Picked this loom up from Terri Uchida here in Salinas in late January. Her kids found it for her on the sidewalk in Berkeley, but she had never used it and needed to get rid of it.
So far haven’t found any makers marks on in. Some of the parts look like Macomber. Cast iron pawl and ratchet brake, Macomber style treadles, lamms and jacks.
Started cleaning it up. Removed rust on heddles and the flat stock that the heddles hang on. Next up is to clean the rest of the flat stock and also the reed. I also need to order an apron for the front beam. I think a 45” Leclerc will fit. Plan to use texsolv cords and screws for the back beam.
One hinged bracket is missing for bracing the back beam. I think I can make a wooden bracket that slips in and out of the existing holes rather than worry about finding another hinged metal bracket.
Wood will need light sanding and finishing.
03-24-2025
Cleaned up the rest of the flat stock. Then I started on what I have been calling the lams. The flat metal pieces that are connected to the treadles. I didn’t remove all of the rust because I didn’t take any of this apart. I just used steel wool for the surface rust and then oiled the metal. I may come back to this a bit later.
Then I used steel wool on the wood of the castle in preparation for oiling the wood.
03-25-2025
Today we took the loom outside the studio and I finished the smoothing with steel wool, washed off all the steel wool dust, and then used two coats of teak oil to recondition the wood. It looks pretty good!
I also took off the remnants of the apron and removed all the staples. Now I just need to
- get the heddles back on
- buy and install the front apron
- buy and install texsolv cords on the back beam
- put on my first warp
06-21-2025
Putting on the apron and Texsolv cords this week. I still need to figure out how to stabilize the right side of the back beam to the castle. Since the back beam portion is slightly narrower than the castle of the loom, my idea of a single board with pegs to go in the holes where the old hinge was probably won’t work.
Robert suggested taking the existing hinge on the left side off and making both sides have the same bracing solution. That part is still a work in progress.
The reed is also cleaned off now (vinegar, baking soda, steel wool and a wire brush got most of the rust off) and has a coating of oil that is mostly wiped off. I think the warp for the chenille rugs will be the first thing through this reed so I hope that will finish the cleaning job.
08-07-2026
Robert has the bracket made and has strategy for attaching it. It won’t be a hinge, but it will come off and on and allow the loom to fold up. Stay tuned! My plan is to use this loom for a blanket soon!
08-11-2026
Bracket is installed and the inaugural test project will be on the loom soon! I still have to get the treadles tied up.
08-13-2026
A project is now on this loom! I guess I can declare the refurbishment over!
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