We at Glimakra can answer your questions about new or used looms.   Glimakra looms have not changed much over time, but even experienced weavers who have had their Glimakra loom a long time may have questions about their loom and attachments.  Some weavers want to add shafts and treadles.  Some older looms may need parts or new heddles, tie-up cord or a countermarch added.  And we get a lot of questions about adding a drawloom to their Glimakra Standard or Ideal looms.   

I have been teaching weaving for over 40 years and have woven on many different types of looms over the years.  So, I am very familiar with most types of looms. We have information on our website for those who purchase new or used counterbalance and countermarch looms. So, if you have questions about barn frame looms, looms from other companies or just general questions, just ask. 

Joanne

Comments

macjory

I don't know why my posts are doubling!

kerstinfroberg

there aree two terms - portee cross and porrey cross, and I always confuse them (my excuse being I'm not a native speaker of English...) - So. Warping 1 end at a time vill give you a 1/1 cross - but the loop will hold 2 ends (one "coming" and one "going"). Warping 2 at a time will give you a 2/2 cross, where the loop holds 4 ends (2 "coming", 2 "going"). And so on... If using a reed for pre-sleying the *loop* can not be divided, if you want to transfer the cross. However: several loops can be sleyed together without problems. Going back to your 8 dents per inch, with the final goal to have 24 ends to the inch: how can you get 24 ends to fit into 8 dents without splitting loops? Your friend's 2-4-2-4 will yield 12 ends per 1/2 inch, which is the same as 24 per one inch - BUT it will only work if you dit warp one end at a time (otherwise you would have to split the loops, right?) ... hope I'm making sense - otherwise I will try to make a sketch/picture... ETA: should you warp with 3 ends, it would give you a 3/3 cross, or a loop with 6 ends: then a 6-0-6-0-6-0-6-0 pre-sleying would be the easiest... 8 dents holding 24 ends with fewer possibilities of mistakes ;-)

kerstinfroberg

I had a post with formatting that made sense, but spotted an essential typo. By using the "edit" function, I managed to include the critical figure, but at the same time lost my formatting...

not going to risk sitting here all night fixing formatting - hope you can read it anyway :(

Joanne Hall

Let us know how you are doing with your warp. I wove a lot of those My First Towels warps. Joanne

r4gni

Has anyone ever successfully attempted to use a sectional warp beam 1m intended for the Ideal to work on the Aktiv folding loom?

Joanne Hall

There are two Glimakra looms with the name Aktiv.  There was one from the 60s and 70s with metal beams.  Then there was the Aktiv in the 80s which was a smaller folding loom. 

If you have the 80s folding loom, measure the clearance that you have around the Aktiv warp beam, then call Sarah at Glimakra and ask for the measurements for the 100cm sectional beam.  The wooden parts are about 1 1/2 inches by 4 plus inches and the metal hoops stick up more than one inch.  It is the clearance that you have that is important.  You could cut the wooden parts down after getting them.  

However, how many times have you warped your Aktiv loom?  Remember, on any loom, sectional warping is primarily for very long warps, like more than 20 yards.  Shorter warps are faster and easier to make in the traditional way.   If you tell us more about your experience, that would be helpful.

Joanne

r4gni

Thank you so much for your pointers. I now have the sectional beam equipment at home and can attempt to try it on my 80s folding Aktiv loom.

However, I have another question. I warped the usual way and found that when tied on and tensioned I had great difficulty to get a release from the breaks and transport the warp further. The only way I found was releasing tension from the warp tie up, but for obvious reasons that does not wrok while weaving.

I am a newbie weaver and am doing this by myself (because I have to, I am a single full time working mum), so I don't know whether the tension would be to intense? How do I handle that when weaving? I haven't tied up the treadles and lambs yet. How tense does the warp have to be and how do I advance the warp?

Thank you in advance!

Joanne Hall

Since the Aktiv loom is a countermarch loom and you have a large handle on the warp beam, yes, it is possible to tighten the warp tighter than it needs to be.  So, for the final tie-up, you don't need to have it extremely tight.

After you tie up the treadles and start weaving, you will determine how tight you want the warp to be.  This depends on what you are weaving.  Plus, if it is hard to treadle, you can lighten up on the tension a little.

