Tuesday, November 1, 2011

"My Ashford 24" Table Loom!!!!"


I'd ordered my new 24", 8 shaft, Ashford Table loom, with Stand, from Susan's Fiber Shop, in Columbus, WI, and it arrived late Thursday afternoon!!! I immediately began my adventure into assembling them by opening and unpacking the stand first. Don, of course, caught this happy moment. It was very well packed and everything that was supposed to be in the box, WAS in the box. ;)


The direction booklet was VERY well illustrated. The stand includes a 4 treadle kit, but I chose not to use those parts, not wanting to have it work with anything but the top levers. The treadles may work for a shorter person, but for someone my height, they would not be conducive to a comfortable weaving experience.


Here is the box unpacked with parts laid out for assembly.


In very little time, due to excellently illustrated directions, the stand was assembled. I later reversed the 2 side shelves so that the closed end was in the back. It was easily done after assembly by removing 2 screws, reversing the shelf, then replacing the screws once again. It was done in a matter of minutes.


Then began the unpacking of the loom itself.


Once again, everything needed was neatly packed and in the box. Here are all of the parts prior to assembly.


The main frame is easily assembled (great illustrations!). Hints, such as using candle wax on each screw prior to insertion, made the job easier, too.


The castle pieces assembled.....


Frame and castle assembled........


The "in-between step" not photographed, was the assembly of the 8 shafts. It, too, was an easy job. 16 screws were inserted into the 16 tops of the wooden end pieces, Texsolv heddles were slid onto top and bottom shaft rods, which were then inserted into the wooden end pieces, screw side up. ;) The small screws are what were soon to attach the Texsolv cord around, after being threaded through the upper castle, and attached to the front levers by threading the cord through the castle front. After the Texsolv cords were all attached, then it was a simple process of adjusting the height of each shaft, using the holes in the Texsolv cordage.


Lastly, the hanging beater was attached and the loom was completely assembled. Admittedly, I did make a few changes on the front and back cloth rods/beams. I didn't want to use the string provided, so instead, I used some extra Texsolv cord that I had previously bought, to attach the cloth rods to the cloth beams. I made further alterations with those, after weaving a scarf, which I think will make it work better for me. I'll show what I did in tomorrows post.


I also wanted to show a photo of just how nicely the loom and stand fold up for storage. The loom is supposed to fold this nicely with a weaving project on it, too. Due to the size and amount of various fiber equipment in my fiber room, I will definitely have an opinion on that soon. ;)

Tomorrow: My first sock yarn scarf.

13 comments:

Nan said...

wow! looks very nice! eager to see your first project!

Jenny Bellairs said...

Ashford makes a nice table loom. I've used one before, just a little. It was a 4 shaft, with direct tie-up treadles. I especially liked the hanging beater. It has a better arc when beating than table looms without a hanging beater.

Are you able to adjust the x on the stand to make the loom higher? Just wondering, since you are so tall.

I'd like to see your assembly directions for the treadle kit some time. I'm wondering if something similar would work on my 8 shaft Glimakra Victoria.

Have fun with your new toy!
Jenny

KarenInTheWoods said...

Ohhh just reading your post and seeing your pics make my fingers itch!!! I get that way when I see fiber stuff to put together and figure out and try it and make it all work! heeeeeheeeeeeeheeeeee

It looks like a WINNER!

KarenInTheWoods said...

Ohhh just reading your post and seeing your pics make my fingers itch!!! I get that way when I see fiber stuff to put together and figure out and try it and make it all work! heeeeeheeeeeeeheeeeee

It looks like a WINNER!

dc said...

Wow, I am jealous. What a beautiful little loom. Did I see the numbers 24 in and 32? Just wondered what the max width you can weave.

Langemau said...

Hello,
My mom dreams of having this exact loom and I'd give her the moon but her dream is way out of my budget. Looking at the many pictures you took, I'm sure that I could build her one for scratch so I'm wondering if you'd be willing to help me out. Basically what I would need is the measurements of the main pieces and maybe a picture here and there cause I can't figure out how everything slides in together to be folded away.. It would be much appreciated!! Please let me know even if the answer is negative. Thank you!!

Langemau said...

Forgot my email is maude.v.lange@gmail.com

Helen P said...

I would love to see the stand with several pictures of you setting it from folded to open. I can't get a response from Ashford to see how it works. I have an 8 shaft, 32" loom. How does the loom attach to the stand? Thanks.

Unknown said...

I do not use the foot peddles when I weave on this loom, only the hand levers. My legs are too long for them so they have never been attached. So saying that, the stand folds up separately like a TV tray, and when in use, the loom just sits on top of the stand which has predrilled foot cups for the nonslip pads attached to the underside of the loom. I hope I have helped?

Helen P said...

Michael, maybe you could get someone to make longer or taller legs for the stand? Our son is 6'5" and has the same issues with things! Thanks so much.

Unknown said...

The stand makes the loom a perfect height for weaving so if it were taller, a higher seat would be required. It is comfortable to weave using the levers, which give me "upper body exercise". ;)

Susan M said...

Mike,

I have read all your weaving posts and am quite impressed. I am a beginner weaver and interested in getting my first loom - Oh, so may choices. I am attracted to the Ashford table loom for it's ability to be folded and somewhat put away. My weaving teacher told me that novice weavers often buy looms that are too large. In reality she doesn't think we need anything larger than 24-32 inches. I see you have a 24 inch loom, do you ever wish you had a larger size? I find the modification you made to the loom spot-on! If you were to wind the clock back, would you make the same purchase again?

Susan

Unknown said...

Most definitely Susan! I have a larger loom, too, but use the Ashford more often than the larger one.