Anyone have experience with the shed opening on a countermarche loom of more than 10 shafts? Handwoven mentions frequently that "ten shafts should be an optimum high number." Is that true? On all countermarche looms?
Thanks
Kate
There are, for example, a number of people with LeClerc Weavebirds. These looms have countermarche action and 16-32 shafts. They work fine (I have had a 24 and a 32 shaft version). Handwoven may be basing their opinion on getting under the loom and tieing up twice as many ties. With a computerized loom it doesn't make much difference.
Laurie Autio
It's definitely shed and not tie-up that Madelyn van der Hoogt is referring to: "This makes countermarch tie-upstime-consuming, the more shafts the more time it takes. (Fora fabric using twenty shafts and twenty treadles, for example, 400 ties must be made from treadles to lamms!) Also, the greater the number of shafts, the narrower the shed on most countermarch looms (ten shafts could be considered an optimum high number)" (Guide to Selecting and Using a Weaving Loom). It didn't make any sense to me that LeClerc and Toika would continue making countermarche looms with more than 10 shafts if they didn't have a good shed. Thanks, Laurie!
Some countermarch looms with many shafts may have poor sheds (as do some with few shafts), but the sheds on the Toika and the Weavebird are fine. I agree that tieing 400 ties would be a turn off, but one just goes to a computer dobby at a certain point. It's always a good idea to check around as things in print are occasionally oversimplified or incorrect. ;-)
Laurie Autio
Fora countermarche looms with more than 10 shafts (shedding can get a bit complex if the lams are pivoting and knocking into each other) - there are systems for "floating lams".
Cranbrooks (the Bexells) often had the upper lams floating - or attached by pegs to the lower shaft bar and only the lower set of lams connected at the side of th loom for a pivot.
Oxaback makes a double set of floating lams for their multi-shaft countermarche looms where there is an extra Texsolv cord keeping the lams in place and they are not attached on one side of the loom with a pivot point.(The two support cords keep the lam horizontal at all times.)
As Laurie aptly said - at some point, you simply make your loom a dobby. Remembering the treadling sequence for more than 10 treadles becomes another major headache.
I don't want to complicate this subject, but Madelyn is writing from her experience. When she purchased her countermarch looms, they were delivered with heddles which were actually too long, longer that what is used in Sweden where the looms are made. These longer heddles were recommended by some American weavers. The longer heddles complicate the tie-up. With the shorter size recommended by the factory the tie-up is easier and sheds are not compromised.
Joanne
There's so much more to multi-shaft countermarche weaving than I ever thought to ask! I'm learning questions to ask, and that's critical. And trying to find a way to test drive a loom before purchasing. Thanks so much, Sara -
i figured it was based on her experience - good to have a context for that, Joanne. Thank you!
I formerly had a 12 harness countermarche. I used all 12 harnesses and had problem with the shed. it was always consistent whether 8 or 12 harnesses in use.
Judy Summerville
