I would like to hear everyone's opinion on fly shuttles. Are they primarily used to weave widths that are wider than your arms can reach or is it that you can weave much faster? If it's the latter, how much time do you think you save using a fly shuttle versus a regular one? I would like to hear the pros and cons. I'm looking in to buying one or more for my looms and wondered if I could get some help?. Thanks.

Comments

Wed, 05/22/2013 - 21:20

laurafry

In a word, yes.  On my recent tour in the UK we saw lots of looms, not very wide, all with fly shuttles.  Since the weaving width was relatively narrow, the obvious reason for them was speed.  Of course, they are also good for wider widths.  In the 'old' days, wide cloth needed two weavers.  A fly shuttle meant the mill owners could have just one weaver for broadcloth.

I also find that having more than one box means weaving with more than one shuttle is much faster.  No picking up and setting down of shuttles.

cheers,

Laura

Thu, 05/23/2013 - 23:01

sandra.eberhar…

I agree with Laura.  I use mine regardless of the width.  I find I get a more consitent pic, and it is much faster.  For me, about twice as fast.  One of the cons is that if you want to use floating selvedges, you need a bit of extra set-up to make them work.  They also add width to the loom, so if you're tight on space, that could be an issue.  There are also some safety issues.  You want to make sure that nothing can fall in the boxes and that you have a clear shed.  An unboxed shuttle can be dangerous.  I have never had an unboxed shuttle fly across the room, it usually just falls to the floor, but I have heard of that happening. 

Thu, 05/23/2013 - 23:22

the busy weaver (not verified)

I have an AVL and a Glimakra which I am considering fly shuttles for. Have you all worked with either of those? I love my Glimakra the best but the fly shuttles for them are priced way high!

Thu, 05/23/2013 - 23:28

laurafry

My loom is an AVL.  I bought the loom with the double box fly shuttle, then upgraded to four boxes a few years ago.  Yes, they are expensive. 

:(

cheers,

Laura

Thu, 05/23/2013 - 23:59

ReedGuy

I have a loom much like a Standard and I often use one, not always. Some sheds just are not well suited like a double width weaving with two sheds/layers. I do not use one on narrow widths, I can weave pretty quick on narrow pieces under 48 inches. As fast as I want to anyway. I'm not trying to race at weaving. ;)

Fri, 05/24/2013 - 03:35

SallyE (not verified)

I've never understood how a two box system works.   The both can't be at the height of the lower part of the shed.   Are they next to each other, i.e., a front one and a back one?   And if so, doesn't that mean you have to advance the warp more often?

 

 

Fri, 05/24/2013 - 05:05

laurafry

No, they are stacked one on top of the other and act like elevators. Cheers Laura
Fri, 05/24/2013 - 14:47

SallyE (not verified)

So what moves them up and down?  And, are there two handles so you can pick which shuttle to throw?

If anyone has a you tube video of this working, please share!

 

Fri, 05/24/2013 - 15:09

laurafry

Hi Sally,

there is a handle that connects to the boxes and which can be shifted left and right to move the box 'elevator' so that they move up and down.

I don't have good photos of the shuttle boxes.  I will try to take some and post to my blog later today (although I'm tied up at the clinic all afternoon - it may be this evening before I can do that).  My four box fly shuttle is moved via electronics now, not a physical cable, but it will maybe give you an idea....

cheers,

Laura

Fri, 05/24/2013 - 16:47

laurafry

Hi Sally, I just did a blog post with a photo and brief explanation of the fly shuttle, multiple boxes.

http://laurasloom.blogspot.com

cheers,

Laura

taking a break from weaving, about to go finish the hot pink/orange scarf warp....

Sat, 05/25/2013 - 00:53

SallyE (not verified)

Thanks for the picture Laura.   With your system is it possible to, for example, throw shuttle A twice, then B once, than A twice, B once, etc?

I can kind of imagine how things would work if you always alternated the shuttles, but what if you want to do something more irregular?

This is probably the kind of thing I'd just have to see!

