Posted by Barbara Gordon on Friday, 14 September 2007, at 9:03 a.m.:
In Reply to: A beginner weaver wants to know.... posted by Akiko on Saturday, 8 September 2007, at 6:47 p.m.:
I am the rare bird who owns and weaves regularly on both a traditional American jack loom and a Glimakra Swedish counterbalance/countermarche loom. Most weavers go one way or the other with firm conviction. I like them both and find the ergonomics for each quite different. Rotating between them seems easier on my aging body. The jack looms are more work for your legs, but not much for the arms/shoulders. The Swedish looms treddle like air...no effort for legs at all, but
transmit more concussion to the shoulders and arms. The swinging beater is a joy, but requires a different technique/style/rhythym of weaving.I learned to weave on American jack looms. In the large studio where I took instruction, there were MANY different types of jack looms. I found that I liked the Macomber most of all for its versatility and smooth operation. It is a very heavy workhorse (the BIG macs, not the workshop macs). It is much more stable than most jack looms, and not prone to warped beams and tension problems over time. It tolerates weaving under much higher tension than most American jack looms. Because these looms don't die, there are often used ones around in very good shape. Their add-a-harness concept permits you to start with, say, 4 harnesses then gradually increase to 8/10/12/ or 16 depending upon the frame you start with. My MAC is 27 years old and weaves just great. I have done heavy rugs and fine linen/tencel on it all with good results. The stainless steel heddles can be a little harsh on the finest single ply fibers like 16/1 linen or finer. They are best threaded using a threading hook unless working with large fuzzy fibers.
My introduction to the Swedish looms is much more recent, and required some significant relearning on my part, but I really love it and have greatly benefited from expanding my understanding and style of weaving. The texsolv heddles are completely different beasts to thread but very pleasant once you learn good technique. The all wood frame and harnesses make for an entirely different aesthetic and different sound in the house when I weave. I can weave FASTER with the swinging beater. The fact that they come apart and go together easily like lincoln logs is fabulous, especially if you want to get a BIG loom and put it in an upstairs room or place not easy to move large bulky items through narrow doorways into. I am a very small woman, and I purchased a 60" (150cm) Glimakra used. I was able to disassemble it, pile it into my van, cart it home and reassemble it using only the wooden mallet provided...all by myself.
The Macomber (48", 8 harnesses, but accepts up to 16, double back beam) required 3 people, a dolly, the rental of a special sized van, intimidating partial disaasembly and reassembly, and many sore backs to get it home and into the first floor of my house. It weighs 350 pounds and can only be stripped down a bit for moving. It was analagous to buying and moving a full sized upright piano. It will never make it upstairs or down. It will sit where we first placed it. I love it, but these are things to consider. When the company ships them to you new, they are fully assembled and you just pop open the folding front and back beams.
My suggestion to you would be to try to find a way to weave on both general kinds of loom. You may find that one system agrees physically with you much more than the other. Then try to get good instruction from a master weaver who regularly uses the general type of loom you have selected. Becky Ashenden at Vav Stuga in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts gives wonderful introductory courses for weaving on the Swedish Glimakra looms. They are residential, 2 or 5 days long, and if you take the full 5 day course, you will leave knowing how to efficiently wind a warp on a warping reel, warp the Glimakra using a nifty warping trapeze technique, thread and tie up the loom achieving excellent even tension, and weave off 5 projects of varying materials from heavy wool to medium cotton to relatively fine linen. People travel from all over the country to take her course and find it very worthwhile. I think that it was an excellent investment of time and money for me as I moved into weaving on swedish countermarche and counterbalance looms and helped me to start off with good habits, good ergonomics, and lots of cool little tips for best results.
Teachers for jack loom techniques are easier to find in our country. Your local guild can surely guide you into good hands.
Lastly, I would say to select a width of loom that you won't outgrow. Of course, you must keep in mind the limitations of space in your home. Beyond that, buy the widest loom you think you can throw and catch a shuttle on. Over time, you may find your desired projects getting bigger and grander, needing extra width and more harnesses. Almost forgot, also think about future computer compatability if you are a technogeek sort of gal. Many looms are not designed to be hooked up for that technology. Certainly the Glimakras are not.
Best of luck to you in your exciting journey into floor loom weaving. Happy weaving!