Hello all,

I've been hanging back since I first got this vintage (1980s - manual converted to compu- in early 90s) 16-shaft, 40" FDL last February, trying various suggestions given here and on WeaveTech for wayward shafts. My problem is that shafts 15 and 16 are very unpredictable - rise when they shouldn't or don't rise when they should - with the result that I have to watch every lift to check (gives new meaning to "slow cloth"). What seems odd to me is that as soon as I hit "unweave," the correct lift is made every time! Ditto on the way back when I cancel "unweave." I've been in touch with the AVL and software (Fiberworks) folks, but we can't seem to resolve this.

My latest attempt was to put on a 15-shaft warp, but shaft 15 is still wayward--sometimes. It's the unpredictability of it all that is truly frustrating. At least the pattern on this one was only 8 picks long, so I pretty much memorized the lifts and didn't have to keep looking at the computer screen to see whether the shafts called for were actually lifting. Anyone else out there with this problem? Suggestions welcome!!

gretchen

Comments

Sara von Tresckow

 If WeaveTech cannot make suggestions to fix your problem, you really have no recourse but to contact AVL.

Your loom is old enough to have wear issues in addition to any standard troubleshooting for this type of loom. Yes, contacting a manufacturer about equipment purchased used and not reconditioned by them will cost money, but with the technical nature of computer assisted dobby looms, posting advice without seeing the loom is iffy at best.

alene

I sent an email to Bob at AVL. He is their tech support person.  This is the link: https://www.avlusa.com/contact-us/

My AVL is a manual 16 shaft.  He helped me debug my erratic dobby advance over the phone.  I needed a new spring for the manual dobby control fork.  Total cost $23 dollars including California sales tax and shipping.  I stongly recommend contacting AVL for help.

gweft (not verified)

For some reason, my last response didn't get posted. Here's another try. Just wanted to thank both Alene and Sarah for their suggestions. I had already contacted Bob Kruger, president of AVL, and he has been most helpful. So too the many WeaveTech AVL owners. The problem seems to have been solved, though I'm not sure which combination of the many suggestions I tried did the trick. In any case, I've woven two+ yards of fabric without mishap. Thanks to all!

Gretchen

 

rlmarchand (not verified)

Could you tell me exactly what you did since I've been having the same issues.

Shelley

Leslie M (not verified)

I would also be interested in what you did as I am having the same problem! Thanks. Leslie

gweft (not verified)

We are not the only ones, it seems, who have misbehaving shafts. Apart from a huge list of adjustments that one of the WeaveTech AVL coaches recommended, I made a few in addition, but can't say which one(s) helped to resolve the problem. Mind you, it hasn't gone away entirely, but among the helpful suggestions, attention to my left foot may be the most important. I tightened the turnbuckle a tad and I'm now extremely vigilant about clearing the lifts by taking that left treadle all the way down to the floor. Also, I tightened the little side screws on my serial cable connection to the laptop. I also made a minor adjustment with a shim to the arm (mine is wooden, since it's version CD I, but others call this the "knife.") that sweeps down and up with the treadle action. I also chose a readily memorized pattern with only 8 lifts so I could keep track of when/if a wayward shaft was not rising when it should (or rose when it shouldn't). This was also a 15-shaft pattern, so I was basically watching for no. 15. Now I'm nearly finished with the warp and will have to make another try at 16 shafts. I'll keep you posted. . . .

Gretchen

Kate in Scotland

I had the same problem with shafts toward the back of the loom. I fixed the problem by tightening the bolts holding the dobby arm to the loom frame, and by oosening the turnbuckle. This gave the other cable more slack, and allowed the dobby arm to rise a few mm higher, thereby catching the beads more reliably. 

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