 

Sat, 05/25/2013 - 01:37

laurafry

Yes I can do any number of picks before changing to another shuttle. Cheers Laura
Sat, 05/25/2013 - 01:38

laurafry

Yes I can do any number of picks before changing to another shuttle. Cheers Laura
Sat, 05/25/2013 - 01:38

laurafry

Yes I can do any number of picks before changing to another shuttle. Cheers Laura
Sat, 05/25/2013 - 01:38

laurafry

Yes I can do any number of picks before changing to another shuttle. Cheers Laura
Sat, 05/25/2013 - 01:38

laurafry

Yes I can do any number of picks before changing to another shuttle. Cheers Laura
Sat, 05/25/2013 - 20:27

the busy weaver (not verified)

So, big white says she can weave twice as fast with a fly shuttle. ANy other comments on that?

Sat, 05/25/2013 - 21:11

laurafry

Yes, more hiccoughs!  :(  Yes, weaving with a fly shuttle was for me much faster than having to handle the shuttle.  But it all depends on the loom, too.

cheers,

Laura

Sat, 05/25/2013 - 23:44

Bonnie Inouye (not verified)

I use a single-box flyshuttle on my 60" AVL loom. It is much faster and also lets me weave full width. I am not tall.

When I have a scarf warp on the 60" loom, I find that I generally use a regular shuttle. The flyshuttle can head onto the floor when given too much space with no warp, and I am pretty fast with a shuttle. For anything over 18", I use the flyshuttle. It is comfortable and efficient; I can work it easily with either hand.

I also have a double-box flyshuttle for my 48" AVL and seldom use it. Last fall I removed it to gain more space in the studio. I have used it for some double weave yardage. It is harder to launch the shuttle with this mechanism and the picker return things are a problem. There is an AVL group here; we have discussed the picker returns and several people found alternative solutions. I haven't sold my double-box and it is still in the studio so it can go back on the loom when needed.

Bonnie

Sun, 05/26/2013 - 10:49

kerstinfroberg

Like Bonnie, I have a 60" AVL. I have both a single-box and a double-box attachment, and switch between the two. (It takes me less than an hour to change them, if I haven't mislaid some of the screws. For some reason some of the screws are different - . And I had to saw off a piece of the single-box to accomodate the reed length which was adequate with the double-box.)

Unlike Bonnie, I don't like to hand-throw on this loom. For some reason I haven't been able to pinpoint, I get tired when hand-throwing - tired in a way I never get when using my other loom (an antique CM). To help keep the shuttle from flying off, I often tape a piece of cardboard to the beater to make the shuttle-box "longer".

I *think* I have seen a loom on which there were different positions for mounting the shuttle boxes. That was before I had a fly-shuttle myself, and I haven't been able to locate such a loom now that I wish to study the "how"...

Mon, 05/27/2013 - 04:19

Bonnie Inouye (not verified)

Kerstin, I will have to try taping a piece of cardboard. Right now, my 60" loom has a warp roughly 52" wide so the flyshuttle is great. I have an underslung beater on this loom, and an overhead beater on the 48" AVL with double box flyshuttle. The 60" is in Colorado and the 48" is in Maryland so I do not switch the flyshuttles!

Bonnie

Tue, 05/28/2013 - 15:07

SallyE (not verified)

Here is my solution to the shuttle flying off:

http://weavolution.com/group/diy-looms-tools/shuttle-race-addition-26360

Tue, 05/28/2013 - 21:40

sandra.eberhar…

I have a Glimakra fly shuttle on my barn frame loom.  It came with an AVL shuttle meant for use with chenille, and another unkown brand shuttle.  I use the Leclerc shuttle that came with the fly shuttle for the Kebec with the Glimakra, and I use a commercial mill shuttle on the Kebec.  The boxes on the Leclerc are much larger than the Glimakra.  and I think the Leclerc shuttle wobbles a lot on the Leclerc shuttle race. I also use rug wool on the Kebec, and need a larger shuttle. I have a small pocket made of duct tape on the breast beam of the barn frame to hold the allen wrench that adjusts the Leclerc shuttle.  The mill shuttle takes a small screwdriver.  The only time that the Glimakra came unboxed was when a pair of scissors fell in the box.  Since the steel-tipped shuttle hit me in the head, I'm now very carefull to keep loose stuff away from those boxes.