When I got my AVL, they had given me another reed tahn what I would have liked (confusion between imperial and metric, no doubt). They would be happy to send me another, but I was eaget to start weaving (well, to start trying to understand this loom, anyway). So I went to the nearest weaving shop to get another, as my old reeds were too narrow to use with a fly-shuttle.
I had seen that the AVL reed was taller than the “normal” (10 cm) reeds, but I did not reflect on tha fact. Home I came, with a “normal” (10 cm) reed in the correct width – proceeded with dressing the loom, threading, sleying the new reed – and could not put the beater top on, as the reed was too short.
What to do? Send for another reed, wait for a week.... ? Or try to fix it?
I bought a piece of aliminum profile, as near to the thickness of the reed sides as possible, and a piece of wood that would slot into the beater top. Glued them together, put the contraption in. It worked, but got a somewhat squishy beat (as the reed could move a bit in the alu profile). So I got some self-adhesive foam (for lining windows to stop draughts) – and I am still using that reed when needed.
(However, when getting new reeds for the AVL I always order 12,5-cm tall, if possible)
Lined with foam:
Slots into beater top:
4 comments:
Great fix. It was exactly that squishy beat that I didn't want to fight with - for 40 yards. :) And since I had a 'proper' reed I didn't need to do such an elegant fix. :)
cheers,
Laura
Well, we both know you are the fastest of us :-)
For the other ppl out there: put the foam-lined side of the ... fix-thing towards you, this minimizes squish.
(And... for us that sometimes have trouble finding 5" tall reeds, it is a cost-saver)
That *is* a cunning fix. Weavers are awfully ingenious folk!
Hmm... "ingenious" - surely a mis-spelling of "engineer" ;-) ?!?
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