I've been asked to make this loom bench for a local weaving group, but I'm really skeptical about whether it will be strong enough for persons who are a little heavier. Any thoughts or advice about construction to make sure i t will be sturdy enough for use? Types of wood, etc?
Thanks,
Mike
Looks like dowels or pins are holding the seat in place. I'd use a 3/8" bolt and some method that it could not fall out it the seat is tilted or moved around.
No shown, but I'd also have a beam under the seat itself to eliminate flex. . Be generous with the width of the feet too. It looks like it could flip if you pushed back.
I'm really skeptical about whether it will be strong enough for persons who are a little heavier. Any thoughts or advice about construction to make su re it will be sturdy enough for use? Types of wood, etc?
Thanks for the advice! I'll do all that. I have some rough oak that's an in ch thick that should look pretty good when I run it through the thickness p laner, but what dimensions would you suggest for the tenon going into the f oot? Would you make it a through tenon?
Thanks,
MIke
Not sure you need a through tenon, but I'd certainly make it deep. Others may have a better idea on that.
Michael wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com:
Being married to an avid spinner and weaver, I am going to do my best to try to talk you out of using oak, ash, or any other open-grained wood. Looms, loom benches, spinning wheels, and their associated gear are almost always made from close-grained woods such as maple, beech, or cherry, and for a reason: fibers can snag on open or coarse grain.
Make it out of maple. The weaver in your life will thank you.
I'd be worried that it would rack sideways into a trapezoid, ripping those tiny little screws out of the corners of the board between the verticals and collapsing onto the floor in a splintered heap.
Some kind of cross-brace is required.
Joe Gwinn
Doug,
I hadn't considered that. Thanks for that. I'll definitely check on some maple.
Mike
Strength is really my concern but mostly with the mortise and tenon joint. I'm skeptical about the strength of that joint to hold under serious use. A bout racking, it does have the cross brace that's held on with screws and I assume glue. That looks pretty strong to me. I've also seen a design with a stretcher and peg (like a trestle table). That would be strong as well. I appreciate your thoughts on this.
Mike
Michael wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com:
You're welcome, Mike, and good luck with your project.
Trestle-table design would work - there is a long history there.
Found this on the web. Looks quite well made: .
Could be used as a model.
I made a step shelf for the kitchen to hold heavy pots up off the floor under the wall-mounted book shelves, for added storage space. It was made of poplar, and used connector bolts and cross dowel nuts to hold the pieces together - very strong, and the piece can be disassembled if desired.
Cross-dowel:
If one uses a Forstner bit to go partway through, it's easy to leave the face of the board having the cross dowel unblemished.
I'm wondering if the Schacht loom bench uses cross dowels.
Joe Gwinn
Joe,
That's a great thought on those cross-dowels. Those are exactly what I'm looking for. I'll feel a lot better with that level of reinforcement.
Mike
Stupid question? What accounts for open versus closed grain? Although I can sense what you mean by some specimens I have laying around, how would you describe the difference between the two categories more precisely? The difference is apparently not directly related to soft woods versus hard woods.
Bill
Most soft woods are considered open grain, as is oak and ash. Cherry and maple are closed. Botanically speaking it has to do with the way the cell structure is formed as the tree grows. That is the extent of my botanical knowledge about it. . Plane a piece and you can see how some are tight and full while oak will have some valleys. It is like it was formed by a bunch of straws banded together with all those spaces between.
If you were to use oak it would be best to use a grain filler and a finish like a few coats of poly so it is smooth and won't snag the wool.
I was wondering about that. I imagine a coat of Crystalac would probably take care of a lot of the fiber snags.
Mike
Excuse the top-post. I just wanted to thank you for your reply, Ed.
Bill
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
Open grain has openings in the surface. Closed is more like a piece of glass, no openings.
If you rub stain on open grain most of the stain collects in the openings of the grain. Rub stain on maple and not so much collects anywhere.
Have you googled "weaving bench"? There are a _lot_ of photos of such benches from various sources, which should give you a better idea of what details are needed and how they go together. If you look closely you'll see that some use half-lap or full-lap joints for the feet instead of mortise-and-tenon.
You might find this discussion to be of interest:
Michael wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com:
A lot, yes, but by no means all, because the surface will still be somewhat rough. Ed's right, if you use oak you should use a grain filler before finishing.
It's less work to use maple, though, and it will be a better match to the rest of the spinning and weaving gear besides.
J, That's a great discussion. Thanks for the link. The person wanting the bench has an idea about what it should look like. I think a trestle stretcher is an acceptable modification but not sure how much more than that.
Mike
Thank you. I didn't realize this phenomenon was so connect to the type of wood (there are so many other variables...end grain vs long grain, texture, etc.)
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.