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Crooked C.B. Harness

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> I have a 2H CB Kessenich. I just finished my first big
> batch of rugs on the loom. When I threaded the heddles,
> I started on the right side and worked to the left,
> leaving the extra heddles on the left side of the
> harnesses. While I was weaving, I noticed that the harness
> always looked crooked. I figured it was due to the heddle
> weight on one side. When I was finished with that warp,
> and undressed the loom, I separated the heddles equally.
> They are still crooked. (When I say crooked, the left part
> of the harnesses are lower than the right side).  When I
> fiddle with the cord over the bar in the castle, nothing
> makes them straighten. Is this something I need to worry
> about? (The word balance keeps me thinking so!)-- 

Here's how the tie-up should be:
   The 4 Lamms each have a screweye or similar, at the top center of the lamm, for the tie to  the Shafts and 6 eyes below that for the six Treadles. The Treadles each have 4 tie points,  usually only 2 will be used on each Treadle. Be sure the ties go straight up to the correct  lamms, and the lamm ties go straight up to the correct shafts. No crossed cords allowed.
   One of our looms is a Counterbalance loom and it seems to operate better if both top cords  are wrapped in a clockwise direction around the top roller and all of the lower cords are  wrapped in a counter-clockwise direction around the lower rollers. I know there are other opinions on this, but I thought I'd mention how I like to do it.
   In other words, if one stands off from the loom, the cords on each end of each roller  matches the other end exactly and is not wound opposite it. I've tried many combinations of  cord positions and this one seems to work best for rollers. Have all of the treadles tied  up, even if you don't plan to use them. When you adjust a cord on a roller, hold the roller still with a tight grip and move one cord a very small amount, then try it out.

Bill Koepp
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   To ensure the shafts rise and fall without tilting, don’t just wrap their support cords around the rollers, but actually fix them to the rollers.Say the cords wrap round 3 times then bang in a staple securing the middle wrap to the roller; then the cords cannot possibly shift. Another way I used to employ was to drill a hole thrugh the roller and take the cord through this in its central wrap, thus stopping it slipping. When it s suggested that the right wrap is the mirror imae of the left wrap, I am sure you understand that that doesn’t not mean one wrap starts over the roller, the other under, as that is a certain recipe for disaster! Correctly fixed cords-to-rolers should be a guarantee of non-tilting shafts, even when using a narrow warp; they are certainly superior to the traditional horses (shaped like coat hangers) which are only any good with a full width warp.

Peter Collingwood
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Counter Balance Shed

> the eyes of the heddles seem to rest on the line between
> the front and back beams....
> ...
> this loom has some antiquated cord


   This is good, but be sure the warp is now centered in the reed dents or the shed suffers. Check that your lease sticks are well back from the shafts and the treadles aren't hitting the floor. The lamms should almost touch the shafts or the treadles when the shed is fully open.

Texsolv cord is excellent on a loom harness as it's so easy to adjust; pull out a peg, move the cord, put the peg back in the cord. The Texsolv site shows several ways to hook it up:  http://www.texsolv.se/
It's not an easy site to navigate in, but keep trying; first hit "Engelska" then choose a word on the left index for the info then hit" Instructions" or "Next page".

Bill Koepp
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http://www.oocities.org/rugtalk
(I know there are other opinions on this, but I thought I'd mention how I like to do it.)
(To ensure the shafts rise and fall without tilting....)