Cold weather is rapidly approaching. I am committed to sanding the rest of my Toika loom while I can still comfortably work outside.
This stick covered with duct tape is actually a shaft for my loom. I want to remove the duct tape, clean it up and sand it.
The previous owner of my loom made a weighted beater for weaving rugs.
Her husband had access to a machine shop where they made these aluminum brackets.
A 10 pound (4.5 kilogram) piece of metal, also from the machine shop, is taped to the shaft.
The bracket can slip over the beater to attach the weighted shaft to the loom.
It fits snugly and securely.
It can be positioned on the lower bar of the beater or on the upper bar for more leverage (or if the reed is too wide to allow it to fit on the lower bar.)
On the top bar, it is positioned so that when you pull the beater your hand will also be on the weighted bar, but it worked well for the previous owner.
I hope to work my way up 12 shafts before I need a weighted beater. But I've got plenty of duct tape if I need to put it back together!
8 comments:
Ah, very clever! I appreciate this tip. I have a hanging beater and am not sure if I'd ever need it, but it's nice to know about anyway!
Nice to have those brackets! You'll be happy for the extra weight if you tackle rugs. I'm wondering though if it might not be easier to have a new shaft made rather than remove the tape and all the gunky stuff and refinish the one used as a weight.
My Dad on his Spring has a weighted metal bar that runs almost the length of the beater, with two or four screw holes, he screws it into the beater on the back so the weight is evenly distributed. The gal that had it before him made that modification and it works well.
Very cool! Did that feature sell you on buying this particular loom? It's also nice to hear of a husband watching and thinking what could be done. James is occasionally popping in to see what's happening. He hasn't quite grasp things to make suggestions, but I know he wants to!
I love the inventive streak that seems to run in weavers. They solve their own problems. I think it goes with the diy-ness of the handcrafts.
What a clever idea. I think I can get one of those from my crafty husband.
Another thing I've thought of this morning that could possibly be used is one of those weighted bars for lifting weights - I think they're called Body Bars. (I have no idea how much they cost, but I'm guessing you could find them at Target.)
I didn't know about this weighted bar until we were packing up the loom. Since it hadn't been in regular use, and all 12 shafts hadn't been set up in years (if ever), I wanted to make sure all the pieces were there. When I was counting shafts, she realized that she had this one shaft covered with duct tape.
I'll have to think about whether I should keep it in its current state. Theoretically, I like the idea of 12 shafts more than I like the idea of weaving rugs. But we'll have to see what happens in practice once the new reeds I ordered arrive. (Every day I'm a little bummed by lunchtime since Fed Ex is through our neighborhood by then, and they haven't brought me my package yet!)
Sue
Such a great idea! I'll really have this in mind for rug eaving, thnak you for sharing this!
I am amazed. My wonderful Carol is a knitting fool, has a collection of implements from the deadly to the mind boggling to ply her craft. But THIS contraption would never fit in the house.
Although now she is considering spinning and dying her own wool. I may have to make room in the garage.
Always great Sue,
Mike
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