I just picked up my new to me Mac and not sure what do you do with all the strings on the front and back beam when you aren't using them? Do they just hang and get caught when you crank the beam (if your warp is not as wide as all the strings on the beam)? Is there a way to tie them to each other so they aren't causing issues?? The ones on the back near definitely would like to get caught up on the lower beam warp separators. Does most everyone change these out for a cloth apron and is that difficult to put on?

Comments

Sun, 02/16/2014 - 17:42

mneligh

For plain (non-sectional) and cloth beams, there is usually an apron rod to which the strings attach.  That is what I use.  Some people replace these with cloth aprons, although I have never seen the point.  I'm sure there are plenty of pro and con valid arguments.  On a sectional beam you do have lots of strings.  I find these irritating, and when putting on a new warp I tape them all down, then untape the ones I use.  I've contemplated putting a dowel through them all and tying it in place, but since I always use my sectional beam and rarely use my plain beam, I'd then be altering the circumference of my sectional beam or having to use multiple dowels, etc., and I still would tape down the strings I plan to use, so I've never bothered.  

Sun, 02/16/2014 - 18:11

Jang

I appreciate your feedback! I think I will first replace the strings on the front and if I decide later on I can put on a cloth apron. Great idea about taping down the ones on the back beam. When you warp front to back, how do you handle the your warp staing off the metal separators and falling nicely into the 1 1/2 sections?? How's your expertise on brake cables as this one is "wonky"??
Mon, 02/17/2014 - 14:23

mneligh

I always try to adapt my warping method to the loom, so I always warp my big Mac BTF, and my Baby Wolf FTB.  Both looms have features designed to allow easy access to the heddles when warping, and so I try to adjust my methods according to loom design.  I vastly prefer sectional warping, so I use either a tension box or more recently an AVL warping wheel to wind each section under tension from the back.  In the case of the tension box, in classical sectional warping the warp is fed from spools on a spool rack through the tension box directly onto the beam. One then removes the beater, folds down the breast beam, optionally removes the warp beam, and is there, right in front of the heddles with no long reach.

If your loom has sectional beams you probably have an extra rail at the back for the tension box.  You can slide it along, and in the first crank or two, adjust the box's placement so that you do not have a problem with the warp hanging up on the apron strings.  It falls neatly into place as you warp.

If putting on two warps (in order to have different tensions on each) I still beam first onto the sectional beam and then crank it onto the plain beam.  It is much faster than conventional warping, and I get a much more uniform result.  In its current location I do not have space behind the loom to do conventional warping.

I have both types of brakes on my Macomber, so I can give this a shot.  However, the short answer is, fold out the back beam into its position for weaving.   The brake cable passes from 2 springs attached to the bottom part of the castle, passes a couple times around the end of the beam,  and continues up to the back beam.  There is an adjustment screw down by the springs.  However, down where the cable meets the springs, there is a lever that passes inside the castle to the front of the loom and attaches to the brake in the front via a chain.

Fold out the beams and check for this lever to be attached on both ends, and the brake cable to be attached on both ends.  Also, the brake cable must not cross over itself as it goes around the warp beam.  I will borrow my husband's camera and get pictures if I have to, but it's always somewhere odd, so it will take a search.

Good luck.

Mon, 02/17/2014 - 15:42

Jang

  • I posted a "project" to Ravelry this morning as it was easier for me to down load the pictures from my iphone which shows the brake cable. I'm pretty sure I have it connectec but I think I have two things going on. 1 - the cable has a few minor kinks and breaks and 2 - there is just a little bit of rust on the pulley. I stopped at the hardware store before work this morning and picked up new cable and connectors and thought I would use some vinegar to clean off the minor rust. I would think these two steps "should" fix the problem. I can't imagine trying to advance my fabric because there's no way this back beam is going to move! Should I put something on the pulley after I wipe down with vinegar?? So I believe I need a little more tension on this cable but also when I release the brake, the beam should be able to turn without causing the cable to jump off. If you can take a look at my "project" on the Mac Group on Ravely and let me know what you think. Thank you!! for your help. Looking forward to getting a project going soon :)
Mon, 02/17/2014 - 19:13

mneligh

I didn't find it on Ravelry -- to which thread within the Macomber group did you post?

A sound cable and connectors are a good start.  Do not make the pulley too slick, though:  you need friction for the brake to hold.  You may need to play around until the adjustment is right.  The cable will not jump off with the loom unfolded, but will when the loom is folded up.  You will need to open it  while adjusting the cable if it has been folded.

Mon, 02/17/2014 - 21:01

mneligh

With your loom open, get the knot out and shorten the cable.  The cable should not cross itself while going around the pulley.  Then tighten the cable so that it is in the "halfway position -- that is, you can still both loosen it or tighten it.  

Since this topic is also under discussion on a different post and this started as an apron string thread, why don't we continue there?

Thu, 02/20/2014 - 06:00

Jang

Mneligh you gave a great description of BTF warping using a tension box. After I complete one section of threads and before moving over to the next section, I understand I should place tape over my thread ends and then cut them and pin them. Now the threads will still be in the correct order before I thread the heddles. So do I just peel one thread off the tape at a time and thread the heddle?? Do I use lease sticks at all? Am I missing a step because I would love to attempt a project with a lot of color changes and this is not my favorite thing to do at the warping board...maybe I will love BTF after all??
Thu, 02/20/2014 - 14:08

mneligh

The point of the cross is to keep the threading order correct.  That is also one of the points of the tape.  If you have used the reed(s) and tension mechanism in the tension box, your warp will already be spread with no tangles.  This means you do not need lease sticks, and you thread from the tape.  As long as your color sequence is correct, a single twist here and there towards the back of the loom will not hurt things.  Between the the heddles or between the heddles and the reed will stop you completely until you fix it.

Lots of color changes present challenges regardless of warping method.  Oweing to my own laziness, I have come to design my threadings to conform to the modulus of the sections.  That is, I have 2" sections, so color changes occur at 2" intervals (or multiples of 2).  Since my threading patterns conform to some extent to my colors, this also helps determine my threading pattern.

Feel free to PM me if you want.