Preserving the Past - A Bernat Table Loom

Here is a finished project:  A Bernat Table Loom. 2-22-20  It could be a "Missouri" loom, but looks more like the Bernat to me--seems like the 1920s/30s there were several builders using this design.  (A picture of the refinished loom is at the end of the post)

The loom is actually in pretty good condition, for being 100 years old, and only needed to have the wood preserved with some smoothing and finishing to make it ready to weave again.

Apologies for the extra "stuff" in the background, but the kids didn't notice me in this spot.  This particular loom seems to be an early version of the Bernat table loom, which would place the age c.1920s.  It would have had levers on the side for raising the shafts, and the bottom braces paralleling the cloth beams would have been immediately beneath the beams where on this loom they have been moved to accommodate a floor treadle frame.  The pulleys on this loom are made of stainless steel, where later models seem to have pot-metal pulleys.

Facing the loom front, this would be the right hand side where the levers would have attached.  You can see the screw holes and just make out "wear" marks on the top and bottom, where some part of the mechanism would have touched.









On that same side of the loom, are these pulleys.  Later models had the pulleys inside a sort of frame instead of directly screwed to the side of the loom frame.

 Here is the left front side which shows several things:  The shape of the pawl changed in the later model.  The castle pivots to fold the loom a little smaller, but is held upright with a hook and eye screw.  And there are eyelet screws to guide a cord from the back pawl to the front of the loom to make releasing the back beam easier.









The beater doesn't look like the one depicted in a pamphlet for the loom.  This one is a tapered pin, where the beater pictured in the pamphlet uses screws to pinch the top on.  I do believe this beater is original to this loom as it fits the loom perfectly, and made from the same wood, oak.







An advertisement from a weaving magazine from the 1930s shows this loom with the different beater.  Later models of this loom also incorporated a shuttle rest? on the right hand side, where this loom has a straight side.

 After pictures came the disassembly and part labeling.

Here is the difference a little sanding can make.  I didn't sand to take off all the blemishes of 100 years, but my general process was: sanding between all coats, two coats of sanding sealer, Aquacoat grain filler, two coats topcoat water-based shellac.

I wanted to preserve the staining from the hardware, but did sand off some markings from previous owner(s).  Mostly, as I intend to use this loom, I wanted to prevent snagging my projects.






In the end, the loom looks much the same, just cleaner.  I am currently replacing the cording for tie ups.  The treadle base is a little more of a puzzle.  The lams and treadles look original to the loom (made of oak), but the treadle frame (made of pine?) looks like a replacement by a skilled woodworker, made custom for this loom.  The treadles and lams received the same refinish process as the loom, but I gave the frame a simple rub-down with "Howard" orange oil & beeswax.

There are pencil marks everywhere, even on the lams, which made me wonder if the base could possibly be a prototype?

These wooden spacers look like replacements.  You can see the bleaching showing a round shaped spacer.

The re-Finished Loom

 The wood now feels buttery smooth, and has a nice satin shine.  The hardware cleaned up beautifully with some steel wool polishing and works smoothly!

I have ordered a new reed for the loom, and need another apron rod (old warp hanging in the picture  from last project I did on a borrowed loom).

Funny story on that note: I found a "loom" in pieces at an antique store and traded an old sewing machine for it so I could rob its reed . . . turns out the loom (minus harnesses) is a Bergman!















Of course, as I often do in my travels, I met a wonderful couple--the gal who sold me the loom and her husband.  This . . . THIS is the best part of a project like this.  Because I had to travel quite a distance to pick up the loom, this couple graciously opened their home to me, spent their evening visiting with me, and even took me out to dinner!

I want to extend my deep gratitude to them! 




A little corny, but look what I found on the underside of one of the nuts . . .
Diamonds!  A girl's best friend!