Is it possible to remove teeth from a 12 reed to make it a 5 or 6 reed for larger warp threads?

Comments

Wed, 01/14/2015 - 07:03

Sara von Tresckow

The teeth in reeds are sized differently. Yes, you can remove teeth, but you may lose stability in the reed. 5 or 6 dent reeds have thicker teeth than a 12.

Wed, 01/14/2015 - 14:41

jander14indoor (not verified)

Be careful how you remove the wire.  If you pull it out completely you'll have an empty space that will allow the other wires to move around.

If you cut it out leaving the wire in the top and bottom bar, spacing will be preserved.  Cutting them out that way will be challenging unless you have just the right tool.  Not sure how I'd approach it myself and I have a LOT of tools.  Probably easier to buy a new reed.

That may still leave the stability problem of smaller teeth that Sara mentions.

 

Jeff Anderson

Livonia, MI

Thu, 01/15/2015 - 03:29

terrieO

Reed is so rusted and dirty and paper taping over tar and twine is flaking off some of teeth bent badly and loose, I though would just take apart and clean and salvage what i can,  if do this does anyone know where to get or what to use for larger teeth if just use same frame.?

Thu, 01/15/2015 - 04:12

sandra.eberhar…

It can be very hard to salvage a badly rusted reed.  You can get the rust off, but will be left with pits.  People have had luck sand blasting it.  Think of how much time you are going to spend on your woven piece, as well as the materials.  You may be much less frustrated to get a new reed.

Thu, 01/15/2015 - 15:07

ReedGuy

It is very difficult to source reed wire in small amounts. I have yet to see a source that didn't require a large order. And it looks like we are talking about an old style hand made reed that used split dowel, tarred twine for spacing of dents and gaffers tape over the twine and dowel. The tarred twine is easy to get from a fisherman's supply shop in any size, not a tackle shop. The gaffers cloth tape is easy to get from places like Leevalley. Doesn't sound like it's an industrial made reed. Glimakra shows how the hand made reed they have is made. There is also a range of dpi that a certain thickness will work in. 8-12 dents use the same wire, but to drop down to a 6 or 4, a bit thicker and a bit thinner for something like a 15 or 16 dpi for reasons already stated. If your going from 12 to 6, that old wire don't work. Your better off buying a good SS reed than to make a new one, which is the situation your in. It's going to be cheaper.

Thu, 01/15/2015 - 14:48

sandra.eberhar…

What you want to avoid, after all the work you're putting into your loom, and the work and cost to warp it, is seeing a rough reed cutting your warp threads, or a damaged reed leaving irregular reed marks that may or may not go away in finishing.  I have several of the old style reeds that Reed Guy mentions (split dowels wrapped with tarred twine) that are in good shape and quite servicable.  I also have several that are not in as bad shape as you describe that I have junked becuase I don't think they can be made smooth enough to not damage the warp.  Or if they could, by the time I would have rehabilitated them, I would have spent enough time and money to have paid for a nice, new, stainless reed.  If you shope around a bit, a new SS reed is not that expensive until you start getting into quite wide ones.  They are well worth the investment.  I would advise against buying used carbon steel reeds on Ebay.

Fri, 01/16/2015 - 03:21

terrieO

See your points, yes I think I'm going to have my hands full just cleaning and getting the rest of loom put back together, new reed will have to wait until after purchase any missing parts, already know have no crank handles, and may need new brake parts.

Thanks for your great advise, as you can tell am newbie!

Terrie

 

Fri, 01/16/2015 - 23:19

sandra.eberhar…

You may be able to use a ratchet handle as a crank. The last loom I bought had no crank; a small ratchet handle has been purposed as a replacement. Brake parts can also be found materials.  My favorite brake cable material is heavy duty flat electrical cord. 

Tue, 01/20/2015 - 23:43

terrieO

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

TerrieO