frame works. Does not require pulleys or fancy hardware. Can easily be added to and even computerized!
Dawn
The Julia loom has a traditional countermarch tie-up, with 8 shafts and it is only 53 inches tall. So, a countermarch does not need to be tall or big. The assembled loom goes through a doorway very easily.
Right now I have put long eyed heddles on it and I am weaving a satin damask weave with 8 blocks. So, it is very versatile.
Joanne
Could you post a picture of the set-up you are using? I tried weaving half heddle damask, though with a very narrow warp, and had difficulty getting a clean shed and with warp tension.
VAV magazine has the instructions in their 1/2011 issue. These are from an earlier issue of VAV from the early 80s. It was also published in one of the VAV pattern books from the 80s. I will send you an attachment.
Joanne
You need to put the drawloom elastics on the shafts. I use the buttonhole elastic from the drawloom company in Sweden.The batten size is also important. Ed has made my batten, 2.5 by 6cms, since the Julia is a small loom. In the damask article it is 6cm by 3cm. For the damask the batten stays up, so it has a flat bottom, being thicker. For opphamta, the batten is thinner and it falls down as needed for weaving the tabby.
Joanne
Way to go Dave, there must be hundreds of Patent Attorneys just waiting to post on this site!
:)
Too bad the Julia doesn't come in a 48" weaving width and 16 harnesses.
