Hello everyone!  I'm a new weaver and I was given this loom.  There is no makers name on it, so I don't know too much about it, except what I've learned from tidbits on the internet.  I have found that weaving on this loom with only two shafts seems easy enough, but when I have all four shafts hooked up it is really wonkny.  I can't get them to stay straight, they get caught on each other, etc.  

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to make this easier? 

What kind of shaft tie up system works the best? I've tried dowels and pulleys.

Any input is appreciated <3

Comments

sandra.eberhar…

Several things come to mind.  Your loom is a counterbalance loom, which means that the weight of the shafts must balance the weight of the treadles and lamms (if you have any).  The warp is part of loom tie up; counterbalance looms do not behave without a warp.  You have a very narrow warp, which doesn't provide a lot of stabilization.  You also have all the heddles on one side of the shaft, which unbalances it.  If you could attach some pictures of your pulleys, it could help.  You could also look at Glimakra's website; there is a lot of information on counterbalance and countermarche looms.

Antediluvian

The picture shows when I had just the two shafts tied up and it was working fine. I had taken the other two off so that I could get the very basics down AND I was having trouble with all four on with the metal pulleys.  So last night I added the other two shafts using a dowell rod system, but it still was wonky with all four shafts.  And my heddles are pretty centered on it.  

I'll go check out Glimakra's website again, thank you :-)

sandra.eberhar…

If you have four shafts, and you are not using two, those two are not stabilized by the warp.  Again, your warp is narrow, and the heddles are very definately not  balanced.  The balance applies to all the heddles,not just the ones in use.  Notice I didn't say centered, I said balanced.  Balance is key.

Joanne Hall

Big white has a good point.  You need to thread all four shafts.  And, if you did that, then do read the instructions on the Glimakra site.  There are two suggestions there for stabilizing the shafts for when you have a narrow warp.  But, with the warp you have, even if the shaft bars do not stay parallel, you will still get your sheds for weaving. 

So, if you did thread four shafts, you should get sheds.  Check the  Glimakra site to see that you set it up correctly.  Go to resources, then Learning about looms, then basic loom info.

Joanne

ShawnC

Do you folks know of anyone changing these looms over to using horses? It would just seem easier. Love my counter balance loom.

bjr1957

I am looking for someone in the Northeast USA that has experience refurbishing/rebuilding/repairing looms.  I have an 8 shaft loom that is in need of help I cannot give it.  I had thought to sell it, but I really don't want to.  I like this loom but it needs help.  It needs a new brake system, the lower lamms need some work and I simply cannot get it to function on the last 4 shafts as it should.

I live in Central CT.  PLease pm me if you can help.

 

bjr

sally orgren

You might have better luck contacting one of the guilds in Connecticut for help.

https://www.handweaversguildofct.org

sandra.eberhar…

This site has been very helpful to people with a problem loom, or it was when you could post pictures.  Can you describe the problems?  What do you mean when you say the lamms need work?  Do you have any woodworking experience or tools? Generally, there are different ways to go about loom ownership.  If you have an old loom, no longer in production, you learn how it works and how to fix it.  If you do not feel comfortable with that, there are manufacturers that sell new and used looms, parts, and offer support.  The area that you live in has several dealers and many resources.