Good morning š
Remember I said I needed to create some shuttles? I worked on one yesterday and I think it turned out great!
Please be advised, lol, I have no proper tools for cutting out shapes. I DO have a drill though, and a good imagination. š
I began with a piece of poplar (1/4″ x 3″ x 4 feet). Poplar was a great choice. It’s a hardwood which is soft enough to work with easily and it is incredibly lightweight! Oh yes, and cheaper than the other hardwoods I saw by about a dollar a piece.
I cut the length I wanted – match this to what you plan to weave/the size of the loom. In my case, I cut the shuttle about 17 1/2″ long.
I then used a cardboard template (which I first drew and cut out) to mark the shapes on each end. I tapped small screw indents very close together along the line.
I drilled each hole with my smallest drill bit and then progressively drilled each hole bigger. Eventually it becomes easy to remove the shape – like perforated paper. I used a sharp kitchen knife to cut through the last bits when I was ready to remove the shape. I didn’t want the wood to splinter.
I used coarse sandpaper, wrapped around a film case and attached with a rubber band. LOL. Not fancy but very functional! If you want to sand a curve, use something curved – made sense to me.
The pencil worked well in all the smaller areas like the mouth of the open space.
I’ve read that inkle shuttles have a knife edge on one side so I sanded each side edge (1″ in from each end to prevent thinning the wood there) to a nice fine edge. Most of the edge was created from the top side but I turned the piece and created the last bit of the edge from the other side. It looked so nice that I decided to sand both long edges this way!
Today I get to try weaving!
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I just have to ask: Are you teaching yourself how to build these wonderful tools? I came across your blog after I googled “how to make double pitch wool combs” and I was in HEAVEN. And, after reading just three bog entries, I have learned so much! Keep posting! I will be a loyal reader! š
Thanks so much!! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my posts.
I have been teaching myself and just using my imagination to figure out how to make things work with what I have or what I can inexpensively get.
Before this adventure began with the wool combs I had barely built anything and hadn’t even used power tools, lol. It’s very satisfying and I think I’m getting addicted to woodwork and creating things this way!
Thanks again!
Lisa
I see you have made the loom and the shuttle, have the warp on the loom. Where is the finished product? I do Inkle weaving and make my own looms. I have one that will make a 21′ length, but only about 6 or 8″ wide. 18″ interests me. Have you finished one?
Ronnie
I actually did not finish anything…lol. Got a little bit distracted but if you keep an eye open, I expect to start using the loom (again) once we are moved in January. At the moment everything is packed and in storage due to a bit of an overlap and awaiting a closing date š
I expect it will make great runners/mats/placemats – or at least that is my intention. I guess you could also seam a few lengths to get a nice blanket!