Monday 4 January 2016

Looming Changes for Cariboo Handwoven - Part 1

Last year, I blogged about ordering a new Leclerc Colonial loom. Oh, how exciting! It arrived in April, all 11 boxes. The UPS delivery guy, Mark, helped me with the heavier boxes up the stairs and I'll never forget his kindness.

Plan "A" was to set up the loom fairly soon; however, Plan "B" was the one that went into effect. Doesn't matter now, it is finally going to happen.

I have a large, south-facing studio with windows on all sides and French doors to a narrow deck to the south. I am really fortunate to have this beautiful and spacious workspace. My current loom was in the southwest corner, kind of the prime spot for natural light, and the first part of the studio to be spotted by anyone walking up the stairs and looking straight ahead. But that loom has moved across the studio so that the new one has the prime spot.

How will two people move a 100 kg bulky item across the carpeted floor? Easy, said Pat - just put crazy carpet pads under all the critical spots. And did that ever work! Remember that idea, readers - just stick down some masking tape for a little friction (sticky side down, not even up) and slide away over the carpet.


Now the prime corner space is free for setting up the new loom.



It took me a fair bit of time to open all the boxes of loom parts, carefully unwrap everything and hope that nothing was damaged, and check off each item on the booklet of parts and set-up steps. The parts list had already been reviewed and checked by a Leclerc person, but my first step was to go through everything myself. Some parts I had no idea what they were or where they went, but through the process of elimination at the end I think I have everything figured out.

All parts are present and nothing was damaged - phew. I have to give full credit to Leclerc for the expert packaging - they really know what they're doing. They didn't scrimp on cardboard lining, bubble wrap, strips of styrofoam, or shrink wrap holding styrofoam or cardboard padding around any protruding parts that could be damaged in transit. I now have some upcoming trips to the recycling depot - big rolls of bubble wrap can go to the share shed, and cardboard, styrofoam and small bits of bubble wrap will go to their respective recycling bins.


Along with the instruction booklet, Leclerc included a memory stick with a movie showing how the loom is set up. I will have to improvise for the sectional warping rakes and extenders as well as the overhead beater, but I think we can do it here.

Totally exciting, and hats off to Leclerc!

Stay tuned for Part 2.

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