Hello all
I am looking for detailed instructions on materials and methods for making my own shuttle race for my Jane loom. Even with warp tension as high as the loom will allow ( without bowing of the light wooden cross piece at the top of the each shaft) I am continuing to get too much ‘ducking and diving’ when I pass the shuttle from side to side across 20” of warp. One issue I am concerned about is that the threads on the lower side each shed do not sit right at the base of the reed, and the height of the reed cannot be adjusted. Therefore, if I attached a piece of plastic to the base of the reed/ beater as a shuttle race, there would be a slight gap between the lower threads and the shuttle race. If someone could post photos showing the steps they followed to create a functional shuttle race that still allows the beater to work properly that would be very much appreciated. Re. type of tape and plastic material used, photos would also help me as the names for these may be different in the US and Canada to what we use in my part of the world. Hoping to hear from a helpful fellow weaver soon! Thanks
Katherine, Did you watch the Louet YouTube video showing how to install the new shuttle race for the Jane?
It has a hinge which makes it pretty specialized to work with the action of the swinging beater.
I took a look at the Louet video on their shuttle race for the Jane and can’t say I was too impressed with the look of it or the way it seemed to function. Seemed very bulky for the beater and when the shuttle race was raised high enough so that the threads in the bottom shed were sitting right on the race, the available shed seemed very limited. Also the way in which the timber on the race pushed up the woven threads at the front of it when the beater was pulled forward looked less than ideal. However, of course these comments are from a very new weaver so any input or alternative points of view would be welcome. Thanks.
This is a photo for a DIY shuttle race that a gal posted on Ravelry a while ago
[url=https://ibb.co/bWQq0SZ][img]
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Thanks very much for posting those photos. Looks promising, although because of the way the beater moves on the Jane, hinged from above on either side, it seems likely that the contact between the reed and the front end of the woven fabric during beating would still be somewhat compromised…..maybe I am being too pernickity…..or even persnickety?!
This photo is of a DIY shuttle race on the Jane. The poster said she loved it...
Yes good point! I think I will give it a go and see how I get. I will also keep practising my shuttle throwing technique. Results are still pretty erratic and my poor dog is a nervous wreck with the sound of the shuttle crashing onto the floor. I think I need to put some cushions under there to create a soft landing….
That should have read ‘how I get on’
https://ibb.co/mt8WLgT%0Ahttps://ibb.co/fHCZFfz%0Ahttps://ibb.co/2qcjFGK
2 lease sticks, two bulldog clips ( slightly rusty) and two pieces of yarn…..Hurray!! Happy dog. Happy me.
Thanks for this🙏. I have the Louet 4 shaft Erica which definitely has no race available. I have exactly the same problem as you, so am going to try your system out. Are there any other fixings aside from the bulldog clips and yarn tying the holes up? I mean does it fix to the bottom of the actual reed in any way? 🤔. My newly-acquired shuttle is flying everywhere at the moment and driving me bonkers! I am contemplating going back to the comfort of my stick shuttles. 😏
Hello Raven- glad you think it might be worth trying. I continue to find it very useful. No it isn’t fixed to the bottom of the reed and just sits against it pretty much. You can almost tip it slightly back towards the reed by fiddling with the yarn used to tie on the bulldog clips. Let me know how you get on. The main thing is that if it doesn’t work, you just end up with a couple of spare bulldog clips and pretty much no extra money spent.
Thanks Katherine. I struggled to fix it properly but I think my lease stick is probably too thick. However, my weaving friend reckons her other half (an Engineer) could fix it for me. 😍. Meantime, after hours and hours and hours 🤪 of practice (including a teensy bit 🤫 of cursing) and by refining my technique to suit my smaller Erica table loom, most of my boat shuttle picks work out. A few get caught or drop through but it’s getting less all the time. I didn’t think it would ever happen and am very 😮 surprised, but pleased too. 😊
Congratulations….you know what they say…’Practice (+ cursing as and when required) makes perfect!’
So glad you could make it work for you ... Happy weaving!!
That's a pretty cool DIY Katherine!
In case you wanted to get a bit more info on the new Jane shuttle race, our Elizabeth in the office here at JST is absolutely amazing to answer Louet loom questions and inquiries! You can contact her at [email protected] and she'll be happy to help.
There is also Dave at Louet. You can reach him through this website https://louet.zendesk.com/hc/en-us then clicking top right corner - submit a request. He's fabulous to deal with as well!
Hello Ginette
Thanks very much for that useful information. All is going well with my ‘contraption’ …..I was even thinking of splashing out on a couple of new bulldog clips to celebrate….although the rusty ones work just as well!
I also used lease sticks, helping hand ties and rubber bands to cobble together a shuttle race for my Ashford 8shaft table loom. Works quite well. I naively ordered boat shuttles without realising the high chance of shuttle diving. I’ve ordered the shuttle race retrofit kit from Ashford which I’m looking forward to trying