Hi everyone,

I'm new to the group and just arranging to buy my first Macomber loom a 40 inch, 16H, manual or comp assist. And, it's right here in NYC!  

BTW - she has a second one for sale - asking $1000 (bench & accessories extra), if anyone is interested - if she hasn't sold it, yet. Reply to me and I'll connect you with the seller.

Has anyone here worked with a 16 Harness? Or, with the lift assist? How much more complicated is the set-up? I understand it can speed up the weaving considerably. 

I'm an intermediate weaver - have been working on a 36" HD, 4H to weave tartan and other twills. Very excited to get onto more complicated weaves, too.  For right now, I'm finishing my next project blue/green lovat Herringbone for a Argyll jacket. Am carding/spinning some Mohair I have on hand to sample some first and play with color.  Probably start with a color gamp.

Hope everyone is having a great summer.

Best,

Doug

Comments

Fri, 06/17/2011 - 17:17

andsewon (not verified)

But too far away.........boo hooo hoooooooo sob sob I'd really like to hear more about this, though. Stranger things have happened to work out. Welcome to the group, BTW! Connie in Ohio
Fri, 06/17/2011 - 20:16

Michael White

Your 16H loom is going to give you a whole new world of weaving patterns. Let me starting by saying there is a great weaving group right in NYC http://www.nyhandweavers.org/ and I beleive they have a group here on Weavolutions.

Weaving on a 16H loom is like weaving on a 4H loom only more of everything to tie up. The air assist will allow you to lift a lot of treadles in a complex weave with little effort. From what I understand it is a little noisily with the air compressurer an all. You can also check out the complex weave group online and here on Weavolutions. When you get ready to weave and need yarn check out my prices on yarn.

Michael

 

 

Sat, 06/18/2011 - 00:57

Karren K. Brito

Lovat!  Where did you get lovat, did you dye and spin it?  Will you post pics when it is off the loom?

Sat, 06/18/2011 - 06:01

djmacnyc

I should say Lovat-like Herringbone.

Yes. I'm spinning and dyeing my own yarns, as much as I can. I'm using Acid dyes, tho -not lichens and such. Maybe some day, if I have my own separate studio, or outdoor space to work out of. For now, the smell of the vinegar, mess, etc. is enough, out of my little apt. kitchen.

Will definitely post some pix.

Best,

Doug 

Sat, 06/18/2011 - 11:21

Karren K. Brito

We are having a Show and Tell for dyers Thursday evening , info here.  We want it to be fun, but I would love to see your lovat-like yarns.

Sun, 06/19/2011 - 00:35

djmacnyc

Thanks, but,...Unfortunately, I'm not that far along, yet. I'm working with Mohair that was dyed long, long ago - a light blue & a sort of bronze color - dyed locks. Hoping to play with colors & pattern and sample some on my Dorothy. Soon am planning to dye a couple shades of blue and green in Cheviot for the project in mind (have to find, yet) and blend each with some white for the heather effect to various degrees and spin from the batts - that's the plan anyway. Will post some pix as it progresses. 

Tue, 07/12/2011 - 22:05

mneligh

I have a 20 h Macomber, and for the first decade or so didn't know how people lived with fewer harnesses.  I did 3-d double weave (I also have 2 back beams and a reed with a top that lifts off so I can laterally displace warp) and 18 block summer and winter.  I also did a lot of compound drafts (for 16 h that would be like having 4 sets of 4 h threadings that you could recombine to the astonishment of all).  Then I went into a "simple" period of plain weave (showcasing the spinning), overshot, and basic 4 h patterns.  Unfortunately, maybe, I've become infatuated with network drafting, corkscrew and undulating twills, and my current project, undulating shadow weave.  Except on the simple 4 h stuff, all the drafts are my own. 

I say unfortunately because I also tell my spinner friends that "my loom makes me do bad things", like tie-ups that involve more than 150 hooks.  Having the ability to do the difficult flashy things that no one else can do should not force you to always do them.  Fellow weavers notice them, but complexity of weave does not make a piece more beautiful.  In engineering design as well as weaving, the more constrained the problem, the greater the challenge and the more the satisfaction with its resolution -- so having a lot of "weaving possibilities" (harnesses, back beams, etc.) may just make one into a lazy designer.

That said, I have a longer backlog of pieces for my Macomber than I do for my 8 h - 1 warp beam loom.  To my credit, some are in that queue only because of width.

Enjoy your 16 h.  Don't let its potential rule you so that you forget the joys of the simple things.

Sun, 08/21/2011 - 17:22

djmacnyc

Finally brought the loom home!! Am in the process of cleaning/setting it up, but need a couple cords we overlooked - picking those up Monday.  Anyone else have an older compu-dobby setup willing to share info?

This one still uses floppy disks/drive and serial connectors - I have to go out and get another old, huge monitor to pair with it as well (argh).

40 inch 16H Macomber manual/compu-dobby

Sun, 08/21/2011 - 23:21

Michael White

I can not help you with the loom, why an old monitor? You can use a new monitor but you would have to get an adaptor for the connector.

Michael