Hi everybody! I'm new to the forum, and the reason I'm here is because I'm considering buying my first loom — a used Baby Mac. It's obviously been..."well loved," and that love involved the previous owner replacing the front apron beam with a squared piece of wood which is a little splintered, and the strings have been replaced by a make-shift and, at this point, dirty apron (years of use will do that to a piece of white cloth). I've been trying hard to find out how the beam is attached to the rest of the loom so that I can know how difficult it'll be to replace with a clean, new cylinder, repairing the crank for it in the process, since that's also broken. Does anyone have any insight on either of those things? 

Also, I'm curious to how it sounds to people who know looms that a baby mac with no reed, rusty jacks, and the problem above would cost $575, with a warping board thrown in? 

Comments

Mon, 10/10/2016 - 17:05

Interlacements (not verified)

Hi Yelena,

From your description, this does not sound like it would be a good first loom for you.  A used baby mac can be a joy, but not if you are a beginning weaver faced with trying to solve a loom's problems.  I'd stay away from it.  There are many other good looms out there that are cheap and decent for new weavers.

Mon, 10/10/2016 - 17:05

Interlacements (not verified)

Hi Yelena,

From your description, this does not sound like it would be a good first loom for you.  A used baby mac can be a joy, but not if you are a beginning weaver faced with trying to solve a loom's problems.  I'd stay away from it.  There are many other good looms out there that are cheap and decent for new weavers.

Wed, 10/12/2016 - 01:05

sandra.eberhar…

Macs are still made, and you can get replacement parts for them.  I'm not sure what you mean by "front apron beam".  The breast beam, the top front beam, is square on mine, and it's original.  The cloth beam, where the apron or strings are attached, is round, but I have looms with octagonal beams, and square would work.  Aprons can work as well or better than strings to hold the tie on rod.  Long story short, you have a loom that has been used a lot, and you're thinking to make changes to it without first seeing how it works.  Baby Macs aren't the simplest looms, and I think they loose some functionality to become folding. But if it sings to you, I'd go for it.  You can get a lot of support from the Mac group here, and from Macomber.

FYI, there is no crank on a cloth beam; you don't wind the cloth on the beam the way you do warp on the warp beam.  Cloth beams commonly have a ratchet and pawl, although my favorite has a boat trailer winch to pull the cloth on.

Wed, 10/12/2016 - 15:35

ricatlga

I bought a used Baby Mac in good condition and still had minor issues with it.  There are definite "vintages" to the Baby Mac.  I just saw one at a workshop that was made of plywood (not solid maple like mine).  Eddie at Macomber Looms will be glad to talk to you about this loom.  There should be a metal plate with the serial number on the right side upright.  You cannot get high tension on this loom.  My take-up handle on the ratchet for cloth beam broke.  They now double rivet those.  Also to release tension on the cloth beam (not the back beam) you have to lift the ratchet out of the pawl with your hand and there is a futzy little spring that keeps the ratchet down that then has a tendency to slip off.  All in all, I would not look for this as a first loom.  My first was a 4 shaft used Leclerc Artisat with unrusted reeds and a bunch of extras for about $350.  That was years ago.