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Hi all, I am Sally Breckenridge and I have owned a 24-shaft JComp
for
about 2 years nows. I have done quite a bit of weaving with it
but
right now it is empty.
Hopefully that will be remedied in the couple of weeks as I spent all
day yesterday winding a warp. It was painfully slow to wind as
it was a
painted warp that I won (!) at Intermountain Weaver's conference.
In
order to get it to line up correctly it had to be an exact multiple
of
the skein length and in the same direction. It would have been
easier
if it had been a sectional warp but I still can't do sectional because
the distance between my back beam and the wall is too narrow.
Anyway in case someone doesn't know me, I am the person who writes
WeaveIt the weaving software program.
This is of course a side project to my day job from which I can actually
make a living. Not too supprising, I am a computer programmer for the
last
20+ (we don't count beyond that) years. Because of WeaveIt, my
house is
full of looms. In fact, it is so full that I need a new house.
The
biggest is the JComp but I also have a Baby Wolf (computerized of
course), Louet Magic Dobby and a normal non computerized 8 shaft
Fireside loom. Sometimes it is refreshing and relaxing to press treadles
but it is not recommended for patterns with a treadle count greater
that
20. Well my last project on that loom had 240 different picks
before it
repeated. That makes for slow weaving and mistakes so I think I'll
stick
to the JComp for those patterns.
The only problems I have had with the JComp are mechanical. Getting
the
stupid little screws adjusted exactly right so that all the shafts
pick
up all the time. I think my situation is compounded by the fact
that
the loom is on carpet and there are 24 shafts. ( I think that 24 is
trickier than 16). I suppose I don't have to use all 24 but they
are
there and if there I find it useful to add borders or selvedges, change
designs for different sections, etc. So I would like detailed
instructions on exactly how to adjust all the mechanical settings.
I
have also learned this summer to keep everything well oiled.
If it
moves, oil it.
But when it is adjusted right, it hums... For those on the list who
don't have a JComp, the best thing about them is the ease of
treadling. I never have any back aches or feel pressure or anything.
Of course, I never have problems with the software (at least, problems
I
can't fix and so I do fix them). My big concern with getting
the 24
shaft over the 16 shaft was the length you had to reach to thread the
back shafts. Well, its more difficult than the front ones but I use
a
long hook and on the whole find it easier than I expected.
Oh I should mention that there are some great pictures of my loom and
my
efforts to get it in the house. Check out
http://www.weaveit.com/sally.html and click on the unloading
the loom
links. My site is really dated but I have been so busy (writing
web
software! for the day job) that I never have time to update it.
So I guess I could ask if owners have an tips for making the mechanical
adjustments easier.
Sally Breckenridge
sallyb@weaveit.com
www.weaveit.com
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Subject: J-* digest
Date: Tue, 21 Sep 1999 14:56:23 -0800
From: Ann Cotman <ann@cotman.com>
Could some of you give us a comparison of AVL and J-made computerized
looms? What's better? different? advantages/disadvantages of either?
thanks, Ann Cotman (real name) in southern California (really).
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Subject: J-Comp Diagrams
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999 11:49:56 -0400
From: "Marie Kulchinski" <lampas@mindspring.com>
Hi Tom:
I showed my loom mechanic (DH) the note and he was delighted.
Please
send a copy to me. I expect this loom to be around for a long
time as
it is a wonderful piece of equipment. The weaver may fall apart
and
the loom keeps going.
Marie Kulchinski lampas@mindspring.com
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Subject: J-* adjustments
>From Tom Vogl
Date: Fri, 24 Sept, 1999
Several of you have indicated an interest in discussing J-*
adjustments. I would like to suggest that when you have occasion
to
make an adjustment to your loom, no matter how simple, that you take
a
moment to tell the list about the symptoms and the adjustment you made.
In that spirit:
A friend of ours with a 16 harness J-comp had a problem with the harness
lights (top row of lights) for shafts 1, 2, and 3 staying on even after
the shafts came down, thereby causing a mismatch fault signal.
If this occurs on a group of adjacent shafts (most probable either the
lowest or the highest numbered shafts) or on just shaft 1 or on the
highest number shaft, the problem most likely is that the bolts that
hold the board on which the entire bank of microswitches is mounted
have
worked loose.
Here is how to fix it: Standing in front of the loom looking toward
the
warp beam, look up and to the right. You will see four nuts holding
up
a board with as many microswitches as you have shafts - one for each.
If the bolts are loose, just push that board up a little (about 1/4
inch
will usually suffice) on the end that is having the problem, that is
usually
either the front or the rear, and then tighted all four nuts.
You may
have to loosen some of the nuts to get the board to move. You
can test
whether you have moved it sufficiently by treadling in local mode and
checking that the lights go out when the shafts are down.
If this does not fix the problem, or if the lights stay on for a shaft
somewhere in the middle, set the loom on manual, flip the switch for
that shaft up, and treadle to raise it. The upper light should
come
on. Reach in and with your finger or a short rod, depress the
microswitch manually. The light should go out. If it does
not, the
microswitch needs replacing. If it does, try moving the whole
microswitch assembly upward just a little.
If that does not fix it, cuss a little, kick the front right upright
of
the loom while wearing slippers {;-), and put a band-aid or a few turns
of masking tape on the offending shaft so that it pushes the offending
microswitch down a little harder. If that does not fix it, cuss
louder
and holler for help from the list.
A similar set of diagnostic experiments will also diagnose the problem
of the shaft light never coming on, except that you want to check first
for a burnt out indicator light.
Cheers,
Tom.
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Subject: Re: JMade loom for sale
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 11:30:04 -0700
From: peanuts <peanuts@net1plus.com>
Organization: The Fiber Addict
>
> 30" 12H JMade table loom with full floor conversion.
10 dent reed and
> extra heddles added.
> Located in MA. Buyer pays all shipping charges. $500.
> please reply to peanuts@net1plus.com
>
> Thank you for any help you can give.
> Kate Shaffer
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--
Tom Vogl
"Intuition is the result of 20 years experience" K. C. Long
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