I just lucked into an old Cambridge loom that is going to be needing some serious help to get working again--it looks sound, but looks like it may need a reed and maybe a few other bits (I haven't laid hands on it yet LOL).
Does anyone know anything about this kind of loom, and if so, are you willing to share your knowledge? I'd love to hear it. :)
Many thanks!
Pictures make a big difference in being able to offer suggestions. Have any?
Claudia
Not yet... :) Delivery on Saturday. :)
Looking at Google Image Search, the Cambridge loom there is a 4 shaft counterbalanced loom with lamms for multiple tie-up. I could only see 4 treadles in use, but I'm guessing the 4 shaft loom comes (came) with 6.
Can't wait to the the "baby pictures"!
Okay...baby pictures! :) It's kinda sad....but I do think it's repairable but perhaps not by me. :(
Four shafts, six treadles and an awful lot of pieces. Has reeds, just not in the beater. Actually not in too terribly bad shape considering it's spent 20 years in a barn.
Advice very welcome!
If you do a tour of the major loom builders websites, most of them have lovely clear diagrams of how their looms are set up, and even instructions how to put them together in some cases. It should be possible to get most of the information you need to work out what is missing. Keep any broken bits of wood - you may need them to make up a pattern piece to replace them, or make more.
There are a couple of loom-building books around - I'm pretty sure that one is available for free download on scribd.com, well it was a few months ago. It will only show a jack loom set up, but that will help you with the frame and the beams. And shuttles, warping board, temple and a few other useful items. You have harnesses to act as templates for more if you need to replace them. The missing bits are lamms and treadles, to do with the actual mechanism of the loom, which is where going to the loom manufacturers sites will help you to work out how many you need and how they are set up.
It will probably be worth looking to see if there is a Yahoo loom-building group that can help, otherwise you will need to find someone who repairs looms and is willing to advise you. If you have a friend who is pretty handy with power tools, that can be a help, but many of the tools needed are simple to use and not beyond the skills of a careful learner.A drill etc is a handy thing to have around the house anyway, and they are not too expensive to purchase either.
There is a picture and some information on The Weaver's Friend. This is a great loom. It's a counterbalance loom and was used for teaching in schools. It's supposed to have an automatic shaft switching but not sure if that's still there. Janet Meany, The Weaver's Friend, may have the booklet which tells about the loom and that could be helpful.
I would PM Michael White and ask for his opinion. He does a lot of work on looms. And consider joining the DIY group on Weavolution where there are lots of people with ideas on fixing up everything.
Good luck, this looks like it could be a great loom once it's restored.
Claudia
Thanks, folks..you're very encouraging!
I went to the Weaver's Friend site and found the basic description of the loom; this one isn't the one with the auto switching capability--it's the simpler teaching loom, darnit :)
Many thanks for ideas--still looking for ideas as to the miscellaneous bits and pieces--there are flat pieces with 3 holes each that are supposed to hold dowels, judging by the very few which remain...are these the lamms?
The treadles are there, just not attached...
Not knowing much about that kind of loom, when I saw the pieces with the holes and dowels the first thing I thought of was the lamms. Also the back beam reminded me of my first loom that had a sectional beam on the back,but this one has no dowels or pegs in it. Hard to tell from the picture if it once had them. Good luck, I think it looks good for living in a barn. Laurie
I sent an email to Leslie, from your posting on DYI. Note the Reed loom Co & Newcomb Loom Co both were in Ohio at the same time. I think some of the parts may well be the same I will see what Leslie has to say. More detail information can be found here: http://www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/other/rlc_loom.pdf
Laurie there are holes in the warp beam, all Newcomb (the beam looks the same) looms had sectional beams. Some of the parts with dowels and metal L I thinks are used for section warping as tensioning devices?.jpg)
The sectional beam has been converted on this loom
Michael
I am brand new to weaving. I have been knitting for more years than I want to say, spinning a year and a half and now taking a major foray into weaving. I won this loom on eBay this past weekend and will pick it up next weekend. The description says it is from 1917 and that the owner has made many things with it. It is currently disassembles do not pix. I will see it Sunday for the first time. It comes with 7 shuttles and all for the wonderful price of $20.50. Even if the loom is not what it is advertised as, the shuttles are worth more than what I paid for the total. I am really hoping that this turns out to be a gem of a find. And I know I have EVERYTHING to learn.
Let the fun begin...
Congrats! Where do you live? It would be good to contact the local weaving guild and see if you can find a local teacher. If you have Debbie Chandler's Learning to Weave you have a beginning weaving class in a book. There is a list of guilds on Weavolution here that is alphabetical right now. You can start there and always feel free to ask questions here. There is a Weaving 101 group where you will find lots of topics to read about in past postings. You can read everything without joining but if you want to leave a post or a comment, you need to join the group (on the left side of the group page).
Good luck and keep us posted.
Claudia
I too have a Cambridge loom. 45" weaving width, 4 shafts, 6 treadles. Is what I learned on and wove everything for about 10 years. Then bought a Leclerc Fanny and a Colonial. I still have the Cambridge. It is a heavy duty loom; great for weaving rugs but have also woven delicate lace etc. I put a shed regulator on mine to help with some unbalanced lace weaves. I especially like that the tie-ups on the treadles are done with snaps attached to short chains. Changes in tie-ups are done very quickly. Mine does have that large warp beam with holes that I always suspected were for using as a sectional. Thanks for veriging that Michael There is also a photo in the Meany/Pfaff book on Rag Rugs - they list it as circa 1930 priced at $55.
Hi! I also own a Cambridge loom which was a pass-along to me and only came with a 15 dent reed. I am looking for a 6 or 8 dent reed but am having trouble finding any reeds with the 6" height needed. Any suggestions? As a side note, I put the treadles on backwards on reassembly and need to turn them around before the next project. OOPS!
This looks a little bit like my old loom that I sold. Did you buy it in TN? If you filp over the Cambridge card on the beater face is there anything on the back that says Please You Shoppe? My reeds were tied off similarily when I sold it. If it is mine, believe me it did not look like it was left outside.
Also I sawed off all of the pegs with a hacksaw that were on the largest take up beam and yours seem to also be missing.
Do you still have questions? I owned mine for over 30 years.
Gowdey Reed makes custom reeds and might make them that tall. They do a great job.
Good luck
Bought in CA from a guy cleaning out the barn of his relative up in the hills a ways....so I doubt it's from TN. :)
Nothing on the back of the Cambridge card.
Everyone enjoy their looms!
