I was browsing a thrift shop this morning and found this...
Of course I bought it! (Click pic for a little bigger). It cost me a total of $6.93 including tax and is in excellent shape. I know absolutely zilch about end-feed shuttles, so I need your help! Did I just buy a pretty ornament for my studio? Or can I actually weave with it? It has no identifying markings, but stamped on the bottom are these: SH (or 5H) 852 on one side, and M 3394-37 on the other. It's 16.5 inches long. I'm assuming it's an industrial shuttle (???)
Help?
Help?
© 23 November 2009 at http://leighsfiberjournal.blogspot.com
14 comments:
Oh, great score!! I'm jealous...
Yes, it's an industrial end delivery shuttle and in great shape.. and you should be able to weave with it.
Winding the pirns properly is crucial to how well it delivers the weft.
Visit http:// dustbunniesundermy loom.blogspot.com for a great tutorial on how to do this.
You may need a tool to adjust the tension on the end. Mine is a Schacht and uses a tiny allen key.
I would check with a book like Allen Fannin's last revision of his weaving technology book (google his name at Amazon)
Laura Fry may also direct you to someone more in the know, or Sandra Rude. Both links under blog list at my page.
Hope I was some help,
Susan
Several weavers on the WeaveTech list have said they use old mill shuttles, some file down the metal tips to make them less dangerous, some don't bother.
Finding out how the tension device is adjusted is going to be important, you'll find it needs altering as your change thread type / weight. I think it's more likely to need a small flat blade screwdriver than an allen key for adjustment, as allen keys are fairly modern.
Somewhere near the tensioner you should find there is a small hole in the wood and the tension screw is deep in the wood, on my Crossley shuttles it takes a bright torch and some squinting to see the screw head.
I expect you have found that the pirn is hinged, lifts up and pulls of the shaft in the shuttle (it could be a tight fit and need a firm tug)? I wind my pirns on my usual bobbin winder, I put a cardboard boat shuttle bobbin on the shaft first as my pirns have a large diameter hole.
What a great buy!!!!!!
I have a couple of AVL end delivery shuttles and this one doesn't look much different. I agree with Dorothy and Susan I see no reason why you couldn't use it.
If you want I could look in my stash and see if I might have pirms that would fit it.
Susan, yes that's very helpful. Thank you for mentioning Allen Fannin's book! I have a copy though I'm not sure which edition. When I get to it I will check out your video.
Dorothy I should look through the WeaveTech archives then. I realize that the tensioning will be a learning curve for me. I've wanted an end feed shuttle for some time but it never made it to the top of my list of financial priorities. Thanks for the info.
Barb, I'm clueless about these things and pirns. How would you know if the pirns would fit?!?!?
The weaving gods have smiled upon you. What a great score. Jealous??? Yup.
You lucky woman!!! I have a few of these, and weave with them regularly: whenever I am using a thicker weft.
I find that the commercial plastic pirns don't fit this type of shuttle, as they're designed to slot onto a metal pin. This shuttle looks to be the type with a wooden pirn held in by metal bands, which means you're only going to have one pirn for the shuttle. I don't find it a chore to stop and rewind the pirn when it runs out though, as it gives me a welcome break from weaving.
I suspect this will fast become a favourite of yours!
I have a couple of those, and have used them. You can find extra pirns on Ebay regularly. Type 'wooden bobbin' into the search engine, and tons pop up.
Lethal weapon!!!! File that tip if it is as sharp as it looks! I think that shuttles with those sharp tips were designed for the kind of system where the shuttle gets returned automatically. Fly shuttle? something like that.
Score!!! Great find!!
I have one stray wooden pirn, but no end feed shuttle to go with it.
You are far luckier in that regard!!
Sue
I have about 4 of those - they're old fly-shuttles. They are heavy, but work really, really well. You can substitute the Schact pirns, probably the large ones. I'm actually a little ticked at them - they used to make plastic pirns for their end-feed shuttles, but now they're wood (probably greener). Unfortunately, they are not as smooth, and fine fibers tend to snag.
Anyway, great score - have fun weaving with them. You will absolutely love what they do for your selvedges!
That's a great find - lucky you.
Envy, envy, envy..
That is indeed a shuttle either used in the industry looms or a flying shuttle on a home loom. I used to have a 4h 45" Nilus w/flying shuttle (the loom I'm sorry I ever sold).
Such a deal!!!!
So glad you asked about these :-)
I have a few, but I don't weave (on a "real" loom)...sometimes I use the extra pirns as noste pins!
One of the shuttles has a testtube where the pirn should be. I think someone made a "decorative -root starter" out of it!
they please podrian to give some direction me of where I can buy that type of shuttles gustaria to try to me to weave with them thanks
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