Migrated Group Comments

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Tue, 06/09/2009 - 17:27

Holly Shaltz (not verified)

I have the use of an AVL 16 shaft 60" mechanical dobby loom, thanks to a friend who had to make room for her MIL.  I've only  used it 3 times so far--have a 30-yard warp of 8/2 unbleached cotton, 22" wide, on right now, threaded to a point twill, for napkins, table runners, and the like--some for gifts, some for a weaving group exchange, some to hopefully sell.

Because this loom isn't mine, I'm hesitant to spend money on it--my friend may want it back at any time, though I suspect I'll have it for a few years yet.  It's reconditioned from the mid 80s--86 I think, though I'm not sure without looking it up.  It has a sectional beam with 2" sections, which deters me from fine warps.  I have to borrow bobbins to fill, or make some (I've used toilet paper rolls, which actually work quite well), to be able to use even my standard 8/2 cotton.

Holly

Wed, 06/10/2009 - 01:57

lisack (not verified)

Hi all,

I bought my AVL 16H loom in 1992.  I wove a lot at that time and since then life has gotten in the way.  I have recently been working my way through Bonnie Inoyue's book about multishaft design.  I got stuck on the network drafting chapter so then I bought Alice Schlein's book...so I'm set for summer weaving which for me will start in 4 days when school is out!! 

I love to weave clothing weight cloth. I dye warps, wefts or do shibori to get color effects as well as weave effects.

I'd love to hear what other people are doing with their looms!!

Lisa in Frederick, MD

Sat, 06/13/2009 - 20:53

suehelmken (not verified)

Hi Lisa,

Are you a member of the Potomac Craftsmen guild?  I'm in VA, but I met Bonnie at some of the meetings and got her book.  I do shibori and clothing, too.  I got a 60" LeClerc Colonial, used, with 12 shafts and flying shuttle.  I figured LeClerc could help me, but no such luck.  They don't deal with mechanical dobby systems any more and wouldn't/couldn't even give me a place to look for parts.  I'm getting by with what I have, but I'd really like to have another set of bars and straps [have lots of pegs] so I don't have to re-set them every time.

 

Sue Helmken

www.barefootweaver.com

 

Sat, 06/13/2009 - 21:00

suehelmken (not verified)

Hi Holly

I use a sectional beam, too.  When I'm using finer yarns, I run 2" sections on my warping board and put them directly on the warp beam.  It works well for 12-15 yd warps, but I think it would be too hard to control the tension on 30yds.  I wonder if sections of pvc pipe would work if you could glue bits of cheap carpet or rough cloth on them for friction.

Sue Helmken

Sun, 06/14/2009 - 05:21

KokoSam (not verified)

Hi Everyone,

I have an 8 shaft Mecchia dobby loom 60" wide. Mecchia is from New Zealand and is in beautiful native woods. It takes up nearly 5cubic feet in my studio!!!  I am just about to start winding a very fine (32epi) cotton and rayon stripped warp. The rayon catches on everything there is to catch on!!.  I have only had this loom a couple of years and haven't had too many warps on it.  I am just trying to get used to the dobby system.

Cheers Judy

Fri, 06/19/2009 - 01:34

pilcrowlit (not verified)

 I'm Carol, and I joined this group because I own a 22-shaft dobby made by John Bettencourt. I haven't had it long, and haven't had the courage to warp it yet, so I'm hoping to get support, encouragement and ideas from everybody else. I have six other looms, my favorite of which is an 8-shaft countermarche, but I really want to get the Bettencourt going.

Tue, 06/30/2009 - 04:13

Cheryl Muckenfuss (not verified)

Hi,

I'm Cheryl and I have a 36" 12 shaft AVL made in the early 80's.  I also have my friend's 48"  16 shaft AVL production dobby loom.  I would really be pleased to locate dobby bars for the 12 shaft 36" loom.  I have only seen two other looms like it for sale in the last 10 years or so.  It is a nifty little loom.

Fri, 07/03/2009 - 01:22

lisack (not verified)

Wow Sue! Your work is so beautiful!

I love the dyeing process and Shibori is wonderful because it gives a structure to the dyeing process.  Have you ever done woven Shibori?  I have not yet, but hope to someday.

What are you having trouble with on your LeClerc? Maybe people on this forum could help.

I have been a member of Potomac Craftsmen and may join again as I weave more.

Bonnie has always been very forthcoming with help and inspiration.  I didn't mean to imply that Bonnie's book was the problem....it is that I am having a hard time understanding the structure of network drafting. 

 

Lisa

Sun, 07/12/2009 - 04:03

wwknitandspin (not verified)

 Hi Cheryl,  

How nice to find someone else with the same loom.

