What are Countermarch Looms?
A countermarch loom is a hand loom that has jacks at the top of the loom attached to the shafts, allowing them to rise or sink, and two sets of lamms. A shaft is a frame with loops that the warp ends are threaded through. A lamms is a horizontal wooden lever that attaches the treadle to the shafts. A warp is a thread that is evenly spaced and parallel to other warps lengthwise.
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History
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The art of weaving using a loom has been around for thousands of years. The earliest loom known is dated to around 5000 B.C., according to "The Book of Looms." It was a ground loom that stretched the woven material between two pegs pounded into the ground. Since then, technology has allowed for advancements on the loom. Although most commercial weaving is done by mechanical looms, hand looms, such as the countermarch loom, are still used.
Types
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There are two types of countermarch looms, vertical and horizontal. A vertical countermarch loom has one jack for each shaft, placed vertically in the center of the frame. A horizontal countermarch loom has two jacks for each shaft, placed horizontally in the frame at the top of the loom. There is little difference between the two types of countermarch looms while they are being used. Horizontal countermarch looms are less expensive and more common, and some looms are only available in this type.
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Identification
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Countermarch looms are different from other hand looms in that they have two lamms and the shafts are tied independently of each other. The countermarch loom has a castle, or frame, above the actual loom, but its castle is smaller in comparison to the castle on the counterbalance loom. While the counterbalance loom looks similar to a countermarch loom, the counterbalance loom has no jacks, while the countermarch loom has either one or two per shaft.
Advantages
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The countermarch loom has several advantages over other hand looms. The countermarch loom is quiet, offers effortless treading, and there is the same amount of tension on the upper and lower warp threads. It also operates easily with more than four shafts, and the shafts can be tied up independently. Because the countermarch loom operates with more than four shafts and they work independently, there is increased versatility in weaving. Countermarch looms are also often taller than other looms because of the need for two lamms.
Disadvantages
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Countermarch looms also have some disadvantages when compared to other hand looms. Because the countermarch loom allows each shaft to be tied up independently, there is more work involved before weaving can begin. This loom can be more expensive than other types of hand looms. Also, the more sophisticated setup of pulleys and cables makes this type of loom more difficult to install and maintain than other options.
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References
- Photo Credit telar image by JMFontecha from Fotolia.com