Joanne

Cynthia

I am preparing to warp my Glimakra Gobelin loom for the first time. The instructions for the loom make it clear that while the loom has a warp beam, the author strongly prefers using the knobs on the top of the loom instead. I’m game to try this, but I wonder what it will be like advancing the warp, which the instructions don’t address in detail. Do you just loosen the warp, wind on fabric, and then retie each bout? Loosen it a few inches, wind on, then even out tension?

If anyone has worked with one of these looms, I’d appreciate hearing about your experiences.

Joanne Hall

If you want to weave a tall tapestry, then use the warp and cloth beams.  If you are weaving a small tapestry and you will not be advancing the warp, use the warping pegs or the warp beam, your choice.

Joanne

James Brass

Is there any information on using part 38 'Tie up fixture' in the standard-old.pdf document ? I have these two pieces but must have missed any coverage in the documentation.

Joanne Hall

These were discontinued when Texsolv was developed in  l979.

Mariele

I got a Standart 1m 4 shafts with Counterbalance Set up. (Got it as a bargain! 200€! yai!)

I am thinking of expanding it to 8 shafts. ( only 1m, not wide enough for blankets, so doubleweave,twill, more shafts needed) or at least 6 shafts.

As I´m only used to countermarch (so much easier), I´m doubtful, does it work?

Has anybody experience with this kind of setup?

Converting to countermarche is more expensive. but if it is too problematic in counterbalance......

sandra.eberhar…

In my experience, 8 shaft counterbalance looms are touchy to tie up and limited in that you must have a balanced tie up.  You will have some cost for either option, why not pick the best long term choice instead of spending money on something you probably won't be happy with if you prefer countermarche?  A 4 shaft counterbalance loom is simple to tie up, treadles effortlessly, and can often take a very high warp tension and produce a great shed.  But when you need more shafts, I would leave the counterbalance.

Joanne Hall

I agree, check with the factory about getting the countermarch.  You can choose from horizontal or vertical.  And you can ask the price for adding more shaft bars, treadles and upper lamms.

Joanne

BobGideon

I just bought a used Glimakra Kristina model tapestry loom (8ft wide by 6.5ft tall) from an estate sale in San Antonio, Tx. Acording to the folks there, it was bought in the mid 1970s and was among the first of it's type to be brought to the USA. It is in really nice condition...just needed a bit of cleaning up. I am a complete beginner and really need some advise and intruction on how to warp this loom. I know these are no longer being made, but I hope there maight be some documentation on them and perhaps instructions on warping it. Any direction or information would be very much appreciated.

Joanne Hall

You will find instructions on the Glimakra website, go to resources, then assembly instructions.

Joanne

threadwitch

I am trying to figure out why the Glimakra Standard, which I just spent a week weaving on, is a dream to weave on, and the ancient Toika Liisa I have is not. I forgot to measure the neight of the breast beam on the Standard before I left, but I think the Liisa's is higher. Would someone who has a Standard please measure that height for me so I can figure out if there's a spatial relation I could alter on the Toika to make weaving on it not an endless battle? I may end up with a Glimakra, but we had a flood and discovered in the process that the drains around the house are in need of replacement, so that's not in the budget right now. 

sandra.eberhar…

I suggest you look at your bench or seat height instead of changing the loom.  Try Walter Turpening's formula for the correct bench height; look at your treadle height.en

Joanne Hall

Do your shafts drop when you take out the locking pins?  Check your balance.  Give us more details on what you are weaving.

Joanne

JulieBeers

I am trying to weave my second project on my new Julia loom. I'm not new to weaving, but the Countermarch loom is very new to me. Project 1 was really easy to weave, so for project 2,, I decided to weave a pattern from Tom Knisley's blood,, Handwoven Baby Blankets. The warp is 10/2 Tencel, which I used for another project, and it worked beautifully. This project is an unbalanced 8-harness M and W weave, with harnesses 4 and 5 having twice as many heddles as harnesses 1 and 8. There were almost no problems warping the loom, but after I tied up the treadles, the problems began. 

