Sweet! I’d say George is a keeper!
A lovely sight.
Okay, yesterday I joined you folks by acquiring my first 4-shaft loom - a Leclerc Fanny 36-inch counterbalance from around 1951-1958. No picture yet as we are disassembled while we shuffle some stuff to make room. I took Susan Fricks’ Weaving Boot Camp at Yarnorama in Paige a couple of weeks ago, which only fanned the flames, and after searching ads for over a year, this loom came up near me, at a super reasonable price, and I had to jump. It is quite well preserved. I think the most I will need to supply is a couple of lease sticks and a bench. As we are handy around here, that should be fun. It came with a large warping board and 5 weaving books, including Deborah Chandler’s Learning to Weave, and Anne Dixon’s The Handweaver’s Pattern Directory. It does not appear to need any repair, just perhaps a light cleaning. Several of you were so kind to give moral support as I considered the vintage Arthur Allen CB loom with direct tie-up a couple of months ago. I decided not to buy that one, as I was not sure I could figure out the repairs while learning how to work with a CB loom. I think the current purchase is a lot more loom and there is quite a bit of resource material at my fingertips as I learn to work with it. I will post a picture when we have settled in. Thanks again all for the input earlier. I am currently thrilled to the core and am confident I can learn enough to work with this one.
Congrats!
Thanks @Bettymo and @oldworldfibres - you know the thrill! Yesterday we made room (no small task) and then we reassembled most of the parts, adding a missing washer and wing nut, replacing a bent carriage bolt, dusting, figuring out what in the world a prior user had done to modernize the brake system - found online info to compare our oddball brake with the original brake design, and we’ll have to see if I can run with it as is, or if I will need to order a few parts. Some of the old schematics I found are hard to make out, but I know that most of these items can be fabricated if I get a good picture to follow. Today I will rehang the shafts and take a picture to show you. I am thinking about a first warp - not sure if I will try to make something or just doodle around. There is a practice piece in the Deborah Chandler book that I should probably do.
@oldeworldfibres glad to hear that - am really enjoying reading the book and getting excited about warping. She is a good writer and teacher.
This week I will cut and sand some lease sticks and make a raddle. (I want to warp back to front to practice what we just did in Boot Camp. ) We did get the brake to work, by changing it back to more closely follow a hand drawn diagram from an early Leclerc spec sheet. This kind of thing is really fun. There is also the matter of the oddly sewn aprons. They have the factory selvedge lengthwise on one side of the canvas, and a folded and sewn hem on the other, which when rolled, creates far more bulk on one side of the beam than the other, which kind of skews the iron rod. I’m thinking about just unpicking the machine-sewn hem, unfolding it, and hand whipping it to prevent fraying. Of course, that will make the apron an inch wider on one side only. Maybe it won’t matter - I shouldn’t let it be a hindrance to getting going.
Here is a picture of the reassembled Leclerc Fanny. It looks like a loom, right? I am almost ready for my first solo warp on a floor loom, in about another week.
@oldeworldfibres Thanks for the thumbs up! These are indeed exciting times! (I love this type of problem solving.) Tomorrow I will see if I can turn a new warp beam crank handle on a wood lathe. The metal handle is there, and my husband straightened it in a vice; it just needs the wooden roller. What fun. I have a photo of a Leclerc handle to look at, so it should be fairly straightforward. Of course, this is a frill.
I think I read a blog post on the idea you mentioned about Texsolv cords to replace cloth aprons. That sure would be neater. I’m glad to hear from someone who is happy having done that. I do love the Texsolv on the RH; it seems to reduce sloppy alignment. I’m thinking about getting some for the upper rollers on the Fanny too - so I could tweak my harness height.
@Carlota, your new loom is awesome! Isn’t it fun to bring something back to use? It’s one of our favorite things to do!
Thanks @DebbiRYarn! Yes, I kind of favor vintage stuff, as long as it is mostly there (as this one is). I’m away from the loom for a week so have been occupied reading Learning to Weave by Deborah Chandler and sanding some lease sticks and other accessories - all good fun. Of course there is quite a bit of suspense until I actually get warped up and start weaving (insert nervous laugh).
