I'm hoping somebody can tell me why looms sometimes have the cloth aprons and sometimes the string style? On this loom, the upper back beam has a cloth apron, the lower back beam has a string apron, and the front beam has a string apron. And why does there always seem to be one friction brake and one regular brake? Why not have two friction brakes? Are these due to cost issues or is there a preference of one over the other with different types of warp threads?

Comments

Wed, 03/02/2011 - 12:26

Michael White

From the Macomber manual "The plain warp beam with ratchet is standard equipment,...." "In all cases one or both of the beams should be equipment with a friction brake in order to maintain an even tension on the 2 warps." When you have a ratchet brake your stops are set by the gears on the brake, you then adjust the fricton brake to the same tension as the ratchet brake. Yes, you can used two fricton brakes.  So the simple answer is money. 

String vs cloth, you have one of each. Play with them and see which one you like. You can always change the one you don't like. 

Michael

Wed, 03/02/2011 - 12:32

DebbieB (not verified)

My Mac has aprons on both the cloth beam and the warp beam. There are strings attached to the apron's rod that attach to a secondary rod. So you might say I have both. :) I think it really depends on whether or not the previous owner of your/my loom changed the original setup.

Wed, 03/02/2011 - 19:35

andsewon (not verified)

Hi Debbie, I'm pretty sure these are all original. Still functional but not the best looking. I think I'll make some new aprons. What's a good cloth to use for that? Anybody know what Macomber uses?
Wed, 03/02/2011 - 23:15

andsewon (not verified)

Thanks Michael! I know Macomber sells them, but I can easily make one or two or three for less than $35. lol It's not that I'm cheap.....it's just that I have over 200 antique sewing machines and wayy too much fabric. I have a bolt of heavy canvas that I'm thinking will work great. Thanks for the link. Off to check it out! Connie