I have a lovely 8H Macomber.  I have only 800 heddles and need more for a project I'm working on.  I do like my flat steel heddles, but they can't be had anymore.  I've ordered insert eye heddles.....and then I had this thought....

My counterbalance loom has Texsolv heddles, which I absolutely love.  I know I couldn't replace the steel heddles on the Mac with Texsolv without adding weight in some other fashion, but what about the 'extra' heddles being Texsolv?  Will that work?  Will it really matter that my steel heddles are 12 1/2" and the Texsolv heddles come in 12 3/8"?

Your knowledgeable insights will be greatly appreciated!

Comments

Sun, 10/06/2013 - 20:26

SallyE (not verified)

Hm. . . .  I've never tried this, but if I did, I'd use either all metal or all texsolv on a given shaft.   As for the extra 1/8" that the texsolve heddles have, it might be good to borrow a few and see how they fit onto the shaft frames.   They should not be too lose, and obviously, not too tight to fit on easily.

If you do try this, let us know if it works!

 

Sun, 10/06/2013 - 20:57

Peg.Cherre (not verified)

Actually, Sally, the Texsolv heddles are 1/8" shorter, not longer, than the flat steel heddles.  But Texsolv will stretch a bit over time - at least in my experience - so I was thinking they might stretch that much.  Plus, Texsolv is designed (I think) to fit primarily over wooden heddle bars, which have much more width than a metal heddle bar like my Mac. 

Hope others offer their opinions.

Mon, 10/07/2013 - 21:41

ReedGuy

Just some thoughts before you go off and do this mix and match with a whole bunch of messing around. ;)

Texsolv itself won't be restricted as to being able to slip onto the shafts. You have from the eye woven in the middle of the heddle, out to the knotted end, of a texsolv heddle. I don't have a clue how the metal ones attach, but see how much a difference you have in range of motion between the two types. Easiest way is have the shafts at rest all even and look at the two types where the eyes fall. Maybe you can compensate with tie up cord lengths? But you want them eyes at rest at the same level or nearly so, so adjustments can be made to the texsolv bearing shafts when tying up. The 1/8" is insignificant, but the way they hang on the shafts might be much different from one another causing the eyes to be up or down from another by quite a bit. Just keep the heddles, one of each kind on a separate shaft and the shorter heddles on the forward shafts. Your troubles, if any, will be with having an even shed for the shuttle to pass, if not it will be causing skips in the cloth.

Mon, 10/07/2013 - 01:57

Peg.Cherre (not verified)

That all makes sense, ReedGuy.  Thanks.

Peg

 

Mon, 10/07/2013 - 21:16

sandra.eberhar…

I would go with trying a few Texsolv first.  Texsolv are measured differently; a 10" Texsolv heddle is 10" from the top to the bottom.  A 10" steel heddle is generally 10" from the middle of the top eye to the middle of the bottom eye.  Schacht says you can't use Texsolv on their jack looms, but I know it has been done successfully.   I have also seen a Leclerc jack loom that worked well with string heddles.  Apparently, the weight of the shaft frame itself is enough to bring it down