I've started in on the rehab of my 8S/10T B4, and am trying to figure out how to proceed with spiffing up the mechanism, as well as getting clear access to the wood inside the castle and inside the lam section kickboards.

I removed the screws on the front board of the castle, assuming I could just pull off the board across the front, but discovered that it is glued.  I was able to push the rod that the jacks pivot on out through the front hole, partially, and could slip the brass jacks and nuts off through the little space I created that way.  Is that really the only way to do that?

And then, I would like to pull the lams out and polish up the metal and clean and polish the joints, but can't figure out how to do that.  Anyone?

 

Keith

Elgin, IL

Comments

Mon, 05/09/2011 - 17:11

nkeithf (not verified)

I not only want to clean up the mechanism, I also want to be able to sand and refinish the inside faces of the boards that cover the mechanism on the castle and on the lam section...

 

Keith

Tue, 05/10/2011 - 01:00

Michael White

I just reread your posting. The top board holding the jacks does not need to be removed. But if you want you can do the following. Get a block of wood and gently tap the board. Some of the pieces are glued, but I don't think this one is. But what they did do is put the loom together then sprayed on the finish. I have take a number of Macombers apart and you can see where they did this. You need to drive out the rod holding the lamms and lift the lamm up being careful not to bend the wire. Remove the wire from the jack. Are if you have already removed the jacks just lift out the lamms.Mark the jack, so you know which one goes where. On the lamms look at the post where the rods go. When you put the looms back together this post needs to be the same side out.

Did you ever find the set screws for the collars.

Michael 

Tue, 05/10/2011 - 12:26

nkeithf (not verified)

I'm sanding and poly-ing the whole thing, so it will be easier if I can get clear access.  I didn't want to press too hard to remove the board...had visions of it splintering on me if the glue was stronger than the wood!

As for the jack wires that run vertically...are they all different lengths?  If I take them off, will I have problems?  Some are kinda bent...should I just replace them with new from Macomber?

As for the set screws, damn! you are good!  You were exactly right...

 

Keith

Tue, 05/10/2011 - 12:40

Michael White

THe SS wires are all the same size, the only thing that is different is the jacks. The jacks are the same but the location of the hole is different. Do a little bit of taping, you will not break this wood. You can bend the wire a little. Even if you put new ones on they also will bend. A small bend will not effect the operation of this great loom.

Michael

I am off to plant tomatos.

Sun, 05/15/2011 - 02:08

Penn (not verified)

Anticipating this as a real problem on both the 24" and the 48" Macs I intend to start restoring soon, I was wondering about whether it's possible to straighten out wires that have become bent. I know that theoretically it is, but in practice? What's the best way to do this--what tools to use? I have a good vise grip and the standard power and hand tools. I should add that a couple of the lamms on the 48" loom are sticky, and I haven't figured out why. - Penn
Sun, 05/15/2011 - 13:31

Michael White

unless the wires have a "true" bend, not just out of shape I would leave then alone. Even if you put on new ones in time they to will become bent. The lamms: look at the metal bars and see that they are not bent, clean and lub the track that they move it and lub the the joints were they move. Try this and lets see what happens. Clean and lub the loom as outlined in some of the posting above.

Michael

Sun, 05/15/2011 - 15:39

Penn (not verified)

Thanks, that's a big help. I'll be doing all that cleaning and anointing with petro jelly in due course, and hope that once the accretion of old gunk is cleared out from all of the channels, the mechanisms work smoothly. I plan to do a blog about this, since I'll be doing a lot of photos. I'll post the link to it when I get it off the ground. - Penn
Sun, 05/15/2011 - 20:59

Michael White

We love pictures, have fun. Remember to look at the other Macomber post. Lots of information on restoring and cleaning the loom.

Michael

Mon, 05/16/2011 - 17:16

Penn (not verified)

on cleaning and restoring the looms for tips and tricks. I'm not sure about doing bluing on the heddle bars, but will look into it. And while I have most of the Howards' line and like their products for some things, I'd rather have a uniform, sealed finish on the loom, so I plan to completely refinish. Besides the aesthetics, it should reduce the effect of the huge fluctuations in humidity we have here (river valley), which can change the way something built of wood functions. - Penn