I have an old CB loom that has a beater that hits on one side first and the other side is about 1/2 in. from hitting. Is this a big problem that will interfere with my weaving? Is the loom not square? What can I do to fix it?
Thanks!
Candace
Yikes! That doesn't sound good. Have you checked the pins or things the beater supports pivot on? Did something slip? Post pictures if you have some. From different angles. That way everyone can see what you are talking about.
I've seen that on a couple of looms and it was caused by some part of the beater or loom frame being warped. I'd start measuring various things and see if you can determine what is off.
Check to make sure the loom frame is square - measure from right front to left rear, then left front to right rear. The length should be the same. Then check to see if the beater is warped. If you have a level, check the length. If you don't have a level, do you have a yard stick? Lay it along the length of the beater and see if the stick stays flat or if there is a curve in the beater.
cheers,
Laura
not afraid anymore!
!. could the beater (assuming overhead) be hung "unevenly"? My beater supports/suspensions are warped, but the beater can be made to hit almost right if I hang the beater from he (say) third slot on the right, and the fourth on the left.
2. Are the beater supports warped? Mine are - I (almost) fixed that by running a (what's-it-called? let me call it "cord", which is not quite correct) from one suspension limb to the opposite back post. It is the blue, er, "cord", that can be seen on the first picture here.
That said - I wove for years on this loom without any fix, and I could not see any problem. (OTOH, us dumb Swedes... ;-) ) Seriously, at times I thought I could see something - then I tried stretching along both bias lines, and after wet finishing I (thought) I could not see "it" anymore.
Conclusion: try (including weaving) the easies fixes first - maybe you don't have to fret...
has had the same problem from the day I got it in 1985-6. I used to try loosening all the connection points and tighten them up differently...when they were loose it would straighten out some, but, once tightened, all would go back to about 1/2 inch off. Long story short, I have woven stoles, baby blankets, sofa throws and yardage on this sweet old loom and not one project looked "off" once removed from the loom. The first weft thread looks crooked compared to the loom and the last weft thread is parallel to that first thread and it comes out juuuuuuust fine! Go forth and WEAVE!!!
After checking all the things others have posted, check to see that you are grabbing the beater right in the center so it can hit evenly along the fell line. Practice doing this with both hands. I have my beginning weaving students tie a soft thick piece of yarn right around the top of the beater, through the reed and back to the top and tie a knot....that way they can feel if they have hold of the beater in correct spot for accurate beating. Grabbing the beater just slightly off center can cause the problem you are having, even if the loom is square.
I held the beater with both hands, wrenching the beater into correct position with a little push/pull pressure just as the reed met the fell. I made it straight and parallel, but, it sure was slow...after a while, I just started weaving.
Candace, I apologise if this information seems obvious, but it was not always so to me. The classic Swedish loom design with overhanging beater has beater cradles consisting of separate blocks held onto the uprights by two bolts that fit in a grove. That is, the bolts can be loosened so that the block can slide slightly forward or back. The positon of the block on each side of the loom can be adjusted independently.
What came as a surprise to me was that, to get the beater to hit square, I needed to slide the cradle block back a tad farther on one side than the other. This was just as true of the 5 year old toika as the 30 year old varpa. If you have this setup, adjusting the cradles might help correct for minor warping.
MM
Thanks for your help, but my original post was about an old loom that I had with an underslung beater, not my Varpa countermarch. But I'm so glad that you did let me know that the cradle block is movable on the CM. I didn't know that and will remember it for future reference.
Thanks
Candace
I think to, that it's best the square up the loom by checking diagonals before you tap in the joint pins on the big looms like Glimakra. And don't pound them in like driving nails. Those suckers will be hard to take back out. Just use love taps, as they say. If everyting is milled to a certain tolerance than you can square it up. The lengths of the timbers (wood) does not move enough to measure. Meaning the joints of the two halves of the loom should be constant. The timbers will change in width with temp and humidty but the nature of the joints is that it would have to compress the long members, which are highly resistant to compression. Now being able to move the cradles may make a difference, but you have very little room to move them and should not have to. If it's not square you get other troubles (in my estimation) like binding with the roller shafts or possibly rubbing of the rollers on the frame and maybe warp troubles as a result (uneveness and breakage).
