Hi I have recently purchased from eBay a very large mahogany countermarch loom.  It looks to have been tied up with 4 of the 6 treadles and 4 of possible 8 shafts. It has 8 lamms all on the Same level  8 overhead jacks with centre pivots and a homemade shaft switching device. Having no experience with this type of loom I am really struggling to know how this would be tied up. I have spoken to the chap I purchased it from and he assure me it is a countermarch loom that he made many rugs on in the past but he is not in position to travel to my location unfortunately he was away on holiday when I picked everything up from his brother who was selling it for him.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I would really love to give this a go.

I can post pictures if that helps.

 

manythanks 

 

lee finley 

Comments

sandra.eberhar…

Glimakra's website has information about CM and CB looms.   Do you know if all the lamms and jacks were in use to operate the four shafts in use?  The most common loom with one set of lamms and jacks is not CM but a jack loom.  There are CM llooms with all of the jacks on the same level,  they are uncomon.  CM looms have two lamms for each shaft, an upper and lower lamm.  The lower is attached to the shaft bottom to pull it down, the upper is attached the jack, which is attached to the top of the shaft to pull it up.  An overhead jack loom will have the lamm attached to the jack, which is attached to the shaft to pull it up.  The previous owner may have thought that it was a CM because of the overhead jacks, which are found on CM looms, but may have not been aware that it is how the shed is formed that defines the type of loom.  Does it have room for more treadles?  Do you actually have 8 shafts for it, or does it appear to have room for 8?  An 8 shaft lloom with only six treadlles would also be very uncommon .  It could be n 8 shaft jack lloom, or a 4 shaft CM with. the lamms  n the same level.

Laminaria

Hi Lee, I have an old 8-shaft (George Maxwell) Countermarch floor loom with all the Lamms on the same level. It has 10 treadles.

I'm afraid I can't help you with a specific tie-up as I've yet to figure out the best option. It is an old loom, and I'm still renovating it, and although I've been weaving for a long time have only used other looms so have to get to know it. I don't see why all Lamms on the same level should make any difference. 

What will you be using your loom for? If not sure, then a universal tie-up might be easier as it can be used for multiple structures. An example is in Rug weaving by Ulla Cyrus, and Peter Collingwood's version in Rug Weaving Techniques. I would be interested in any other solutions you might come across.

What make is your loom?

Wishing you all the best.

Lucy

morgan clifford

Cranbrook also would be a consideration.  Schacht currently sells/makes them and they should have info about the tie-up.  Sounds like a great rug loom.  Shaft switching is such a great technique and having a device makes it easier than using individual strings.  Have you checked Peter Collingwood's books?

weaverwmn

I'm trying to put a new friction brake on my new to me Baby Mac but the instructions that came with the new brake are a little sketchy. Can anyone who has a friction brake post pix please? Maybe the visuals will help me understand better.  Mega thanx.

morgan clifford

Are you aware of the Macomber Looms and Me site/blog?  Very helpful for questions about Mac looms.  http://macomberloomsandme.blogspot.com/

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