Table looms: The Victoria
| Table Loom Features | Levers | Shafts and Heddles | Pricing |
Table Loom Features
Table looms are a good way to learn to weave, either on your own or by taking them to workshops. Portability is the main reason for purchasing a table loom. They are designed for learning, demonstrating, sampling and for spending time with other weavers at workshops. There are drawbacks to weaving on such a small loom. Weaving on a table loom progresses more slowly as you do not have treadles. But table looms are useful for learning to weave if you are not ready to purchase a floor loom.
Table Loom Legs
Adding legs to your table loom allows you to sit while you weave. Without legs on our table loom, you will be standing at the loom. When you add legs to your table loom, find a bench or stool which is the right height for you. It should be adjustable in height from about 20" - 26" in height, depending on the height of the breast beam of the loom. See the photo below.
Table Loom Treadles
Treadles can be added to a table loom. Having
treadles on a table loom makes weaving progress more
comfortably and quickly, freeing your hands for the
weaving. You then do not have the put the shuttle down
with each pass of the weft. And having lamms for
attaching the treadles gives the advantages of being
able to tie up more than one shaft to a treadle,
otherwise, you use two feet for treadling.
The legs and treadles can be removed if you want to use the loom as a table loom. This can be done even when there is a warp on the loom. This makes it easier to transport the loom and set it up at a workshop. Most table looms with legs can be moved and assembled by one person.
Treadles are added to looms which have wider weaving widths so that there is space for your legs. Wider weaving widths make your loom less portable, but the wider width will allow you to add legs and treadles making the weaving comfortable.
Portability
A table loom should be portable. If it is too wide, it will be difficult to put into your car. If you will only weave on the loom at workshops, you rarely will need more than 18" weaving width. But if you want to weave on the loom at home, or if the table loom will be your only loom, you may want a wider weaving width. When selecting a table loom, don't skimp on the depth of the loom, which should be at least 27" in depth and several inches more is even better. The depth is necessary to get a good shed, consistent tension and an even beat.
The Castle
The castle should be removable. It should lie nicely inside the frame for packing. For narrow looms, it is nice if the castle can also be taken out of the frame for beaming the warp and taken out and placed in front of the frame for threading. Rubber feet on the loom frame will protect the table.
The beater should be removable and it should be adjustable for different heights of reeds.
The ratchets should be outside the frame so you can easily reach them to advance the warp. If the ratchets are inside the frame, the warp threads may get tangled in the ratchets and the beaming sticks and selvage papers may interfere with the ratchet. Large handles on the ratchets are easy to use. They should have at least 16 teeth (more is better) for adjusting the tension.
Levers
The shafts are raised with levers or handles. They should be attached to give you good leverage rather than requiring a direct pull. Good leverage makes it easier to move them. You should be able to move two levers at the same time if they are beside each other. This makes weaving plain weave and twill much easier. They should be large enough for your hands to hold them. If they are in the center, you can use either your right or left hand, or both, to move them.
Levers which are not properly made will not stay in place. Some will lock into place. They should not fall back when you beat in the weft. Levers or handles which are too small and have little leverage can eventually be tiring for your hands. If the levers or handles pull forward, rather than up and down, there is stress on the castle and it must be very securely attached to the frame.
Shaft and heddles
Texsolv heddles are light weight, quiet, less abrasive and allow you to have more threads per inch than metal or wire heddles. You don't have to worry about which is the top or bottom and whether they should be set right or left handed. They are also easy to put on the shafts. No need to release metal pins which hurt your fingers, or removing other loom parts to get the shafts out of the loom. There usually is no pin in the center of the shaft. The Texsolv heddles are easily kept in order when not on the loom by simple twist ties.
If you have further questions about table looms, send me a message or call 1-866-890-7314
Glimakra-USA... 866-890-7314 or 406-442-0354
update 1/08