Hello! I have a Glimakra loom with a drawloom device that allows you to save your pattern using lashes, its an older model that I'm having difficulty finding the right visual information on. I do have access to Johansson's book where it talks about setting up the draw-cord warp that goes over your head. 

My first problem is that I don't have the counterweights that hang outside of the loom, and I'm not entirely sure what their purpose is or what their weight is. The woman whom I bought the loom from said I should replace them with sandbags or something so my floor isn't damaged but I'm having trouble finding how much they're supposed to weigh! 

So far, I have set up for a 6H damask following the traditional method of setting up a countermarche loom without the drawloom attachment, but I'm getting that I'm doing it incorrectly for drawloom purposes. Do I apply the same rules to my model of drawloom as you would to the single-unit drawlooms more commonly available? 

Thank You!

Comments

Mon, 06/10/2013 - 19:52

cottageweaver (not verified)

Hi, Do you have the book Damask and Opphamta by Lillemor Johansson? It's a comprehensive guide to drawlooms with lots of photos. Becky Ashenden has a drawloom video, Dressing Your Swedish Drawloom' at www.vavstuga.com, and Joanne Hall has information about drawlooms on her Glimakra website http://glimakrausa.com/glimakra-products/drawlooms-2/. Do you have a manual for the attachment? These would be my suggestions initially to head you in the right direction! There are also some downloadable resources on hanweaving.net if you search 'drawloom'. Hope this helps! Toni
Mon, 06/10/2013 - 22:00

Yvonne K

It's just 11 months since I first joined Weavolution to find out about a drawloom. I had also acquired an older loom without instructions. I spent 3 or 4 months poring over information before I got it working. When I did, I was amazed at the simplicity of the system. During this time, I referred constantly to Johansson's book, so I recommend you keep a copy close by.

 Can you post photos to clarify your questions? Johansson has a photo of counterweights on page 139, but these are to control the harnesses at the front of the loom. Each satin shed raises and lowers just just two shafts. The other four remain in a neutral position, which is why the front shafts must have long-eyed heddles to allow the shed to be formed. Follow the instructions on page 144 for tie up for a six end satin.

 The two different systems for the pattern are pattern shafts,(which I have) or unit draw system, which uses the lashes. There is a photo on page 131 showing sand bags on pattern shafts. Now I think I've said enough to confuse you thoroughly, but don't give up. There will be heaps of good advice soon,

 Yvonne

Mon, 06/10/2013 - 22:57

cottageweaver (not verified)

My weights are long metal u-shaped pieces weighing 2 oz each. I am using them for a shaft-draw system, not for the old single unit system, though. The weights are hanging from the pattern heddles. I'm not sure if the weights would be different for yours. My current project has 197 units (4 threads each) spread across 20 shafts. Each unit of four threads has one weight on it. The total of the weights is thus 24.625 lbs. Sandbags would work (or rice bags, bean bags, etc). Toni
Tue, 06/11/2013 - 09:02

Yvonne K

Hi Toni, Those curved weights are called lingos. Johansson says " a unit with 4 threads, size 16/2, is good for one lingo. An old rule states 10 grams per medium weight warp thread ( linen 16/1 )." ( Johansson, page 137) It sounds as though you are already following this rule, so you could use this advice when making other types of weights. My pattern shafts are different, comprising top and bottom weighted shafts. These can be painful to thread, but I am happy for the time being to not invest time or money on the lingo system. I'm hoping a more experienced drawloom weaver can give their advice, Yvonne
Wed, 06/12/2013 - 12:25

cottageweaver (not verified)

My current system is a shaft draw system, but I have the add-on to make it a combination draw. I put this information up in response to the original poster who was asking about weights and making sandbags. I thought it might be helpful for her to know the weight of each weight, and an idea of total weight.
Tue, 06/11/2013 - 14:51

esawye

Hi all, thank you for the responses so far. Yes I do have johanssons book but she does not give me the weight of the counterbalance weights that hang from the castle for the satin heddles, which my model requires. It is a lash-saving model of loom. I don't have instructions to go with it other than the info in johanssons book. I've watched part of the vavstuga video but she deals with the single unit system rather than the kund I own in the part I saw, maybe she covers my model in the latter half of the dvd?

Tue, 06/11/2013 - 16:22

SallyE (not verified)

If you click on "scene selection" at the beginning of the DVD, scene 7 is about the pattern saving lashes.   I haven't viewed that in awhile, so don't know whether she talks about the weights.   If not, trial and error would tell you how heavy to make them.  

Note also, that instead of weights, you can install a heavy eye hook or even just a clamp at the bottom side of the loom and use bungee chords instead of weights.   Bungee chords can be adjusted by tying knots in the chords, or by using several together.

Tue, 06/11/2013 - 16:36

Janice Zindel (not verified)

In "Damask and Opphamta," under the chapter on shaft draw looms, the author states the counter weights are 600 grams each (p. 138).  You will see photos of counter weights for the shaft draw loom (p. 138) and on a single unit (p. 146), they appear the same to me, though I could be wrong.  How to hang them for single unit is on p. 150.

I'm not sure what the woman meant by your floor being damaged.  They are heavy, but if hung properly they will not fall.  There were times, like this, when I referred to the shaft draw chapter, though I also have an older single unit draw loom with long extension. 

The lingos on my loom are the older style 60 gram style (p. 150).  ~Jan Z.

Tue, 06/11/2013 - 16:58

Janice Zindel (not verified)

Sorry about that duplicate reply, my internet is so slow today, and isn't showing if anything was posted, just sits in limbo.  ~Jan Z.

Tue, 06/11/2013 - 19:10

SallyE (not verified)

If you click on "scene selection" at the beginning of the DVD, scene 7 is about the pattern saving lashes.   I haven't viewed that in awhile, so don't know whether she talks about the weights.   If not, trial and error would tell you how heavy to make them.  

Note also, that instead of weights, you can install a heavy eye hook or even just a clamp at the bottom side of the loom and use bungee chords instead of weights.   Bungee chords can be adjusted by tying knots in the chords, or by using several together.

Wed, 06/12/2013 - 07:21

Yvonne K

Sorry, Toni, I was confusing you with Esawye, and just repeating your advice. I thought you sounded like you didn't need help!

Esawye, I have used bungee cord to stabilise the shafts on my satin harness. The cords are mounted above the shafts, one on each end of each shaft. I am not totally happy with this system as I seem to be adjusting it more than I expected to. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ausyk/7984601628/in/photostream/ 

Sat, 06/15/2013 - 03:56

esawye

Great! Thank You!

Sounds to me like 'frantic' and 'instructional reading' shouldn't go together on my end hahaha. I'm going to look into buying that DVD. Yvonne and Sally, interesting ideas, I'll look into that as an option!