Friday, January 14, 2011

Clips and Clamps!

Here are the "Crocodile Clips" that came in the mail last week.  They really are called that!  I have them set up well enough to use, but I plan to tweak it a little.

The "clip" clips onto the side of the fabric.  One on each side.  There is a cord attatched to the other end of the clip that  has a hole for  that very purpose.


I weave until I have about 2 inches of woven fabric behind the clip.  Then I release the clip by pressing that little button on top which releases the sleeve that fastens the clip.  Then I advance the clip.  I can do this about 3 times before I have to advance the cloth itself.

The directions I read said to use large eyebolts and screw them into your loom so that the cord can go straight out from the fabric.  I am a little hesitant right now to do that so I have used a c-clamp instead. 

The problem with this clamp is that it really isn't big enough for the job, so I do plan to go get some really big ones that will allow me to have the weights come directly off the fabric instead of at an angle like it is now.  Yes, that is a shoe hanging off the clamp, I also plan to get some more heavy duty washers, since I am supposed to have about 1.5 lbs hanging off each side.


As it is set up right now, I am getting about 2 more inches in the weaving width, and that makes me happy.  I wove the first one on the cloth beam without the clamps and this one with the clamps, I can't wait to see how much of a difference there is in the finished cloth.


Until next time, Happy Weaving, Tina

8 comments:

LA said...

Great problem solving! Two more inches!!! WOW! I can't wait to hear how they do after wet finishing.

Linda said...

Tina, What I do is run sticks that rest on the front beam and back beam. They have holes in the ends so I can run a string through the holes and tie the sticks onto the loom to keep them in position. This way you don't have to drill holes in the loom. The string from my clips rests on top of the sticks. Want to know what I use for weights? Two cans of tuna in an old sock for each side! Silly, huh? My DH came up with that idea and it works really well for me. If you would like a picture I can send you one.

barbara said...

Suggestion, could you not use water bottles as your weights? That way you could adjust by adding or taking away some water. I agree with running a cord, or sticks from the front/back beam, and let the cord fall over the sticks/cord.

Bonnie said...

Very interesting. A good idea.

Ellen Halseth said...

Where did you order your clamps? I've looked high and low for these in Anchorage.

Ellen Halseth

Maggie said...

Neat-o! Thanks for the photos! I like the shoe as a weight, personally, though tuna cans in socks are also humorous!

Tina J said...

I found them online on amazon.com.

HelenR said...

Useful as they are for weavers, I don't think these clips were designed just for us. In Australia I buy mine at the outdoor/hiking supplies shop where they're packaged as 'tarp clips' as in good to secure a tarpaulin over a load. Add a packet of 'S' hooks and a few fruit juice bottles, the ones with a loop handle, and there's a solution for most weaving issues - a temple, a way to weight a supplementary warp and even to weight that small section of warp that mysteriosly loses its tension inthe middle of a project