I'm sure there's some way to end up with a cross after winding on using a sectional beam and tension box but I can't quite work it out so wondered if you could point me in the right direction. 

Comments

Sat, 10/19/2013 - 17:12

ReedGuy

A string is used as you wind each section. Just undulate it through as many threads as you want in the cross. Often this is easiest when going by dents in the comb in the tension box. Like if you have a 8 dent comb, you might have 4 ends per dent, so maybe your cross is 8 ends from a couple dents. It's just quicker to find your place that way I find. You may come up with a similar way. You undulate the thread through the ends, tape the ends with masking tape, cut the ends above the tape, then a piece of tape secures the end lengthwise on the warp in that section. Then when the warp is all beamed, you run a lease stick by that string, and then undulate another lease stick on the opposite side of the string. Secure the ends of the lease sticks. The cross is now held. I've done this many times on 60" wide warp.

I think Leclerc's free loom book on their webiste shows how and I think Joanne Hall may have something either on the Glimikra USA site or in a book. Methods might vary a little.

Sat, 10/19/2013 - 17:12

laurafry

Depends on the tension box you are using.  The AVL box has a cross-maker in it so making a cross there was easy.  However I don't use a cross - just tape the bout together wrapping the tape around to hold everything more or less in place, then tape it down to itself and carry on.

However, if you need a cross and your box isn't set up to make one for you, your can pick a cross up from the reed.  Use something to secure the cross - perhaps pipe cleaners? Takes a few minutes but...

cheers,

Laura

Sat, 10/19/2013 - 21:03

MMs-and-OOs-Ha…

Having lost a cross a few times I try to avoid the error of my ways. I have used the AVL tension box to get a perfect end-on-end cross for both sectional and plain beam warping. It may be the only way to go if you are using very fine yarns. My skill level of keeping the warp order with frosted scotch tape stops at about a 2/20s cotton. For thicker yarns, I just make sure the tension is not released and I carefully place a section-wide piece of frosted scotch tape on the bottom of the flat section and the another on the top forming a sandwich, PRESSING FIRMLY to anchor the threads. That gets secured to the already warped section with a T pin. After all sections are wound then the trick is to keep the sections flat until they are threaded. For that I unpin and unwind all sections, dropping them to the floor and then I route each section through the separation rollers and then they are taped again to a lease stick attached to the castle. You have to be careful. It do this for all sections until they are hanging from the lease stick. Everybody has a different method of threading. You can then take a section and tape it down to a beam, surface, whatever to gently pull off each thread. Yes it takes time. Is it faster to do it this way? YES! Is it safe? That depends, but once you've done it, it is easy. To be sure none of the bouts twist on the way to the lease stick, draftsman's masking tape is your special friend. It is strong but easy to remove. I use it for lots of weaving tasks.
Sun, 10/20/2013 - 13:45

sandra.eberhar…

I don't make a cross when I warp with sections.  I put a piece of masking tape on each section just before I cut it, carefullly.  One piece of tape, fold the ends over so it doesn't stick to anything else, and stick it down to the warp section.  I use ordinally masking tape, and I don't make a "sandwich"; it's too hard to remove the threads.   I thread from this tape.  I have used it for fine wools and carpet warp with success.  I got this tip from the Leclerc website, and have rethreaded an entire warp (bad math) by sticking the ends to a piece of tape the width of the castle.

Sun, 10/20/2013 - 14:20

mneligh

I also don't use a cross when I do sectional warping, but use the tape method.  I'm pretty sure I got it from the Robin & Russ pamphlet "Sectional Warping Made Easy" several decades ago.  However, for short warps I use a warping mill and twine groups of N threads (N for me = 8 in most but not all cases).  I transfer the twined groupings beyond the reed of the tension box when it is important for me to do so, as when there are multiple colors of warp I want to keep in a given order.

Because the warp-beam end of a section of threads is a big knot, there is no inherent order in the threads coming from the knot.  What matters is that there are no tangles or twisting going into the backs of the heddles.  Since coming out of the reed of the tension box onto the beam the warp is "combed", as long as you continue combing consistnently for the length of the warp for a section, your warp should come out in the order it went in.  Use tape to keep it that way.

Sun, 10/20/2013 - 15:26

ReedGuy

Whether being required or not is not really the point. The OP wants to know how to do it. I do it, and find very little trouble doing it. ;)