New old loom for weaving tartan

[NHhighlander]

I'll tell the stories later, but for now, here.

Day one.

The basic concept is a single-width loom, prioritizing in order:

1. productivity and quality (this one mostly evenness). Mandatory, then, flying shuttle and automated positive take-up (this is a thingamabob that pulls in the fabric exactly the distance of one pick as each new thread is added, assuring exact squares)
2. reasonable imitation of a 1780s AD loom as might have existed in Nova Scotia in the log cabin of a former crofter. No metal or plastic. Flying shuttle fits just barely within that era, the auto take-up is clearly an anachronism, but I need it (or feel that I need it...). I'm having so much fun with this half-valid excuse to do tenon-and-mortise! Just feels right.
3. sustainability, as in rescued materials. Originally I wanted to build it with ancient barn wood, but I got antsy and just grabbed some lumber I had around for a household project. Cheating here, I guess, but next one will be with pallet wood, yay!

Design started from James D. Scarlett's "How To Weave Fine Cloth," the one book that got me through much confusion that had me stuck a long time, besides being a most entertaining read. I purchased a copy on the advice of our most learned and generous historian, @figheadair. While I am old fashioned and needed the paper copy, Scarlett's is in the Internet Archive for loan, https://archive.org/details/isbn_0835929868

[NHhighlander]

On the second day, the "static" portion is completed (or so I hope!). What is missing is all the parts that move, of which there are quite a few.



I am happy that it is quite firm, but with a healthy amount of "give." The way a wood ship should be, one of the advantages of treenail construction, metal does not have that give. This is of course a "remains to be seen." A loom gets quite a beating, as can be seen in a youtube I saw in Xmarks from @figheadair that I cannot find any more, sorry... In wood ships, the treenails expand because wet making all the build tighter. Also, working with pine wood is new to me (in "my" Highlands, eucalyptus is common, and gets incredibly hard as it ages, while pine is a luxury. Being softer, it feels more likely to lose its initial tightness). Oh well, there's always glue to fall back on...

(notice that the treenail is horizontal. Bad idea, in this stance it will be snagging clothes and pocking ribs. Will fix that tomorrow, as I'll take Sunday off)