I have a 10 harness, 10 treadle Oxaback Ulla Cyrus. I have warped it for the first time and woven about 18 inches of plain weave. I am using just two shafts,two treadles, two upper and two lower lams. I am having issues which I believe to be caused by the colliding of the lams. The shafts don't move properly at times and have fallen off.  My two shafts are hung at the front of the loom and I am using the two treadles on the left, but have all of the treadles on the loom. I just have the lams I am using on the loom. I have put some spacers between the shafts, but not enough to hold them exactly in place. This has not helped. 

Should I space them tightly? And, how should they line up under the shafts?

Thank you for any advice you can give me, Jo Raymond

 

Comments

Joanne Hall

Get down at the front of the loom as press down the treadles with your hand, one at a time and watch what is happening to the lamms.  Maybe this will help you to find the problem.

Joanne

Jo Raymond

The lamms are hitting one another and are not parallel. I just don't know how to get them to be parallel.

MaryMartha

Hi, Jo.  I'm not sure I understand what's going on, but I have an Ulla Cyrus, and I've found that centering in all possible directions seems to be important.  When I use less than all 16 shafts, I do better by using some number of the middle eight positions in the countermarch, rather than the very front or very back.  I'm also not sure what the advantage is of using the far left treadles - why not the center two?  Finally, I may not understand what you mean by getting the lamms parallel.  Are the upper and lower lamms hitting eachother?  Or are two lamms on the same level crossing?  Do you have the Cyrus tie-up instructions? 

MaryMartha

Also, the spacers might be working against you.  I get a better tie-up without them.  If you want to separate the treadles, maybe skip a treadle in between, and make sure you are using the corresponding holes.  If you do use the spacers (my loom came with three! different sizes), try putting them only on the outside of the lamm rods and treadle rods to help center everything front to back and side to side, but not in between. 

Countermarch looms in general seem to balance better with at least 4 shafts. Even if you are doing plain weave, you can spread the threading onto four (straight draw), then tie up either two or four treadles (even if you only weave with two).

I understand your frustration. Once it is up and running, this really  is a lovely loom.

Jo Raymond

Thank you, Mary Martha. I have centered everything and am weaving much more smoothly. Also, I am much more comfortable using the center treadles. I don't have the tie-up instructions, but I do have "The Big Book of Weaving." I am amazed at how many mistakes I have made in warping and getting started weaving, but I am determined to weave this mistake ridden warp. I am even beginning to love it. Thank you so much!

 

Jo Raymond

Thank you, Mary Martha. I have centered everything and am weaving much more smoothly. Also, I am much more comfortable using the center treadles. I don't have the tie-up instructions, but I do have "The Big Book of Weaving." I am amazed at how many mistakes I have made in warping and getting started weaving, but I am determined to weave this mistake ridden warp. I am even beginning to love it. Thank you so much!

 

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