I have had to do several adjustments to almost every treadle, and treadle 5 is a real issue. It is hard to depress, the cords connecting harnesses 4 and 5 are super tight, and those harnesses barely move. I found that the treadle cords had crossed, so they were straightened out, but the treadle is still acting like a cord is crossed somewhere. I have traced all of the cords to that treadle from the jacks to the treacle, and all the cords are good. 

The other problem is that the upper threads are loose in every shed. They are so loose that the shuttle catches on them, and one thread has already broken. But the warp tension is even and tight on the bottom of the sheds and when the warp is flat. 

I cannot figure out what is going on, and it's to the point that I will take the warp off the loom if I cannot fix these issues. Can someone help me please?

sandra.eberhar…

A couple general things to check;  make sure you don't have a treadle tied up to the upper and lower lamm of any shaft.  If you moved heddles around, make sure you don't have any heddles crossing shafts; top loop on one shaft, bottom loop on another.

JulieBeers

Thank you. I will check those things. 

sandra.eberhar…

Sounds dumb, but I have done this; the warp goes over the back beam?

sgilday

This May I bought a used Glimakra Standard, 120cm, 8-shaft/10-treadle. I am having a heck of a time tying it up. I'm using Joanne's book (Tying up the Countermarch Loom), Dress Your Loom the Vavstuga Way, Madelyn Van Der Hoogt's Weaver's article (Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know...), and this very wonderful Glimakra owners group, yet I'm still having issues. Since the loom came with 13" heddles I've been leaning heavily on Madelyn's article. Though I've followed it to the letter, I'm encountering: a) upper lamms interfering with the lower shafts, and b) lower shafts hitting the side crossbars that support the knee beam. According to a previous post, I have positioned the treadles at 6.25" from the floor to the bottom of the treadle. Other suggestions?

Jahanara

It might help me to see photos of the issues your having. I'm having a bit of an off day today and having trouble visualizing your issue. Thanks! :0

sandra.eberhar…

I don't think this loom was designed to work with 13" heddles.  I would check with Glimakra, but the very large heddles might be the  problem.  10" is more common.

sgilday

How does one adjust for dropping shafts once the locking pins are removed? This is my 2nd project on my 120cm 8/10 Glimakra Standard. It is a summer and winter draft, with most of the warp threads on shafts 1-3, and diminishing threads on shafts 4-8. Everything lines up beautifully when the locking pins are in place, but once they're removed the shafts drop progressively so that shafts 1-4 are >1" lower than shaft 8. The heddle eyes on these shafts are actually resting on the warp threads, so that if I try to advance the warp the heddles/shafts are dragged along with it. Please help--thanks!

Weavolutionary

I'm not actually sure if it makes a difference, but is your Standard a vertical countermarche, horizontal countermarche, or counterbalance?

sandra.eberhar…

Try reading the previous posts, and check your books for balance correction.  

Bobbie Marcus

I have recently purchased a Pusslingen table top loom that is missing the lower heddle rails.  My woodworker friend said he would make me new ones if I can get him some picures or videos of them in place on a loom so he can wrap his head around what I am asking for.  Is there  anyone here who can help?

Rivka

Hi! I'm a real beginner coming from an untensioned frame loom but would really  like to learn more about tapistery weaving and now I just saw an used glimakra loom for sale but I cannot find that model anywhere so I'm just wondering if anyone can advise me what model it is and if its a good one and if there are still instructions available. Thanks alot for any help!! 

Erica

I don't know that Glimakra makes more than 1 tapestry loom. I love my Glimakra looms and it looks in great shape, my advice would be to buy it! Yes I do believe Glimakra has instruction files on their USA website. I'm sure the Weavolution community can help you out! :)

sophiec

I purchased a used Glimakra Standard counterbalance loom with 4 shafts.  I was told by the weaving guild selling it that it was the 47" weaving width loom that is still in production.  However, once I assembled it at home I discovered it is actually the 135cm width loom last produced in the 90s (which is when I think this loom was manufactured).  I called Glimakra USA to ask about which parts I need to order to convert this loom to a 10 shaft countermarch loom and they said that they do not have a countermarch assembly or lams that will fit this loom.  They suggested purchasing the countermarch assembly and lams for a larger loom and cutting them down to size, but couldn't guarantee that the countermarch assembly would fit without major modifications and help from a carpenter.  I am coming off of a Leclerc Mira 4 shaft counterbalance loom so I have no experience with a swedish style countermarch loom, but it seems like it should be simple enough to modify a counterbalance assembly to fit a narrower loom and to cut lams down to size?  Has anyone done this successfully?  Any suggestions?

