Wonder if anyone can help me here-- I'm weaving a wool warp, and my shuttles keep picking up threads from the lower shed about midway. It's driving me nuts and really slowing me down.  It's not too open a sett, but fairly bouncy, I think I have the tension right-- I've taken most but not all the spring up.  I've tried a few shuttles-- all Glimåkra-- including one with wheels.  I suspect it's in how I'm throwing it since it seems to happen more in  one direction than the other, but can't figure it out.  Anyone have a clue for me??... marie

Comments

Fri, 09/04/2009 - 23:27

Sara von Tresckow

 1. Check if there is a particular shed that is giving the most trouble and adjust your tieup, if necessary.

2. If the dropthrough point is pretty much the same, check the threads in that small section to make sure there aren't one or two loose ones.

3. Relax and observe how you throw. Inadvertantly you may be giving the shuttle a slight downward direction when you throw - be careful to let the shuttle go with the nose up. And the rollers, at least for me, tend to get stuck in soft wool.

4. You have a choice of shuttles - the longest with the smoothest bottom will be best. Some damask shuttles are almost 15" long and only 1/2" high so they ride across the weft smoothly.

Sat, 09/05/2009 - 01:14

ingamarie

It's not the shed... and it's not really a nose-dive-- more picking up threads and keeping going. It's a bit hard to see it happening even. I switched to the shuttle with the rollers because it seemed to be keeping it OFF the wool and it worked sort of, it's not getting stuck.   It's that inadvertent downward thing that is probably the key-- but if it it's subtle..  I keep trying to adjust my throw, but can't quite seem to get it right.  I'll see if there's any longer shuttle around here.. I have a lot of them. Thanks.!

Sat, 09/05/2009 - 01:50

debmcclintock

ok, here are some of my brain biscuits....

 do you have a shuttle race?  try pushing it at the far back against the reed

maybe tighten up the warp to take slack out?  sometimes the shafts will float if there is not quite enough tension on the warp

try a heaver shuttle, will keep the momentum of your shuttle toss going and ignore the warp thread

compare all your shuttles and pick one that has a higher angle on the shuttle tip, maybe it could "ride" over the sticky warp thread

are you carrying lease sticks in back of the shafts, maybe push them way back or pull them out, they might be interfering with the wool shed...

gonna be tough to weave 15" a day if you are unweaving some....good luck

 

Sat, 09/05/2009 - 03:26

ingamarie

hmmm. Let's see --no shuttle race, and tight warp, no floating shafts on this CB loom. lease sticks a the back beam...

But hey, I wove 30" today!

I'm going to take a good look at shuttles and shuttle throwing.  I suspect that's what is going on. Stay tooned..

marie

Sat, 09/05/2009 - 22:06

ingamarie

Well-- changing shuttles fixed it. I have a lot of them-- some from Mom, some came with my loom.  I always hated the big clunky LeClerc ones, favoring more delicate Glimåkras (and one Schacht).  But that's what worked!  It's heavier and I guess has more momentum to keep from dipping down. Strangely, the Glimåkra 13" I was using was more curved up at the tip than the LeClerc, but lighter and that let it tip downward when I threw it.  Only problem is having to find the plastic bobbins, I've gotten so used to paper, and the paper gets caught on a tiny piece of flatness on the rod that holds it. 

Thanks for the tips!~

marie 

Sat, 09/05/2009 - 23:07

Sara von Tresckow

 Inga,

Glad you found a shuttle that works. Now, if you place a small metal washer or bead at both ends of the paper quill, it won't catch on the flat places and you have the best of both worlds.

(Got the idea from my Folke Samuelsen weighter damask shuttles - they come with the washers.) You'd love them - if you'e like a photo can send one - and we carry them.

Sat, 09/05/2009 - 23:09

debmcclintock

 try using old christmas or birthday cards to roll some pirns...they look pretty and are more sturdy than a paper pirn, plus you can control the length and thickness of the rolled pirn.

I love my heavier AVL shuttles, they throw better with the weight and don't change personalities in the middle of the shed !

now back to the loom!  Deb

Sat, 09/05/2009 - 23:11

ingamarie

I did that on a few of them a while back, but the paper gets' inside the washer :)

Sat, 09/05/2009 - 23:15

ingamarie

Hmmm. Interesting idea. I use a quarter of a piece of paper from the office recycling bin ,usually, cut into ovals. I wonder how a heavier paper would work?  Seems a bit unwieldy but I'll  try it.   I quit using the heavy shuttles on my linen warps, I didn't like how they behaved, but it's interesting how different warp materials behave differently. What is foolproof on one doesn't' work at all on another!.  Off to continue trying to figure out ProWeave!  marie

Sun, 09/06/2009 - 01:09

laurafry

I, too, love my Leclerc shuttles.  :)   

Cheers,

Laura