I've just become the second owner of a 22" Harrisville 4H/6T ... which I bought from the weaver's estate. It appeared to be complete, but not quite assembled correctly. Getting it into the car, the harnesses came unhooked ... and now I have loose cables all over, both above the harnesses and above the treadles, and everything I've tried doesn't get them either level or functioning. I've ordered the manual from Harrisville ... but can anybody steer me in the right direction while I wait?

 

Comments

sequel (not verified)

Each shaft has a "double" cable that separately runs from the hooks on the shafts over the top pulleys and is doubled down the side of the loom, where it hooks onto the chain that, in turn, hooks onto the single cable that runs under another pulley and across (and maybe over another pulley) and down to the center of the lamms.  There is some adjusting to be done with the chain to position the shafts so the heddle eyes are below the breast and back beams.  If the shafts are uneven left to right, you adjust the "double" cable above the chain by pulling it up or down on one side or the other to level up the shaft.  Then slide the ring down to the end loop to secure it.

It might help to tie up the treadles so there is some downward pull on the shafts/lamms.

It might be easier if I could show you...

 

 

Dawn McCarthy

Texsolv, texsolv texsolv!  The cure for all Harrisville quirks!

Dawn

jenjscott

I posted some pics to flicker here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27014247@N04/6756841295/

this is one pic, I think you can scroll through the others as well, there are four.  It was kind of hard to get really good ones with a project going, but maybe it will help you see where stuff goes.  If you need a specific picture, let me know.

Dena (not verified)

Dawn-Can you say more about this?  Do you use them everywhere or just in some places.  I'd love to love my harrisvilles.

weavingmaggie

Thanks, everyone. The pics help a lot, the description helps a lot ... and I love texsolv! Dawn, can you say more about how / where to use it on a Harrisville? I love it on my Mecchia countermarche. 

Dawn McCarthy

I converted all the cords and cables for the Harrisville looms to Texsolv at the store that I teach weaving at.  I found the looms can be transported without loosing all the cable ties and is easily adjustable.  The shaft cable that goes to the pulley gets a longer piece of texsolv and one shorter for the other side of the shaft (I took one extra long piece and put it on the loom and left a few inches extra for later adjustments) once I got that length correct I used it as a guide for the others, I cant rememer if the long piece also goes over the lower pulleys.  I replaced all the treadle ties with texsolv.  I will try to take pics but it really is quite simple, strong, easy to adjust and doesn't "jump" when transporting the loom.  Highly recommend it.  Don't know why Harrisville doesn't use it?

Dawn

Dawn McCarthy

Above is a pic, just figure out the direction of the cable and replace with texsolv, you will need as many arrow pegs  as you have shafts  for the side that adjusts, the texsolv has holes in it so you can insert the hooks to the shafts easily.

steve104c (not verified)

I have  the same loom as you. The cables will adjust at the center cable clamp where you connect to the chains. The only problem I had was that the top castle warped and the pullies were sticking. I put a piece of wood across the top of the castle to separate it a little so the pullies turn easily. The instruction book from Harrisville Design is not very good in explaining important info. such as adjusting the harnesses..............Steve.

jka-tkt (not verified)

Dawn I have a follow up question,  

Some one replaced the harness cords with a thin clothsline on my older Harrisville T6  Just wanting to be sure I understand how to replace it with texsolv.  The first cord I took off measures 6 feet and doubles back on itself with a shorter length that is adjustable with a sliding crimp.  It sounds like you replaced it with two lenghts of texsolv, one longer and one shorter and you just make the lenght adjustments using the holes of the texsolv.  No using arrow pegs or anything?  I just want to check before I cut it.  Thanks a bunch!

 

naturalstateknitter (not verified)

I am wondering if there is a pdf that shows how this loom is set up. In transporting it to my house, the harnesses came loose and I can't seem to get them back in place. It looks like I have everything hooked up right, but my harnesses are way too low. My manual that I have for the thing is all words and no photos so I cannot tell if I have it hooked up right or not. I would appreciate any help. Thanks 

sequel (not verified)

On these older 4 treadle looms you have to be careful to make sure the treadles end up below the lower castle cross piece after unfolding.  Try folding again and get the little devils back where they belong.

