Hi!

I'll apologize in advance. I know nothing, other than I want to learn how to weave*. So, shortly after I decided I wanted to learn, an architectural salvage place posted a photo of a loom for sale, and I bought it, knowing nothing. I have since learned it is a Tools of the Trade table loom with 8 harnesses (?) and is 28" wide. It's very dirty and I am taking it apart carefully to clean and refinish it. Plus all the heddles (?) were stuck in the wrong tracks, and I had to unscrew the walls (castles?) to get them out undamaged. From what I have read, I need a reed but I don't know where it goes. I need a shuttle but I don't know what size or style.  I am cleaning it first with mild soap and warm water, then Watco Rejuvenating Oil, and then I think I will use Watco Satin Wax for the finish, but I will happily defer to experienced advice on this.  I will need new strings for the harnesses, and for around the bottom which I think is called a cloth beam. It has ratchets and what look to be dirty shoelaces on it. Does anyone have a photo of a similar loom with the reed in place? Thanks! And again, please forgive my ignorance. 

 side with label other sidebeam

* Originally because I have a hayloft full of bags of baling twine. But seeing all the gorgeous woven items, I think I'd like to start with nice soft yarn.

Comments

Tue, 01/03/2017 - 19:51

SusanBH

Tools of the trade looms are beautiful.  I have a 4-shaft floor loom that I love.  For the reed:  do you see the beater, on the right side of yoru first picture, left side of your second, and right in front of your third; the piece that swings from the castle to the front beam?  The reed fits into that piece.  The top bar has wing nuts that you can loosen and then you can move that bar up (or take it off altogether), fit the reed into the groove of the bottom bar, put the top bar down over the reed and refasten the wing nuts to hold it. This image shows the beater and reed on my ToTT loom.

My beater with reed

Tue, 01/03/2017 - 20:26

Suzannaski

Thanks! That is so helpful. 

The roll where the woven fabric goes is approx 25" wide, and the groove for the reed is approx 28" wide. I can buy pre-madee sizes at Halcyon yarn, or I can order from Gowdey Reed.  

What is the most common dent size for beginners? 

Is there a standard height or should I just measure the space between the top & bottom bars? 

Thanks in advance! 

Wed, 01/04/2017 - 12:40

Joanne Hall

8 10 and 12 are the common sizes.  12 is probably the most versatile for balanced weave fabrics.  8 and 10 are good for handspun warps, scarves and weft faced weaves.

Glimakra USA will cut reeds to the length you want.  They start at $2.00 per inch.

[email protected].  Check the website glimakrausa.com for the price list.

Joanne

Wed, 01/04/2017 - 14:01

Queezle

is one of the big names in reeds, USA made.

 

And congratulations on a great loom.  You will love weaving - come back, let us know how you are doing, and show us your projects!  I find this community to be amazingly supportive.

Wed, 01/04/2017 - 14:56

SusanBH

I don't know if there's a standard height for reeds, but I haven't seen a lot of variation.  You have room in your beater to adjust as well.  You can use one reed for different setts.  Google "reed substitution chart" and you'll see how to change sleying to get a different sett.

Thu, 01/05/2017 - 15:24

sally orgren

I would find a guild or weaver near you to consult. For a link to local guilds: http://www.weavespindye.org/local-guilds. I think if you don't know how to weave, having someone to consult in person would be helpful as you rehab this loom.

There is a very long thread about TOTT looms here at Weavo, but the search function on this site doesn't seem to be working. Sometimes it is easier to go to Google, search "tools of the trade, loom, weavolution" and you might find the link faster. That thread had lots of photos of the various workings of these looms in response to other's questions over the years.

Our guild has one of these table looms. I will see if the person who stores the loom can tell me the heddle height. I believe replacements can be ordered, just like the reed.

Heddles are the metal wires with eyes, each one holds a single warp thread, and they are strung on the heddle bars of each shaft. Yes, it looks like you have 8 shafts, and you probably want to have at least 50 heddles per shaft. TOTT typically has a two round rods (instead of flat bars), so you have to be careful to get heddles that accomodate the rod.

Typically, the shafts should lift up out of the top or drop down from the bottom of the castle on a table loom. (Sorry to hear you had to unscrew the sides of the castle.)

Contemporary reeds seem to come in a generally standard height range, but it is the length you need to know. The length can be cut to order. The TOTT has an adjustable reed cap, so the loom can accommodate a greater variety of reed heights than some of the other table looms. Make sure 28" = the width INSIDE the piece that holds the reed. (Measure twice, cut once!)

I too, have a TOTT floor loom and love it. (I have someone waiting for the loom when I am ready to part with it.) They don't come up for sale often because they are made from quality materials and are well-designed. If they do appear, it is usually because someone is aging out of weaving, their body type doesn't fit the floor loom, or they don't realize what they have. Lucky you!

Thu, 01/12/2017 - 22:42

Suzannaski

I'm working my way through cleaning, and I have ordered a reed from Gowdey. Jim is a really nice guy. I'm taking my time so that I can use the left side as a reference to reassemble the right side, and vice versa. And digital photos. 

I've attached a photo of the rear warp beam (please correct me if that is the wrong term).  I don't understand what is the point of the screw and the hole in the photo.  Am I missing a crank handle? 

I will be taking a weaving class after the loom is back together and I've finished my oil painting class.  

Fri, 01/26/2018 - 17:56

Bucilova

I didn't know it was this kind of loom. I too am new and this is my first loom so I found this right after Christmas in Florida and drove from Atlanta, GA and got it on Jan 6th 2018. How cool to know what it is. If you need better pictures you can message me  and I can email them. Mine came with a 10 Dent reed but the previouse owner thought it was a schact (can't spell). Guess she was wrong. Congrats on your purchase and happy soon to be weaving.

Bucilova