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The treadles on the Union 36 loom are attached at the rear of the loom and extend all the way to the front. They angle up and are therefore very high off the ground where the weaver sits. Since working at the loom while standing was intended as an option, that makes sense. However, 99% of all the people I've heard of, read about, or seen, weave while seated.

 My Union 36 has the full-length treadles as do all but one I've ever seen in online photo searches and videos. The only exception is a Youtube video where the treadles have been cut off about 12" in front of the shaft chains with the top edges rounded over.

 Cutting them shorter seems to make a lot of sense for seated weaving. When I sit at the loom even with a high bench seat it is very difficult if not impossible, not to mention extremely awkward and uncomfortable, to lift my legs up far enough to depress the treadles. It is necessary to lay my foot sideways and depress them closer to the chains. This too is some

Since I've seen so few looms with cut-down treadles, is this really what all of you with Union looms do, i.e. lay your foot sideways farther down the treadle and depress? Or do you employ some other method?

 I would really appreciate your comments and insights. I'm willing to cut the treadles down but if there is a method that allows for normal, comfortable treadling with them long, I'd like to know and try before cutting.

 Thank you very much.

 Rich

Comments

kerstinfroberg

From the perspective of a "generic Scandinavian loom" weaver: you could try to lower the treadles? As I understand your description there are chains from tredle to lamm (shaft?), but they might be lengthened with a piece of cord just to make an experiment, perhaps?

sandra.eberhar…

I would agree with Kerstin, I would try lowering them before cutting them off.  If you could post a picture, it would help us see what you have.  I have a loom with treadles attached at the back that reach all the way to the front of the loom.  This is quite a high loom, and I sit on a bar-heigth directors chair to weave.  Very comfortable and works very well.

parkview112

I thought at first I couldn't lower them much further but after checking again I find that when one treadle is fully depressed it is still four inches off the ground. I'll buy some new chain and make the two pieces longer to lower them to the point where the teadles when depressed will touch the ground, providing a saftey stop for the shafts as well as more comfort from a lower treadle position.

Thank you for the suggestion which made me double check!

Rich

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