Michael White

Was everything "normal" before you folded the loom up? The first think I would do is close up all the hooks, it is really dumb to have open hooks on any loom that is made to fold up and be turn over to get into a car.  Figureing it was normal lets start on the treadles. One think to make certain of is that the treadles are under the cross piece. The cord goes over the first roller and under the next roller, this cord is then attached to a pull cord which has two pieces, one cord goes over two rollers and attaches to the leftside of the frame. The other shorted cord goes over one roller and attaches to the right side of the frame.  If you need to adjust the height you can do this by adjusting the cord going through the treadle. One other problem is the beater with the open slot, some times the beater will also jump off the pins which it sits on. If you still need pictures let me know and I will take you some of the 22/4s that we have.

 

Michael

SallyE (not verified)

I renovated a Harrisville last summer and had a devil of a time with the shafts, getting them the right height, etc.   Finally, I took a page from the countermarch folks and made a set of shaft hangers so that I could hang the shafts from the castle, get them at the right height, and then run the chords.   It was much easier both to set up and to run the new chords - get them at the right height.   I would think that it would be useful for moving the loom also.

To determine the right height, I just hung a set of weighted chords over the back and breast beams, through the shafts.  Using those, I could see how high to hang things so that the warp would go straight through the heddles.

 

sequel (not verified)

On Harrisville and other jack or rising shed looms the warp is not supposed to go straight from front to back, but should dip down at the heddles, approximately 1/2 the distance between the heddle eye and the heddle bars.  Harrisville can give you exact dimensions for their looms.

SallyE (not verified)

The point was the use of shaft hangers to help with the setup - which can be done any way you want.

 

Davie Hannaford Jr

Hi all,

I'm setting up the harnesses on my 4H 4T Harrisville Designs, and it sounds like the top of the heddle eye should be resting (slightly) on the warp.  May I ask the benefit of this practice?

Thank you for sharing all the advice and knowledge, it really is helpful.

I made a pair of jacks that hold the harnesses in place while I measure for the new cables and for final set - up.  Here's a photo for the curious.

Harness jack for set up & adjustments

Thanks for the inspiration for these SallyE. I think they will turn out to be worth the trouble of making them....

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend.

Dave

Nassajah (not verified)

I'm acquiring the above mentioned loom that was built in the 70's.  It seems that the handles for the front and back beam are missing.  I called Harrisville and they suggest using hand vices for them.  I asked for a picture, so I could possibly have a handle made, but they refused to send a picture but offered their $14 loom manual.  All I wanted was one picture!  Anyway, if anyone has this type of loom, could you please send mya picute of the handles and how they're attached?  If you would also send a picture of the brake system, I'd really appreciate that too.

Thanks!

Sued

I could sure use a picture of the brake unit on a Harris I’ll loom

McNifty

I just purchased a 15 year old Harrisville. Alas, the rotten rawhide cables have broken apart and I begin to figure out how to restring the cables.  Also I a saw the advice about turnbuckles and what not to adjust -- mine doesn't have any places to make adjustments that I can see.  Not sure how to start.  I  bought paracord before seeing this page and the advice to use TexSolve -- should I forget the paracord and purchase TexSolve. Is purchasing the $15 (+ shipping -- Not even instantly downloadable! Sigh) Harrisville loom Assembly manual worth it? Some comments made it sound unhelpful for this aspect. Thanks.

 

McNifty

I just purchased a 15 year old Harrisville. Alas, the rotten rawhide cables have broken apart and I begin to figure out how to restring the cables.  Also I a saw the advice about turnbuckles and what not to adjust -- mine doesn't have any places to make adjustments that I can see.  Not sure how to start.  I  bought paracord before seeing this page and the advice to use TexSolve -- should I forget the paracord and purchase TexSolve. Is purchasing the $15 (+ shipping -- Not even instantly downloadable! Sigh) Harrisville loom Assembly manual worth it? Some comments made it sound unhelpful for this aspect. Thanks.