After quite a bit of long, hard work, my loom puzzle is nearly complete! I mentioned last time I’d managed to clean and wax the loom, along with doing a good bit of assembling with Chad’s help. The next work session we replaced the bent metal treadle bar. Then we carefully assembled the lamm cables from 1/16″ metal cable, ferrules, stops, and believe it or not, jewelry crimps to prevent them from coming out of the lamms. We also nailed new apron ribbons onto the cloth beam. We left the warp beam alone because it will become a sectional later.
The next step was to repair and assemble the bench. The top was split on either side, so we screwed metal braces into the wooden top to keep it together. It seems pretty sturdy now and since the braces are on the underside they aren’t seen or felt. After repairing the bench Chad took the heddle support bars outside and used the electric sander to remove all the rust. They looked great when he was finished.
To help the heddles slide easily I treated them with cold blue, aka gun blue. This is a chemical treatment that oxidizes the surface of the steel bars and leaves them a beautiful black. However it doesn’t prevent rust, so I followed it with a wiping of 3-in-1 multi purpose oil. Look at the difference!
Once the heddle support bars were finished I was able to assemble the shafts with the bars and new heddles. Then they were hung using new Texsolv cord and arrows, and attached to the lamm cables we assembled previously.
Once the shafts were hung we were able to tie up the treadles with the treadle chains. Then I cut and melted holes in the ribbons on the cloth beam and added the new steel apron bar that Chad cut for me. I ordered the remaining parts, excluding what we need to build the sectional beam, from Harrisville Designs and they are scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Hopefully the next time I post about this loom it will be finished and ready for weaving!