I have the same 12 shaft loom and the same problem of not enough bars.  I'm trying to locate them through the internet (which would be the fastest way), but also trying to get AVL to make some.  They don't have the specs any more, so I'm FAXing them the measurements and tracings of mine.  If there are two of us, maybe we can get a better deal.  Do you by any chance have the original manual.  I have a marginal copy, and could use reprints of a couple pages.  

Kathleen

Wed, 08/19/2009 - 16:30

amelia (not verified)

I purchased a Baby Dobby for my  Baby Wolf in February of this year ... but life has intervened, and I still haven't installed it!  Sigh. I  have lots of plans, though :-) and the drill is sitting ready next to dobby&loom.

Thu, 08/27/2009 - 15:49

Trina (not verified)

 Hi, I'm new to Weavolution, and find your comments interesting.  I have a 44" 8-shaft Louet with a mechanical dobby.  I wonder if Louet could help you all with obtaining additional bars?  I really like my Louet, it''s a beautifully made loom and I like the dobby system.  My one complaint, and maybe some of you have had this problem, is that I can't easily set up a more complex pattern on the mechanical dobby (ie, overshot with the intervening tabby shots would have bars dragging across the floor---or you'd be readjusting your bars every few shots.)  Has anyone else found a solution to this?

Thanks.

Trina

Thu, 09/03/2009 - 20:27

silkweaver2 (not verified)

Hi trina

 

I recently took a workshop with Bonnie Inouye and she showed me how to use my Magic Dobby more efficiently by moving the bars back and forth.  For example your plain weave picks would be on bar one and two then your pattern picks on the other bars.  You just move the bars back and forth.  It seems really slow and difficult at first but you soon get the hang of it.

I would like some more bars for my loom but have found that they are very expensive.

 

Julie from the UK

Mon, 10/19/2009 - 00:19

Mary from New Jersey (not verified)

Hi Trina,

I'm so glad to find this discussion on line.  Yes, moving bars back and forth seems to be the solution.  I did this with a doubleweave diamond pattern on scarves I made this summer.  It not only helped me gain a better understanding of how the block structure worked, but also allowed me to use no more than the 50 bars I received with my Magic Dobby when I bought it used in 2001.  The key to success is to mark the beginning of each block with a sticker on the bar that shows the number of the block.  "Artist tape" (available in art supply stores) worked very well for this. I used the 1/4" size.  I used a fine Sharpie marker to write the block number on the tape, then cut each piece off and placed it on the black plastic edge of the appropriate bar.  This evening, I removed the doubleweave markers easily, with absolutely no residue.  Best of all, during the three months the project was on the loom, in the heat of summer, not one "sticker" came loose!

Now, I am setting up the bars for a 6-block Summer and Winter project, for which I plan to use the same strategy.

Wed, 12/09/2009 - 16:22

DeniseD (not verified)

Hi Kathleen,

Have you had any luck with AVL and the 12 shaft dobby bars?  I have a woodworker friend who has made things for me in the past, I have an AVL 48" 16 shaft mechanical dobby.  If you are still in need and would be willing to send me the measurements and tracings, I could ask him to see if he would be interested and at what cost.

Denise

Mon, 05/26/2014 - 12:40

kfagan

Hi Judy, Your post is a few years old so am not sure if you are stilling weaving on you Mecchia dobby loom?? I am in Australia and have just bought the same loom as yours, second hand. It is taking me a while to get used to it -being so big!. I have a question : if using only 4 shafts for a pattern, how do you keep the remaining shafts together?? maybe leave some heddles to hold them together?. Also, I wonder if you have an electric pirn winder ? and which brand it is to fit the Mecchia pirns?. I'd appreciate any information you might have. cheers Kerry Fagan
Tue, 05/27/2014 - 19:15

Bonnie Inouye (not verified)

I weave on AVL looms but have seen a Mecchia when I taught weaving workshops in NZ in 2002. On my AVL, I have to leave at least one heddle at each end of each shaft in order to keep the bars in place. That is easy because I almost always use all the shafts and can keep extra heddles distributed. If I need to weave a sample of a 4-shaft fabric, I thread 8 or 12 or 16 shafts so I can weave many other designs on the same warp. There are many more possibilities when using more shafts.

Bonnie Inouye

Tue, 09/26/2017 - 03:50

Elvisfan

Hi, my name is Nancy. I am new to Weavolution, and new to Dobby weaving having just bought a new to me Mecchia Dobby, 8 shaft loom. I have had one warp on it to try out the Dobby system with the chains which came with the loom. I want to try my own patterns now, but will be needing extra bars and pegs. I have no idea where to go for these as there is no indication on the bars of who made them, just the Mecchia name, who are now out of business. Does anyone have any ideas where I could go for these please?