Warping

I've cleaned and oiled everything (I think), cleaned the reed (scrubbed it with a wire brush), and replaced several broken pegs on the sectional beam. I can't think of anything else I really must do before warping, so on to warping I go. I have no doubt that partway into the job I will think of something more that needs doing.

But it's good to get started. I used one of the spool racks that came with the loom:

This turned out to be a real hassle. The spools would catch, and the whole rack would start to tip over. I ended up holding the rack upright with one hand while turning the beam with the other. Next time I'll use my creel that came with my Gallinger loom.

I also used the thread guide that came with the loom:

Here it is installed on the back beam of the loom:

This also turned out to be a hassle. The thread guide is held in place with a screw & wing nut, which were hard to tighten and loosen. It needs to be loosened & moved to each new section of the beam, and then tightened again. Grr!

I'm not sure what to use instead. On the Gallinger I just use a hair comb. I put the threads between the teeth, and set the comb into the groove that goes down the length of the back beam. The beam on this loom is round, and has no groove, so that won't work here. I hear others use a tension box. I have one, but with a creel it isn't really necessary.

Well, I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. First I have to thread THIS warp & actually weave it off!

I tied the warp threads into a knot and tucked it into the overall bib closure thing at the end of each warp beam strap:

                  

As you can see, those straps were just the wrong length: They caused the knot to be positioned right on a cross brace. I re-routed the straps through the middle of the beam (which is open), so the ends landed in between the cross braces, giving the knot someplace to go to get out of the way. I didn't get a pic of that, though.

I wound on 10 yards in brown, blue, and white Maysville carpet warp. This was based on yarn that came with the loom, supplemented with some I had on hand. I'll thread it in something roughly akin to log cabin.

A "Registering Device" came with the loom, which is designed to count turns of the warp beam:

                  

Unfortunately, it's damaged, so I used the Simplex device to count turns of the warp beam. The beam ends aren't drilled for the Simplex, so I just taped it to one end. I forgot to get a pic of that. It looked ridiculous, a big wad of blue painter's tape holding it in place, but it did work.

I didn't know if I could trust the Simplex completely, so I also counted myself. Even so, I think I may have wound one section too short and a few too long. Luckily the possibly-short one is on the end, so I can just make the last rug or sample a little narrower.

I attached the warp beam crank, but never ended up using it (since I had to keep that spool rack from falling over). Here's what it looks like: