New chapter for old loom

Eddie helps downsize my 56"

     After much thought and consideration,  I had Eddie come to my studio to help me "downsize"my 56" 16 H Macomber. As some of you saw I tried to sell this amazing loom a couple of years ago. She did not sell.
      I thought ... "Why not convert her into the loom that will work for me now?" I no longer use multi-harnesses for complex weaves. I no longer need all 16H. I no longer need a compressed air or computer based system.
     So Eddie helped me strip her down to what will serve my needs. She is now an 8 H loom with no computer aided system. She still has the two beams and double brakes and still weaves 56". I am happy -- and I can feel this loom sighing.

My beloved 56" feel lighter, less encumbered now.

     She is covered with scars from all the different holes that have been drilled into her over the years. From the first Electronic Singe Pedal with a compressed air tank mounted on the side of her castle, to the Designer's Delight CAD system mounted on her upper castle and to the CAD/CAM Dobby Air System  -- she has carried me well through the 70s, 80s, 90s, and now 2000s.  Forty two years of weaving faithfully, consistently and diligently. And now she gets a new life - a little gentler, a little less complicated and a little weathered from all the years of hard work. 
 I suspect this loom and I have many parallels.

Letting Go - 16 H 56" air dobby Loom for sale

    To be fully alive in one's body, to be an active participant in this physical world requires one to let go and say good bye to objects, people and situations. 
    After much reflection I have decided to let go of my beloved 56" 16Harness air dobby Macomber Loom. I've had her since graduation from RISD (1976).

16H 56" AIR DOBBY

MACOMBER AIR DOBBY LOOM FOR SALE

• ~ Model B4E Serial # 2498 Built 1976
• ~ 56 Weaving width, 16 Harnesses
• ~ Two plain beams, warp separator
• ~ Double brakes on cloth beam and upper warp beam (friction brake)
• ~ Beater handle
• ~ 4 - 56" reeds = 5, 12, 15, 18 EPI
• Fully operational air dobby system = power supply, air system/solenoids, FiberWorks weaving software for Windows, Asus netbook included.
• ~ 2 drafting lights

~ Leclerc 38" bench

~ Total Value = $13,817.00

~ Priced at $7, 500 in York, Maine

Double friction brake on upper beam

 


Air dobby system, double brakes on cloth beam

This loom has been lovingly used for over 40 years by one weaver. It has been maintained and serviced regularly. The air dobby system is highly desirable for this width loom - as the harnesses are constructed of solid steel and very heavy.

Please contact me for more information and any interest. THANK YOU!

sarah (at)sarahhaskell(dot)com

I am ever grateful for everyone's support of this blog and your purchase of my manual. And in case you are wondering --- I AM NOT QUITTING WEAVING!



Up and running!!

"Unhinged #1" at UNRAVELED opening 9/20/14

Hooray for new technology! Last month right after I completed "Unhinged #1" my old Dell laptop died. With the death of this laptop, my old faithful software Patterland went also. I bought this program in 1998. At first I thought I could convert it to Windows 7 on my net-book - but alas after a week of hand wringing, swearing and crying I finally threw in the towel and bought new software to run my air dobby loom.

This morning I ran the first real test- air compressor turned on, program loaded with my weaving patter, lights, camera...action! YES! So the new software is a breeze - Fiberworks The folks at Fiberworks were very easy to reach, helpful and the software is intuitive and easy to learn. I just want to weave...seriously not have to spend hours at the keyboard! HUGE thanks to John Acord of Flatwater Electronics for his diagnostic help and advise.

Ben!

And finally to my husband Ben, who listened to my woes, hugged me as I lamented my technology troubles and then built this amazing stand to hold my little net-book and the power supply. Now I am ready for winter - ready to sink my heart and hands into continuing this body of new work.

Computer stand that fits neatly on my weaving bench.

"Art is the Cloth" opening NH Institute of Art, Manchester, NH

This fall my work is included in two shows- as noted in a previous post. Both fabulous opportunities.

New Power and Computer Controls

Power supply for Air-dobby

Hooray! Flatwater Electronics (John Acord) has developed a power supply that will drive  Macomber Looms! I mentioned this in a previous post, but this post will highlight John's accomplishments.

Many weavers have outdated power supplies from the early days of Macomber compu-dobby looms or an even earlier version of the Designer's Delight, their first compu-dobby.

John's control units will replace the power supply on either the air system or the Electronic Single Pedal (ESP).

The new control box utilizes modern efficient components and power supply, significantly reducing the size.  The box is not much bigger than a CD case.

Incorporated into the control are protection circuits to prevent damage to your loom in the case of a solenoid failure or problems with wiring and connections.  In addition,  indicator lamps on the front help the weaver confirm operations of both the loom and the computer.

Power supply for Designer's Delight/ESP

Prices are:
16H Air Dobby = $725
32 H Air Dobby = $850
16H ESP = $925
32 H ESP = $1075


Please contact me if you have questions about these new power supplies!


Happy weaving!
Sarah

Powering up, moving on and New Years ahead!

First big snow of winter 2013!

