Hi All! In preparation for traveling to MAFA and NEWS this past summer, I bought some plastic boat shuttles, thinking that they would be lighter than traditional wood shuttles. When I travel, it is on public transportation, bus, subway and train, so thinking "light" is important- especially when you are carrying your loom, yarns, weaving tools, AND your overnight bag packed for a 4 day trip. Every ounce counts! I thought I was so clever, thinking of the plastic shuttles! Alas, pride comes before a fall. When I told a classmate about my stroke of genius, she looked a little puzzled, and offered up her wood shuttle for comparison. Even without a scale, it was clear that her wood shuttle was much lighter than my new plastic ones. I weighed them here at home, comparing them to my closed bottom wood shuttles, they are about the same weight. Oh well, the colors are fun, arent they? : )
Well, it was a good thought. :) And the colours are bright and cheery.
cheers,
Laura
Isn't it more for the cost? The plastic ones are much less expensive - right?
I prefer heavier shuttles - aside from carrying them around, the simple physics of crossing a weaving web dictates that the larger mass will have more and steadier momentum. This means a better chance of arriving on the other side of the loom without wiggling, nosediving or catching the odd warp thread.
Convenience (lighter tote bag) is not always going to give the best performance.
