Dorothy

I have had the good fortune to acquire another table loom.

Table loom number 1, bought at a second hand store in Karori Wellington (in good working order), has been donated to a good friend as payment for storage in NZ of my large rug loom.

This loom is a Nilus Leclerc 'Dorothy' 4-shaft table loom.  A model that is still in production today (see: http://www.leclerclooms.com/ind_eng.htm for all sorts of information about the company), and is popular not only as a traveling/workshop loom (it folds with the warp in it), but is used in many weaving schools for basic instruction.

This one was not longer being used, and had one missing part (but quite a few extras).

'D' with the old warp cut off, and reed removed.

The missing part was the top of the beater frame (which holds the reed in), the part is available, but I received an email saying it had been found, so it turns out to be intact at ready to go - after some cleaning.

To clean it up I: removed and soaked all the wire heddles in vinegar, removed rust spots from the heddle frames, lubricated the heddle bars, wiped down the woodwork, oiled all woodwork, cleaned the reed with a small wire brush, taped up the top and bottom of the beater and greased all moving parts.  All done in less than a day.

All clean and nearly ready to go.

I will still need to use some thick string on the reed to remove any cleaning residue, but that can wait for the missing part.  I then have an idea for a project to try it out.  Watch this space.