Michael, I was hoping that you had some ideas of what I should do.  I took my restored CP loom to a workshop and the piano wire retaining springs holding the pawls on both front and back beam got bent enough that they dont hold the pawls in place now unless I physically force them down.  I spoke with Ed at the shop with the intention of just purchasing new springs.  Ed's advice was to bend these springs back into place (he told me how, but my attempts did not work) because even if I buy new springs, I will have to do the same thing.  How do I know how far to bend the wire?  I dont see any way to get the part that should be straight back to being straight.  Admittedly, I havent been too aggressive yet.

Second problem is that now the crank on the warp beam scrapes against the back hinge when advancing the warp.  According to Ed, someone tightened the handle of the crank too much and now it is too close to the wood/hinge on the upright.  I asked if I could just unscrew it a little, and Ed said no because then it would just be loose.  Can you tell me why that is not a option?  Ed's suggestion was to bend the crank away from the loom - how can I do this so that I dont totally destroy the crank and/or the loom?

I am so sorry that I took this little loom to the workshop.  I guess I know better now, but it is too late.  Months of getting this poor thing back in shape down the tubes.  If you have any suggestions, I sure would appreciate them.

 

thanks.

 

Gail

Comments

Michael White

I don't know anything about the CP looms. But I do know that someone here had to bend the wires to get their CP to work. Can you take a picture of the handle? I will check to see who.

Michael

gailc

Michael, it might have been me.  I had to do a little bending when I was getting this loom refurbished.  But even then, the wire situation was not as bad as it is now.

 

gail

gailc

Thanks, Michael.  None of those links has a picture of the kind of brake that is on my loom.  And the cloth beam ratchet spring problem is worse than the  warp beam brake spring.  Both were bent at the workshop.  I did have a tension problem with the cloth beam spring when I was working on getting this loom in order, but managed to solve it.  However, now it is not providing enough tension to keep the pawl in the ratchet and has bent out of shape quite a bit.  It used to be straight where it needed to be straight, but no longer.

I may try to email revmrdoug with some questions and photos about the spring adjustments as well as the issue with the warp beam handle hitting the hinge.

Gail

Michael White

Of the handle and the wires.

Michael

gailc

Michael, here are a bunch of photos of the issues with my loom

First: cloth beam spring problems

The spring was not so curved or bent before.

Next, the bent warp brake spring:

again, the spring did not have that slight curve in the middle before

And the warp beam handle:

You can see how close the warp beam handle is to the wood.  Ed said there should be 3/4 to 1 inch between them, but now I only have 1/4 inch.

the handle hits the hinge when it gets to that point in the rotation.  And that screw should be out further to hook the chains for keeping the loom closed when folded, but I had to screw it further in or the beam would not move past it.

I do not see how to remove the beam so that the handle can be taken off to bend.  Trying to bend it now will just break that wood.

this is the warp beam from the other end of the loom.

 

Michael White

I think we can work this out.

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Michael

andsewon (not verified)

I would order new springs from Macomber and try it. Can't cost that much and would look nicer, too. ;o) Then for the warp beam crank, If there is supposed to be space in there, can you put in a couple of washers to create the gap? Connie

gailc

Connie, yes I think I am going to try the new springs.  They are inexpensive - actually, the shipping costs more than two springs.

As far as the crank, washers wont help because it is not that there should be a space, but rather that the handle has been pushed or screwed into the beam too far.  The issue is pulling/unscrewing it out and then removing the beam from the loom.  Without knowing how to take the beam/ratchet/handle apart, the beam will not detach from either the ratchet side or handle side of the upright.

Thanks, Connie.  I appreciate any other ideas anyone might have.

Gail

gailc

Thanks, Michael.  I will try to give you a call later this afternoon when I am by the loom.  I sure hope I can get this back in order.

 

Gail

Michael White

Gail, you need to lock the beam them turn the handle to see if it will turn out. I am thinking it has to turn. I would try an bend the spring at the curve. I still think this is spring steel. Try picking up on it and see if it springs back.