I LOVE snow days. Days when I can sleep in, putter around the house or studio, hunker down and feel no need or urge to go anywhere. Today was just such a day, our first big snow fall of the winter. We received about 10" of fluffy white snow that coated the back bone of the trees, highlighting every vertical and horizontal edge with a white stripe.

The appliqued prayer flags that I put in my front yard last July look amazing against this white backdrop.

colorful flags contrast with white snow

I have many news bits and updates to share with you, so settle in for a good read and many photos. When I title a blog, I try to give a hint to what's coming. In this post I will cover ~

• Some tips and tools for moving looms
• A new power supply for those of us who are electronic
• A warping tip as seen on my CP recently
• Looking ahead to 2014

Moving Day 

Since so many of you purchase used looms and face the seemingly monumental task of transporting your new/used loom across country, I thought a blog posting on this topic was in order. I consulted Eddie at the shop who crates and ships looms every week. First tip - I advise that you ask the seller not to take anything apart on the loom. It is helpful to see the loom set up before you take it apart to move it. Here is a list of helpful tools/supplies for moving your loom:

Some of the things you will need to move a loom...plus big muscles!

• Camera to document what the loom looks like all set up. Also document how you took things apart.
• Old blankets, towels for padding
• Zip lock bags for small parts, marker to label the bags.
• Small screw driver for the collars on the treadle rod. Some of these collars require an Allen stye wrench. So you might be smart to bring a small Allen wrench kit.
• Fiberglass packing tape, blue painters tape (the kind that won't ruin wood).
• Rope or heavy cord.
• Silicone spray.
• Card Board and craft paper.
• Hammer and small metal rod.

Loom all crated and ready to ship.

It's wonderful if  you do not have to take apart the loom, but I realize that is not ideal for most folks. Common sense will guide most of your packing steps. The general idea is to tie down any loose parts. Tie the beater in place. Wrap the harnesses with craft paper or cardboard and then use the fiberglass tape to secure them. Look at this photo of how Eddie wraps the harnesses.

Loom all secured for travel.

Loosen collar that holds treadle bar in place.

If you must take apart the loom here are some things you can do to reduce the size/weight:

• Remove the beater.
• Remove the beams, front/cloth beam and back/warp beams. remember to bag and label the brake parts. 
• Remove the treadles by taping out the rod that holds them in place. Before you tap out the rod, loosen the small collar that holds them in place. Use a hammer and a similar size metal rod to tap.
• Use Silicone spray if tapping out the rod is challenging. 

  

  Tapping out the treadle rod.

• You can also remove the back beam at this rod if you want to.
• To remove the front breast beam you will need a 3/8" wrench to undo the bolt.
• The harnesses represent a lot of weight. So removing them is a good idea. But please understand that without the weight of the harnesses, the lamms, side wires and jacks are at risk of damage and bending. So you MUST secure the jacks in place prior to removing the harnesses.
• The best method to secure the jacks is to use Fiberglass tape and some craft paper or cardboard. Wrap the paper/car board around the cross pices of the castle to secure the jacks in pace. Wrap tightly with the tape. This should be done very tightly so that the jacks will remain in place once the harnesses are removed. Unfortunately I do not have a photo of this. I'd love to have one if anyone does this!
• Once the jacks are secure you can remove the harnesses by slipping them off the chains. Be sure to bag up any chains and S hooks that are loose.
• The rest of the loom is glued together. I recommend NEVER taking apart glued joints. 

These steps will give you a striped down castle and something that you should be able to maneuver into most homes/apartments. At the bottom of the price list you will find weight and dimensions of many of the looms.

I would LOVE to get photos of your looms in transit, plus any tips/comments on this topic! Happy moving day! When I as in art school, my (now) husband and I moved 9 times in a year, our theme song was Moving Day by the Holy Modle Rounders. We got pretty good at moving looms!

Powering Up  

 About a year ago, the manufacturer for the power supply/loom control for all Macomber compu-dobby looms retired. I was dismayed...until John Acord appeared on the scene! John is a weaver and all round wizard with support for compu-dobby looms.

Flatwater Electronics power supply and loom control

I am now very happy to announce that John has developed and is ready to sell a power supply that will interface with all Macomber electronics. Especially for those of you who have the out dated Designer's Delight, this will be great news.
Here's what John says  "A replacement control and power unit for the Air-dobby is now available. Two versions are available. 16-shaft and 32-shaft. Coming soon will be the version for the Electroinc Single Pedal. (electro-mechanical solenoid drive).
The new control box utilizes modern efficient components and power supply, significantly reducing the size. The box is not much bigger than a CD case.
Incorporated into the control are protection circuits to prevent damage to your loom in the case of solenoid failure or problems with wiring and connections.  In addition, indicator lamps on the front help the weaver confirm operations of boththe loom and computer."
For more information visit Flatwater Electronics. 

 Threading the reed

I have described to a few of you how I set you the reed in a horizontal fashion to thread it. I do this for two reasons - it is better for my posture/back and it is all round easier to see and thread. I support the reed on two long lease sticks that run front to back on the loom. From this position it is easy to see the ends to thread and the reed slot that you are aiming for. I use a similar set up for my B model loom.