You’ll do just fine!
I wonder how many weavers owe their start to Deborah Chandler. I know I’m certainly one.
I’m curious if anyone knows about Bernat floor looms? I have been looking at floor looms and found one that is a Bernat 131, an 8-shaft, 10-treadle, 30 inches wide. I believe it is a Jack loom, but can’t seem to find any company or information on it. It looks like it is in nice shape, and it’s decently close to where I live. So tempted. They are asking $500 for it. But to buy an old machine that doesn’t seem to have any company sales anywhere makes me a bit nervous.
I’ve tried finding youtube videos showing it in motion, but have had no luck so far. I’d love to know your thoughts!
Please tell me if this is a good deal??? What are the pros and cons of a Schacht Mighty Wolf? I am looking for a loom with a more versatile range of weaving, from finer stuff all the way to things like rugs. I also wanted something more than just a 4-shaft loom. I don’t mind starting with a 4-shaft, but I know I will want at least a 6-shaft and I hate to buy one that I’ll want to get rid of in order to upgrade. I have found a 4-shaft Mighty Wolf (that allows for an upgrade to 8-shaft) that is being sold used and I think it is an incredible deal. I’ve talked to the owner and she is offering to meet me partway if I decide I want it. I’m in the process of convincing my hubby it is a good thing and he is coming around, I think.
I’d love to know if anyone has had experience with them and why or why not would you consider a purchase like this?
It is not only a lovely loom, it has a nice weaving bench, a nice warping board, and accessories and she’s asking about half the price of a new one, at $1800. I am super excited about it!
I don’t have any experience with floor looms. but I made a quick search, this review looks like it might have useful information.
https://www.thebeginningartist.com/schacht-mighty-wolf-loom-review/
@Sommerfugl - Thank you! This is probably the most detail I’ve heard about the Mighty Wolf–their website really doesn’t give much info. I appreciate you taking the time to look this up!
Doing a happy dance! We are in Madison, WI and have successfully met up with the lady selling me her Mighty Wolf loom. She and her sister met us at a Red Lobster parking lot and they were really sweet. She said she barely used it since she and her husband started a business soon after she got it and she just didn’t use it. From what I can tell, it’s a beautiful loom!! I’m so excited to have this. I’m not sure how much time I’ll get to work on it before Christmas, but I’m sure I’ll find some time to play with it in there somewhere. 
I don’t have a picture of it set up yet since we’re staying overnight, making a bit of a fun little getaway before heading back home tomorrow. My husband was concerned about it fitting in our Explorer, so when we asked if she thought it would, she replied that she also had an Explorer, so if it fit her vehicle, it would fit ours! She did have to remove some screws on the floor rollers, and a crank from the warp beam, but otherwise it fit perfectly. Here’s also a picture of our 2 vehicles side by side. Just got a chuckle that they were so much alike. I’ll definitely post pictures when I get it set up at home tomorrow.
That is so wonderful - and do we see a bunch of snow in the parking lot? Good timing getting it before any more snow falls. You are going to have so much fun getting set up and from then on.
She’s home where she belongs–Or since it’s a Mighty Wolf, should it be a “he”?? All spit-shined and ready to go! (Gave it a coat of feed and wax since it was a bit dusty) It fits in perfectly where I have it. I can slide it out from the wall to warp it, then move it back. Should I have it on a rug?
This was our daughter’s bedroom and I still have her daybed in it so she can stay overnight from time to time. Slowly but surely, I am turning it into my crafting studio. I took over her bottom bookshelf to keep my knitting/spinning/weaving library handy. There’s also a nice closet that I am utilizing. She rents a small apartment so still has some of her stuff here. Someday she’ll hopefully have her own house and can take the rest of her stuff.
Yes, the timing of that was amazing. Wednesday it snowed here, but didn’t accumulate much. (central IL) But when we drove up to WI yesterday, it was funny how almost right at the WI border, there was about 6 inches of snow in places that had fallen on Wednesday, but thankfully the roads were nice and clean. We enjoyed seeing the snow, but I have to admit my husband was a bit nervous about heading north this time of year, even if it was just a 3-hour trip one way.