A litte information about the wood and the construction of Glimakra Looms
The wood, well actually the tree...
Glimakra looms are made of wood from the tree Pinus sylvestris which also known by a mutitude of common names such as Scots pine; tall (Swedish);skovfyr (Danish); sosna obyknovennaya (the Russian name); or in Polish as sosna zwyczajna. You may also see it called Baltic, Finnish, Swedish or Polish pine. The lumber from the tree is also commonly called 'red deal'. I suspect the wide variety of names reflects the tree's very wide range, growing in all the countries listed from Scotland (and once quite common in all Europe) to the nordic countries and across Russia to Siberia, almost to the Pacific.
The tree grows up to 130-140 feet tall in good conditions. The more finely grown trees are in the northern latitdues and produce a wood with tight rings (from slower growth). The tree obtains a diameter of 2-3 feet--a two foot diameter tree would be over 6 feet around--
As noted by Michael P. Frankis( /www.botanik.uni-bonn.de/conifers/index.htm) "The thickest Swedish pine has a girth of 4.49 m and is growing at Strangsered in Ulricehamn" (Anonymous [no date]). The tallest specimens, up to 45-50 m high, occur along the S coast of the Baltic Sea (Vladimir Dinets e-mail 10-Jan-1998). The stoutest in the UK is 169 cm dbh, at Belladrum, Scottish Highlands (A.F. Mitchell)." Dbh? That means diameter breast high, a common way to try to standardize how trees are measured. He also mentions the oldest tree to be over 700 years of age.
Note, too, the medicinal value of the tree.
Like other evergreen trees in places with grim winters, the Scots Pine has been used in various brews, from teas to ale, as a useful source of Vitamin C when there are few other green leaves available. An excellent example of this usage were the Pine and Spruce beers of the Vikings and other Nordic people. They were medicinal tonics which were not only used as home, but also by seafarers to keep Scurvy at bay and to fight infection. Captain Cook and many other explorers followed the Viking example of having Pine and Spruce beer supplies....Todays 7.5% alcohol version is produced by the Heather Ale Ltd in Craigmill near Glasgow and you can find out more about the Alba, Scots Pine and other indigenous brews on www.fraoch.com/history.htm . [ quote from (www.the-tree.org.uk/)]
Other information about the wood
This wood has many uses and the best grades are used in furniture, joinery and turning (e.g. looms). It has also been used as masts for sailing ships. The cubic foot weight of the wood is about 32 pounds per cubic foot with a specific gravity (s.g.) of .51 (water =1.0). For comparison, birch weighs in at 35 pounds per cubic foot. ( The worlds least dense wood is from Cuba and is 2.75 pounds per cubic foot with a s.g. of .004 and the most dense from Africa is 93 pounds per cubic foot with an s.g. of 1.49 (it won't float).
The wood and the loom
GAV uses both wood they harvest themselves and wood purchased from mills. They are careful to use wood from the lower bole (trunk) of the tree to minimize large knots. (Generally the wood is from the lower 1/3 of the bole.) They reject about 90% of the lumber as inadequate for thier loom and weaving item construction.
For the long and
thinner peices, such as shaft bars, the wood used is
knot free and quarter sawn or rift sawn. Quarter sawing
is a 'radial' cut wherein the board is cut along a
radial line leading towards the center of the tree (eg
radius). In quarter sawn wood the annual growth rings
run from 90 degrees to about 60 degrees to the face of
board. Rift sawn, which is almost quarter sawn wood,
has the grain running from about 60 degrees to about 45
degrees. Quarter sawn wood does not move as much with
changes in temperature and humidity as does plain sawn
wood. Thus you will see alot of quarter sawn wood in
the looms. Quarter sawing is not efficient in terms of
wood production as you get fewer and narrower boards
but it is the best wood to use when you want to
minimize wood movement.
Thicker
structural pieces of lumber for Glimakra looms are
laminated, an example being the end view of a fly
shuttle beater on the left. Lamination of the thicker
sections results in a more stable piece, less likely to
warp or cup or twist as the humidity changes. The end
result is a loom which is structurally sound, well
made, works precisely and looks good.
Here are some photos from the factory in Sweden.
More about the Glimakra looms.
The finish on the looms is a thin film lacquer which means it is not applied by brush or spray. Rather the finish is 'drapped' on the wood sort of like laying piece of plastic wrap over the wood. The result is a very clear, seamless finish you almost don't notice but allows the warm and natural tones of the wood to express themselves.
While there are some few bolts and wood screws in Glimakra looms, the major structural elements are held in place by wedges in mortises (the hole or slot the wedge fits into). A few points to note about the wedges and mortises. First the straight or 'flat' edge of the wedge should be placed against the wood. Second, the mortise is tapered to match the shape of the wedge. When you assemble a loom note the direction of the taper in the mortise. The wider end should be parallel to the piece it is to hold. On later models there is a small arrow stamped on the side of the mortise to indicate the direction. Remember, the longer edge of the wedge should parallel the long axis of the piece it is to hold.
The wedge system offers advantages you might not readily recognize. Of course it offers very easy assembly and disassembly of major components. But also you can keep the loom frame rigid and tight as the wood moves given seasonal variations in temperature and humidity by tapping the wegde lightly several times a year or after extended use. This applies to benches which are assembled in the same manner. Remember the wood is a living material and responds to changes in the environment so a gentle tap or two on the wedges keeps everything tight as the seasons change. You don't need to whack on the wedges with great force.
Little more than wiping with a rag is needed to keep the wood in fine finish. If need, a wiping with a vinegar and water solution, followed by a dry cloth should be all that is needed. Waxes, oils, polishes should not be used.
Great care is taken in selecting the wood, handling it, milling the pieces, laminating and in the joinery. The result is a well made loom that the makers are proud of and the looms can easily outlast several generations of weavers.
More? The GAV site. There is an English version.