Michael

Michael White

this afternoon. Call me this eveing.

andsewon (not verified)

Gail, I'd just give Macomber a call and ask how it comes out. Eddie is very helpful. I'm sure they'd walk you through it. Good luck!! Keep us posted. Connie

gailc

Michael, thanks so much for your assistance yesterday.  I got the loctite and put it on the threads.  I may not have used enough and may not have waited long enough before turning the handle to see how it worked.  the handle threaded in a little more when I first turned it, but still clears the hinge and screw.  It has been about 3 hours and I think the handle will unscrew if I turn it counterclockwise.  I hope it takes this stuff a while to set up and it is just too soon.  If not, I will try again using more of it.

I dont know how well I did with adjusting the springs, but will have to wait until I put another warp on to find out.

Gail

gailc

Connie, I couldnt stand the suspense and with Michael's hand-holding, I found that the beam handle just screws out of the beam.  And I can take the entire beam out if I remove the carriage bolt at the other end.  Now that I have removed the beam and put it back in with no problem, it is not so scary if I have to do it again.

 

Gail

gailc

As of this morning, the loctite wasnt successful.  It seemed to work keeping the beam handle from going in tighter, but not from unscrewing out.  I took the handle out again, put a generous amount of loctite on the last 1/2 inch and put it back in with a little room to clear the hinge, but not the full 3/4 inch spacing.  This time I will leave it for a day before even testing it.  I used the blue loctite because I got a warning about the red being permanent.

 

Gail

Michael White

with Loctite. I have used the red in the past and it will let you unscrew with it on. It just makes a tighter hold which is what you want. If the Loctite doesn't work we will go to plan "B".

Michael

Michael White

Did you ever get the handle to lock?

Michael

gailc

Hi Michael - it seems as if the second application of loctite has done the job.  I havent had a chance to warp the loom and weave yet to see if it will hold up under actual use.  I let the second application dry for as long as I could stand the suspense - wanted to go for overnight, but managed about 10 hours or so.  When I first turned the handle clockwise, it did tighten and screw in a little more, but still clears the hinge and screw (not by much though).  And I can turn it counterclockwise without the handle unscrewing.

Bending the springs back into a tensioning position has not been as successful.  Too many beginning weavers out there who arent taking the time to learn the basics before doing things they arent ready for.  From now on, I am going to make sure any workshop that I attend is weaving on your own loom only.

Thanks for your followup.  After I finish weaving my charity auction baskets (at the last minute, as usual), I will play around more with the springs and give the handle a try with actual weaving.

 

Gail

gailc

Michael, I finally got a chance to weave on this loom only to find that the loctite isnt holding the beam crank during normal use.  Now I guess I will have to buy a new back beam. This really has me peeved, especially knowing that the person who screwed up my loom has managed to get herself a baby mac.

Anyway, I have this thought and figured that I would see what you think.  Since the problem appears to be that the handle has been forcibly turned and screwed too far into the beam, can I cut a small piece of dowel, glue it into the channel in the beam and then screw in the handle?  Will the handle tighten with a shorter hole into the beam?

I know that the beam is not really that expensive, around $40 plus shipping I think, but I just made new aprons and attached them and would have to do that all over again.  So, what do you think about my idea?

 

Gail

Michael White

When you take out the handle what does the end of the handle look like? can you take a picture?

Michael

gailc

I think it was a blunt end with screw threads for about an inch- I will take it out again tomorrow and get a picture.

Deanna (not verified)

Plugging up the hole a little was the first thing that I thought of.  I have a baby mac and that was where I would check first.  You need to be careful not to put too much length in the hole.  But I think it is a good place to try.

gailc

Hi Michael,  I finally got a photo of the beam handle.  Here it is:

 

Michael White

What I would do is drill out a wider hole then you have. If the bolt is 5/8" I would use a 1" dowel. Before I inserted the dowel I would drill a hole in the dowel the size of the shank part of the bolt. Measure the inside part of the bolt. What we are trying to do is have a hole smaller then the threaded part of the bolt. When you screw in the bolt it will cut a new thread. If after the handle is screwed back in lets see if it holds.

Michael 

gailc

Michael, the beam itself is only a 1 1/2 inch diameter round piece of wood.  The metal ratchet is attached to the beam, I have not tried to remove that,  so I am not sure if the beam is routed out to fit the protrusion of the ratchet.  The threaded part of the handle is only about 19/64 (fits a little loosely into a drill bit sizer of this size).