I am finally finished assembling my new to me AVL 16S A series CD1 - but it is missing the pins for the cloth storage beam. If I understand correctly - one side of the beam (away from the pawl) has a pin with cotter pin going thru the beam (if possible does anyone have a pic of this?) - the other side has a pin. Does this keep the beam from twirling? From the weight in the front from crashing to the floor? Can I buy these from the hardware store? What size are they? Really appreciate your insight here - I've no idea how this works yet. Thanks!

Comments

Sun, 01/24/2016 - 05:00

Bonnie Inouye (not verified)

I had to replace that cotter pin a few years ago and I found the right size at Home Depot. This is on the same side of the loom as the CD and it is next to the spring. Smaller AVL looms and newer ones have a string that goes around a wooden wheel. Larger, older looms have a spring inside a wooden wheel. It's hard to get that spring wound tightly again after moving the loom. The spring keeps the weight from crashing. The cotter pin keeps the cloth storage beam from unwinding. The other side of the cloth storage beam simply fits into a notched piece of wood.

I really like the cloth storage system.

There should be drawings in the manual. If you did not get a manual wit your loom, you can download it from the AVL website. How wide is your loom. What year was it made? AVL will tell you from the number on the plate, if you don't know.

There's an AVL group in Ravelry.

Bonnie Inouye

Sun, 01/24/2016 - 13:32

kerstinfroberg

My (inside) cloth storage beam spring got slack, and I tried to tighten it as described in the manual. It did not work well. (Then, I asked AVL for advice. Why am I not surprised that the answer was something that cost money... and that probably would not have worked anyway)

After much fiddling I found a very easy way: by manually tightening (turning) the cloth beam to take up the slack in the cord going to the weight. I had to do this several times, but after spending a day or so doing this everytime the weight was at the bottom, I had tightened the spring. This was many years ago, and the spring is still tight.

Sun, 01/24/2016 - 21:22

Cosima22

Thanks Bonnie, It is an A series 60" 16S cd1 from 1989. I have the manual, but the info on the pins is not as detailed as I was hoping (because they are missing, I guess). From your comment I'm guessing that the spring must be wound with the pin in place or it whirls itself unwound???

Sun, 01/24/2016 - 21:24

Cosima22

I was wondering if that would work!!! First I'll need to get pins.. then I just turn the beam to tighten the spring? Then pin it??