or how do you use your loom?
I see my loom's as a working machine so I'm not afraid to add things to it drill holes, cut bits out so the adaptations fit but all the looms I have owned over the years have all been second hand apart from the first one which I made myself.
The two that I have at the moment one is a 150cm weaving width 8 shaft countra march Glimakra which has gone through a couple of changes at the moment it's sett up as a 4 shaft parallel counter march with a shaftswiching device.
The second one is sett up as a 12 shaft parallel counter march converted from a 4 shaft with a weaving width of 100cm, also I always have a name for them my large one is going through a name change I think Brunhilde will be her new name as for the small one no name just yet.
So do you have names and do you adapt your looms. looking forward to your replies gougy
PS if you want to suggest a name feel free.
Me, too. Since I chose weaving as a career before I knew much about looms or weaving, I've always seen them as tools to be adapted to make them as efficient as possible. :)
Cheers,
Laura
It a machine. Its has taken me a while to see it that way. I found loom pretty and I think because of that I use to see them more as furniture. My husband see them as machines and would like to change somethings on my AVL so it would be earier for me to use.
Looms are tools that sometimes need modification.
As tools they also deserve to be kept in good mechanical working order.
I do try to evaluate a piece of equipment prior to modification to verify that the modification is needed in and of itself, not because I am lacking in skill. Any modifications deserve to be done with highest quality workmanship and materials.
I make every effort to keep all parts of the loom smooth to avoid snagging threads. Furniture polish is a no-no, but sandpaper where necessary any time
Depends on what you want to weave. My 60" wide loom was warped up full width many many times when I was weaving yardage for a fashion designer. Not so much lately. But I can weave anything from a scarf to afghans on it as the mood moves me. :)
The 36" loom I've not warped anything wider than 30 inches - yet. But I routinely make tea towels (22+ inches wide) placemats (15" wide) and scarves (8-12 inches wide)
I'm doing a run of scarves right now 9 inches in the reed. http://laurasloom.blogspot.com
Cheers,
Laura
I weave 36" to 40 or 42" frequently.
You DO want to have a little room at the sides, so a 45" or 48" model will be pretty universal.
Before I changed over to weaving rugs I wove full width throws and at the moment I have a warp of Bourette silk 80 cm wide on my small loom.
Yes, I agree with the comments that my loom is a tool. I don't name my looms and I'm not opposed to modifying the tools I use in whatever way seems to make it more efficient.
Tommye
I rarely weave at less than full width, since my loom is only 24" wide and I like making shawls! That said, I will frequently weave at 23" just to give myself space for extra heddles on one side - easier than removing all the extra heddles on 24 shafts! Lazy I know, but it works for me.
I am ruthless about making nondestructive (i.e. reversible) changes to my loom. I am considerably more conservative about drilling holes, etc. in the loom - I do plan to sell it someday so i don't want to do anything that would harm the resale value. What I consider an "improvement" might not be a selling-point to another person.
That said, the loom is a tool, not fine furniture, and I've made quite a few adjustments/improvements to mine.
Tien
As a loom maker and repairer I have done modifications to every loom we have own except one (it was sold soon after being reconditioned) Cheryl's main work horse is a 48 inch, 4 harness Mac. I have extended the brake release, so you do not have to move all the way to the side to release the brake. Placed nylon washers between each threadle and between jacks so everything moves smoothly, added a beater lock to keep the reed upright as it is being dressed and I attached bars to hold the raddle and lease sticks, so they are always in place (the bars). I also added a set of wheels, you can see this big loom going to a show here www.handweaver.us/southland_jubilee.htm I keep thinking about redoing the harnesses on her 56 inch Mac. They are way too heavy. This Summer I think I will try making a lighter frame to see how it works. If I feel really good I may build a 22 inch 4 harness folding jack loom out of black walnut. It has been six years since I last built a loom from scratch.
