I've bought an old-ish Harris 8-shaft table loom (fairly common english manufacturer). It didn't need a great deal of work but I'm tidying up a few worn bits and old repairs before I start using it. I'm new to weaving so I'm guessing my way along.
There's a couple of things I'd like to get right, maybe someone's familiar with this loom or knows a better way to fix it up:
The loom's got 2 warp beams. They have pawls, which can be operated from the front by strings. I've replaced the strings but am unsure about the lengths. A couple of slots in one of the front uprights can hold the strings, and I can either have longish strings which allow me to drape them through the slots (so as long as I put them back right, I'll know which string releases each beam). Or I could make them a bit shorter, so that when they're in the slots the strings are pulled tight and the pawls locked open. But then, when not pulled, the strings will hang free and I won't know which is which. As delivered, one string was short enough to latch and the other long, so that's not much help.
Is it useful to latch the pawls off ? I imagine it might help a little while taking up the warp, but the pawl allows free movement in that direction anyway.
It seems important to know which string is which, but I could do that just as well with a splash of paint on the end (and I'll do that anyway).
Please explain in simple terms .. if you assume I have no idea what I'm talking about, you won't be too far wrong.