Threading the reed on a CP.

56" ready to be dressed in blues!

 Looking ahead to 2014

Our Maine winter has not officially begun (Dec 21st), but I will tell you in is VERY cold, snowy and great time to be inside weaving!
I am also dreaming about my trip to India in January. I will be away from January 11 to February 10th. I'm not sure what kind of Internet access I will have, but if I can I will post some photos and stories. Rest assured I will have much to share upon my return. If you are interested in ordering parts or looms, please contact Eddie at the shop. 207-363-2808 If you mention my name, I will happily receive credit for your purchase! Thanks!! If you order a loom through me I will give you a free copy of my Macomber Looms Manual!

As 2013 draws to a close, I find much to be grateful for, including each of you dear weavers. You are a special bunch, who deeply care about each other, willingly share information and support the best in each other. 

Thanks for all your business this year. I am always happy to help you!
May the love and peace of the season light up your heart and home.
Namaste ~ Hindu for I honor the light in you ~ Sarah

Happy New Year!

Trying to make friends with a snake, India 2008.

Happy 2013 ~ The year of the snake! I'll admit it, I am not a big fan of snakes. But when I traveled to India in 2008, there is the ever-present tourist opportunity to get your photo taken with a boa. Do I look slightly awkward? I cannot recall my exact thoughts, but I do recall trying to be "relaxed". 2013 is the Chinese year of the snake, and I will do my best to bravely step in to this new year, to face  obstacles with a smile and strive for a balanced attitude in the face of the often slippery, non-linear direction of the snake.

a page from my journal

I begin this New Year with working off-loom finishing a piece that has been in the works for months. I started with a drawing back in June, was able to weave this image in November and removed it from the loom about two weeks ago.

Weaving towards the end of the warp

Now I am working on tying the knots for the lower fringe, sewing in all the ends on the back.The finished piece is 48" wide by about 36" tall. It is woven with indigo dyed lined, rayon and metallic threads. I'll post images when it is all sewn and ready to hang.

Work in progress. Note lap top for my air dobby.

Correct position for the cloth beam ratchet brake.

Over the past couple of months I have had several requests for images and info for the CP front brake system. The dog, the wire spring and the ratchet are parts that often do not hold up over the long (up to 40 years!) life of the CP loom.

Notice in this photo that the wire spring is holding the dog in place on the ratchet. I hope this helps!

Gently squeeze top of super hook

Another question I often get is about the tie-up hooks: how to make them stay on the lamms, especially the old style lamms. Over time the top crook on the super hooks will get opened. I suggest that you give this top crook a gentle squeeze with a pair of pliers. This will make the hook grab the lamm more tightly.

Tap the super hook up to release it from the lamm.

Then when you need to remove the super hook to change the tie up, you might need to use a gentle tap with a small hammer to release it. This method should help with any pesky loose tie-up hooks, either on old style or newer lamms.

Anti-backlash cord with overly stretched spring!

CP cloth advance handle, upper one is very bent, lower one is perfect.

Lastly, often when I am over at the shop, Eddie shows me parts that he is repairing or replacing for customers. He gets a big kick out of some of these well loved parts. Here are two from this fall.

So here is a hearty wish to all of you for a peaceful, healthy 2013. Thank you for your kind words, your orders for parts and looms. Please be sure to visit my other blog ~ Gowdey Reed and my website.

May the snake inspire you to travel in creative directions, not always following a straight path.

Namaste, Sarah

Meet Rick and Learn about the Air System

Last week I was over at Macomber's and guess who I got to pose for a great photo? Meet Rick Hart! Many of you have spoken to Rick on the phone, as his family has owned and operated the business since the 1930s when his Uncle designed the original loom. I promise that in another post I will share more of Macomber Loom's history.

Today I want to give you a VERY brief introduction to the Air Dobby system. I have used this system for at least ten years ( I am embarrassed to say I cannot recall the exact date...note to self..ask Rick) and I have to say that it has been a true life saver (translate to mean back saver, more about that later).

The Air Dobby system will fit on any Macomber Loom and is basically used to raise the harnesses in a specified sequence. The raising of the harnesses is accomplished by the use of pressurized air delivered by hoses to the air cylinders. Each harness is linked to one treadle which is linked to an air cylinder.

To weave, you create a draft using weaving software complete with treadling tie-up and sequence. This weave-draft information is sent electronically to the Air Dobby power supply which tells the air cylinders whether to engage or not. The weft pick sequence is advanced by pressing a small button on the castle of my loom.

This is a VERY simple explanation of the Air Dobby system. Basically what the system does is the heavy lifting. On a 56" Macomber the harnesses are solid steel, so for a 16 harness weave construction, this is a hefty proposition!

The photos here are of the air cylinders, the air pressure gauge, the air compressor (in the garage) and the power supply. I hope this helps you understand the general idea of how the Air Dobby works. Let me know what you have questions about and I will gladly elaborate!