sandra.eberhar…

All The parts you are talking about are basically sticks, so it can be done.  It is going to take quite a bit of cutting, drilling, and sanding.  You need to completely replace all lamms (you need two lamms per shaft, one longer and heavier).  You need jacks, and lots and lots of cord.  It has to balance when you are done.  Often, an extra treadle or other method is used to balance the loom (see earlier posts).  If you get the parts from Glimakra, you will still need to cut and probably redrill them.  The holes for jacks need to be absolutely square; you need a drill press or a great deal of care.  It may be easier to call out the seller on the fraud, return it, and get the loom you want to start with.

sandra.eberhar…

All The parts you are talking about are basically sticks, so it can be done.  It is going to take quite a bit of cutting, drilling, and sanding.  You need to completely replace all lamms (you need two lamms per shaft, one longer and heavier).  You need jacks, and lots and lots of cord.  It has to balance when you are done.  Often, an extra treadle or other method is used to balance the loom (see earlier posts).  If you get the parts from Glimakra, you will still need to cut and probably redrill them.  The holes for jacks need to be absolutely square; you need a drill press or a great deal of care.  It may be easier to call out the seller on the fraud, return it, and get the loom you want to start with.

sophiec

Thanks for your reply big white sofa dog. I have a mitre saw and a drill press so I think that I can make precise enough cuts and placed holes.  My concern is not knowing what lengths to cut things down to and so on.  If I had a detailed diagram or description showing me how long each jack and lam should be and so on, I think I could do this myself.  I just don't have the confidence that I can figure out the appropriate lengths on my own.  I would almost need to find someone with 135cm weaving width loom that has a countermarch assembly and convince them to take and send me measurements (I don't know how likely this is).  Do you think that refitting a horizontal countermarch system would be easier?  Is it possible that I don't actually need to cut the jacks at all but just the length of the bar going accross the width of the loom that the jacks are attached to.  I would then just have to drill a new hole for the pulleys going over the side of the loom (in the case of a vertical system), and cut the lams to the correct length?  I am considering just returning it to the seller as you also suggest, but I'm in Canada and Glimakra looms don't come up very often so I don't know how long I would have to wait to find one.

Erica

I agree it would be good to know the actual dimensions. I do not have a 130cm Glimakra. I would suggest creating a separate post with a title something like "Measurements needed from 135cm Glimakra loom". That way users who have this loom will see the title and know they might have the information you seek. I hope that helps. :)

KMonty

Hello! I recently purchased a used Swedish style loom that looks very similar to a 40" Glimakra Ideal loom. I followed the guidelines on glimakrausa.com on how to tie up the pulleys and horses, lamms and treadles. I have a warp on (some tea towels) and the texsolve are equal lengths, however shaft 4 doesn't seem to raise or lower as evenly as the other shafts when shaft 3 is being raised or lowered in the opposite direction. It creates two top sheds (where shaft 1 is high and shaft 4 is not as high, but doesn't give great clearance for my boat shuttle). When shafts 3 & 4 are raised together or lowered together it creates lovely even sheds, so I'm not sure what isn't set up properly to even my shed out! Any help or advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you, Kalyn

Erica

I don't have a counterbalance myself, but my guess would be the ties between the lamms and the treadle on the shaft that is different. I hope that helps!

Barbara summers

HI 

I am new to weavolution so apologies if this is not being posted on the right place. I have been given an old Glimakra Tapestry loom with no instructions. Although I am a weaver and understand how to warp it, I am not sure how to use it. IT only has one pole long enough to attach warps to get a shed and I am unsure what the short pole is for. IN fact what I would really like is a booklet to explain it all. Do you have any suggestions. I have emailed Glimakrausa with same questions and sent this picture if any help. Many thanks in advance. I am in the uk.

not sure if you can open this. 

 

warpedknitter

My husband built me a supplementary warp beam for my "husband-built" Glimakra Standard clone. Where can I find a tutorial on how to use a supplementary beam in order to make pile weaves? 
Thanks in advance, Grace

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