Little jobs

Fall has definitely settled here in coastal Maine. What red maple leaves are left, cling to branches and we had our first frost yesterday. My studio work has been busy with the typical activities of a self employed teaching/artist/weaver.

I have been so busy that my website and blogs are crying for updates! The long-promised PDF Macomber Manual is still in the works...so hang on to your patience...it will be available soon! My public art project "Caught Between Us " that hung on the Portsmouth (NH) Public Parking Garage, came down last week. So summer must be officially over!

There are many little tricks and gizmos on the Macomber Loom. Here are two that you might now know about.

• The Anti-Backlash Cord ~ this is a piece of short cord, attached to a spring. This device is used on a warp beam with a ratchet brake and prevents the beam from a rapid release of warp.  This cord/spring winds around your back beam with on the opposite end from the ratchet brake. The cord/spring creates a small amount of drag on the beam so that it will not lurch forward and release too much warp. It comes standard with all B Model Ad-a-harness looms. If you need one, they cost $20 for the chain, hook, rope and spring. 

I LOVE this little gizmo. It saves endless amounts of frustration with the warp unrolling too quickly. If you have one, be sure that it is wound around the beam in the opposite direction that your warp winds on. Often weavers let this rope device slip down in the space between the beam and the loom upright. It won't work unless you have it properly wrapped with enough tension to hold the beam for jumping forward when you release the tension.

Instruction from the shop for installation

• Heddle Bar Clips ~ On the B Model Ad-a-harness floor looms, the harnesses have heddle bars for the heddles to slide from right to left. In the middle (top and bottom) and to the right and left side of the harness are a set of steel wire clips that hold the heddle bars in place. These clips can be un-done to slide the heddles right and left as needed for threading. Granted, this is a REAL knuckle-buster of a job. As a weaver, you know that is is important to give your warp a straight journey from the back of the loom to the front. So it is imperative that you slide the heddles right or left to allow your warps to travel in a straight line from the warp beam through the harnesses to the cloth beam. 
 

In order to slide the heddles right or left, you must unclip this gizmo. It is a hard task, agreed! My best method involves squeezing the heddle bar and using the harness top (or bottom) as a lever. 

Occasionally these things break. If you need a replacement, give me a call. Your heddle bars do need this supporting clip to work properly. 

I hope this helps you keep your warp on a straight course back to front! 

 Remember if you are nearby, please check out my one person exhibit at Maine Fiberarts in Topsham Maine (near Brunswick). Saturday November 6th at 2:30 I will be giving an artist talk. I'd be pleased to meet you if you can come! Plus I am in a  Surface Design members exhibit at the University of Southern Maine in Lewiston, "Altering Matters". Check it out!

Well that's it for today. Keep your emails and order coming! Thanks for all you support!