Michael
Michael, I wonder if anyone has tried counterweighting the Mac shafts? I'm not an engineer so I am not sure where the best spot for the counterweights would be. My first try might be to split the weight for each shaft in half and put half on the outside of each side of the loom. Perhaps something could be done on the treadles in addition or by themselves. Macomber also makes a compressor assist, but it is rather loud and more expensive. I suspect that lightening the shafts might not work as well as counterweights.
Laurie Autio
Hey Laurie--
I have a 4 shaft baby wolf and weave the width most of the time. I primarily weave shawls rather than towels or scarves.
WeaverJohn
Hello Everybody!
I did name my big loom, but I haven't named the little ones yet.
I'm not adverse to making changes to Honey but am still learning about her so would do so very carefully. I did take the sectional warp pieces off the bean when I got her, but I'm about to put them back on, along with as 13 yd warp.
Right now I am working on maintenance.
WeaverJohn
Laurie, the mac 60 inch and larger looms come with lighter frames, the 56 inch is the heaviest frame they make. I have looked into adding electric solenoids which would not be as loud as air assist. Cheryl is not into any kind of assistance, just good old foot power. One weaver did add extentions to the threadles to give more lift. Her loom had 16 heddles but was not as wide. Your idea about counterweighting the shafts is very good, I had not thought about that. I could add a set of rollers and counter weights. I will have to give that some thought, thanks.
Michael
I had a 40" Mac for a long time and loved it. Now I have a LeClerc Weavebird, which is counterweighted and easier on the body. You might look at the Weavebird set up on the LeClerc site. I think the weights on the Mac would need to be balanced rather than on one side only. I've heard of people doing treadle extensions for them that come out past the front of the loom, allowing the weaver to stand on them rather than sitting and pressing.
I don't know if it is on the web, but Fred Lamb, who was a retired engineer, made an amazing loom that was completely customized - and revolutionary - in every aspect. He wrote some about it for Complex Weavers Journal, and had a video (not for sale). I think he is still among us, but I have not heard from him in a long time. He would be in his 90's probably.
You probably know this, but others may not. Quite a while ago there was a CW study group called Loom Devices that studied some interesting variations. Pattern Devices by Doramay Keasbey also covers modifications. Anyone who is a member of CW may borrow these books from their library.
Laurie Autio
Aha, I found another write-up of Fred's loom in Weavers #15. Should be in any good guild library.
Laurie Autio
Cheryl when to a work shop given by Doramay Keasbey, years ago, I think it was on weaving transparencies. Which Cheryl does. One can be seen here www.handweaver.us/butterfly.htm Our guild wants Cheryl to do a work shop on transparencies. This past December I picked up two overhead projectors ($1.00 each) from the Greene County BOE surplus sale to enlarge pictures to make cartoons for transparencies. Everyone loves the transparencies, but when people are told how much a custom one will be they are in shock. You know, you go to your loom and bam, 15 minutes later you have a custom make transparency. I will think about the counter weight problem.
Michael
I will chime in here, I view looms as wonderful working tools not furniture. I have made a few adjustments and additions to these looms, nothing earth shaking or value decreasing. All my looms are referred to by their names - Rose is my Glimore 8 shaft jack loom, Thistle is my beloved Glimarka and Mary is my Kessenich 4 shaft loom. My other major interest in life is the Elizabethan period - so of course I had to name my looms appropriately.
I'd like to see how you extended the brake release. Do you have any pictures that show it in detail?
I will take one for you and post it later. Basiclly I added a dowel to the brake pedal, coming out at a 90' angle to the pedal an over the top of the threadles.
Michael
You could shorten the chain on the brake and extent the dowel straight out over the threadles without interfering with steping on the threadles. Here I used a 3/4 inch dowel. This works very well. Also I put a screw into the beater frame to keep the ratchet handle from falling all the way down. It would be nice to have a longer handle so you do not bang your knuckles on the beater frame.
Hope this helps,
Michael
It does help. Thank you for taking the time to take a picture and post it!
