Greetings all, this is my first post. We bought a used loom, a 48" Countermarch Bartlett from NZ. Such a beautiful thing. We looked a bunch but this one was so nicely made. It is huge though. We took a chance since it was shipped from NZ to Canada 10 years ago and never set up again. After much research on the web and deciphering a two page typewritten assembly instruction sheet we got it set up. My first question (around a million or so to follow) is to what degree can the beater be bent? The beater hinges from the base. The bottom part where the reed goes into is very straight but the top piece, the portion you grab, has an arc set into (towardsyou, the weaver) either from wood warping or years of beating. If I put this piece against a wall you can see a half inch gap in the center of it. So this obviously sets an arc on the reed. Does this matter? Thanks all.
Enjoy your new to you loom. Sometimes you can unbend the warped beater by placeing it on a couple of blocks and putting a heavly weight on it. The other thing is maybe the wall is off. But I am certain you have eye ball the beater. You could try weaving with as is and see if it give you a even beat.
Good luck and again enjoy the loom.
Michael
http://www.handweaver.us/georgia_yarn_company.htm
The reed should not be bent as that would induce either a smile or frown into the fell line as you're weaving. I suggest you try straightening the beater bar or, if that won't work, buy or make a new one. There are many ways to bend wood, including soaking, steaming, and/or just stacking in a humid environment under tension. I'll bet if you put the bar down on a concrete floor in a humid basement with a 1" board under the center and plenty of weight on both ends it'll straighten out in a couple of weeks.
Thank you.
It may well be a matter of the climate in Canada where you are is dryer than back in NZ so the wood dried further and possibly tension wood released some stresses. Tension wood or compression wood is what a tree puts on to keep vertical, or correct itself, if a tree leans from storm damage or ground slip movement on a hill. I wouldn't think the beating action would make a bow, it would have to be constant pressure over extended time period to cause that. That being said, it may well have been how it was stored. You could correct it as mrdubya suggests, placing the inside of bow arch facing the floor. That side needs to take on moisture to lose the bend (expand the fibres).
The wood in question is a three part lamination. I got a 2x6 on edge and 4 large clamps and applied pressure until it was straight. It took a fair amount of force to straighten it. A week later I released it and found I gained almost nothing. The wood has very good spring to it. So I think I will mount it on a straight jig and cut a new groove in it with a table saw. The piece allows for a 180 degree flip in it's mounting on the beater since the original groove is offset from center.
I need to repeat the original method and put in someones sauna for a couple of weeks ;)
Hi Fitzroy. It's been my experience that once a piece has warped to that degree it is now set. Perhaps it would be better to replace this piece. A possible alternative to laminating a new beater bar would be as I have done when replacing my entire beater. The top bar is a new 
section of hand rail with a new reed groove routed in. The shape of the rail is already shaped for a good grip, and it is a laminated item, as are most rails. I used a red oak section, but poplar is also readily available from your local lumber yard, or from "Home Depot" where I bought mine. The bottom rail and sides I laminated from 1"x4" oak stock. Regards, Frank
Yeah, if it's a laminate it will be tough to straighten. A solid could be steamed in a chest and clamped in a form. I thing your piece got bent in storage/shipment and the fibres may have been damaged. A laminate does not normally get warped upless it was not stored properlly.
In the end I cut out a 3/4" section off the bottom which included the arced groove and glued in a new piece of 3/4" fir, the cut a new groove. So I have a straight groove on a bend beater handle.
If you are not an experienced weaver, I would replace this piece as the Loominary recommends. I think the bend is going to continue to give you problems when weaving, even if you get the reed suspended parallel to the castle and front beam.
Also, an experienced weaver would never purchase a loom with a bent-looking beater, so not correcting this will probably effect the resale value. Instead of living with a "drippy faucet" — only to get it fixed when you sell the house, why not make it right so YOU can enjoy it?
Of course, I realize the decision depends on the final objective here!
I have noticed there is a connection between weavers, engineers, and woodworkers. So, some folks like to fiddle with their gear more than *actually* weave... ;-)
Hahaha! I do so hope that last comment won't apply to me! My Dad was an engineer, and I think it's in my blood too! I do like a bit of carpentry too, and the prospect of having to make a new beam for a 3-4ft wide floor loom has not dented my resolve to get it working. I just hope that I do actually get to do some weaving one day!
p.s. I'd make a new bar for the beater too! ;)
What immediately came to mind for me is to remove the bending part, dampen it with wet towels wrapped around it for about a day, put weights on it to bring it to straight....but I had not read about the piece being laminated...I should have read more carefully! The dampness would make the glues pop, so that OUT! I still agree (with myself anyway) about attaching a piece of metal to the back of it...this has worked for me in the past (as did the damp towels, but that wasn't lamenated!). I would chose a larger square steel bar, solid, 5/8 inch square (I think it's called square rod?), pre-drill center-sunk holes, and attach to the back with 4-6 screws in the pre-drilled holes... attach the center ones first, then work to the outside edges. This arrangement would not be seen, would preserve the original parts (I've worked for museums and they loooooove preservation), and would not interfer with grasping the beater assembly to beat. I hope I didn't "dampen" this string of conversation....and would love to know how you work it out!
