Page 1 of 1
Inkle Loom
From CRAFT
This project first appeared on the pages of CRAFT or on Craftzine.
This DIY loom features 8' of warp.
- Author: Kristin Roach
- Time required: 1 day
- Difficulty: Moderate
x
Weaving is one of my favorite crafts because it's meditative and challenging, practical and artistic. It combines plain-woven cloth's simple elegance with the astounding complexity of a kilim split-stitch tapestry.
I love the way woven straps look, but the idea of warping my floor loom just to make something as narrow as a strap for my bike messenger bag seemed like overkill. Then I came across a wonderful and traditional solution - the inkle loom! This loom is relatively easy to build, costs under $30 to purchase all of the supplies (even less if you have the right screws around), and takes only an hour to warp and start weaving.
The slot-and-peg tensioning rod allows you to move the continuous warp through the loom and weave the entire length. That's eight feet of warp that you can weave all in one go without stopping. You can make it a simple plain weave or tapestry style.
Optional:
A powered rotary hand saw, table saw, or miter saw would be ideal for making quick work of cutting your hardwood. It can be done with the hand saw, but because we are using hardwood, it will take persistence and patience. Just don't feel like you have to buy a new saw to build your inkle loom.
Project originally posted on CRAFT.
Sections
- Cut down all your wood
- Make your laps: corner lap and plain lap cuts.
- Cut the tension rod's slot.
- Attach pieces B to A.
- Measure and cut recessed peg holes.
- Attach pegs.
- Attach the base.
- Make the tension rod.
Tools
- Clamps
- Compound angle
- Coping saw
- Drill a drill press is really handy if you have one
- Drill bit, 1/8" for pilot holes
- Drill bit, 3/16" for hanger bolt placement
- Flat wood bit, 3/8"
- Flat wood bit, 3/4"
- Hand saw
- Measuring tape
Tools (continued)
- Pencil
- Sandpaper
- Scrap block of wood to help press pegs into holes
- Screwdriver, Philips-head to fit wood screws
- Workbench
Relevant parts
- Hardwood, like red cedar or oak; 1" x 2" x 12" (3/4" x 1 1/2" X 24" actual size)
- Hardwood, like red cedar or oak; 1" x 3" x 24" (3/4" x 2 1/2" x 24" actual size)
- Hardwood, like red cedar or oak; 1" x 4" x 48" (3/4" x 3 1/2" x 48" actual size)
- Hardwood, like red cedar or oak; 1" x 6" x 24" (3/4" x 6 1/2" x 24" actual size)
- Dowel rod, 2 lengths of 3/4" diameter, 36" length
- Wood glue
- Wood screws (4), 5/8" (#8)
- Wood screws (12), 1 1/2" (#8)
- Hanger bolt, 1/4"
- Disc washer, 1/4"
- Wing nut, 1/4"
- Polyurethane sealant
- View:
- Paginated
- Full width
Edit Step 2
— Make your laps: corner lap and plain lap cuts.
¶
This will rock your woodworking world. It's so simple to do once you know how. It looks really nice and adds extra stability to your loom. Grab your compound angle, pencil, measuring tape, and pieces A and B, and measure where your lap cuts will go. Use the illustration to see the exact placement of each lap.
a. Use the compound angle to mark straight lines. Measure the placement as well as the depth. You'll use the lines to guide your cuts.
For the plain lap in piece A, drill a hole with the 3/8" flat bit at the corner of the lap so you can turn the saw when you get to the 90-degree turn.
b. Use your coping saw to cut out the lap. Cut the short depth first - it makes it easier to keep the cut even.
c. Sand everything so it's nice and smooth.
Edit Step 3
— Cut the tension rod's slot.
¶
a. Mark out a rectangle 3/8" X 5" in pencil 2" from the end of piece A - the opposite side of the laps - centered vertically.
b. Use the 3/8" drill bit to drill a pilot hole at both ends of the rectangle. This will give the end of the slot a nice rounded corner.
c. Remove the blade from your coping saw and slide it through the 3/8" hole. Fit the blade back into the saw and cut along the lines of the rectangle.
d. Sand to remove any burrs and slightly round the edges of the cut.
Edit Step 5
— Measure and cut recessed peg holes.
¶
a. Measure out the center points for each recessed peg hole as shown.
b. Clamp your loom to your workbench. Using your 3/4" flat wood bit, cut peg holes 1/4" deep.
c. Use the 1/8" bit to drill out the center point all the way to the other side - this is your guide so you know where to place your screws from the backside.
Edit Step 6
— Attach pegs.
¶
a. Put a generous amount of glue in a hole, using a scrap block of wood to fit the peg all the way into the hole.
b. From the backside of the loom, use the 1 1/2" wood screws to screw through pieces B and A and into pieces E (the pegs). Because of the pilot holes we predrilled, this should be a snap.
Edit Step 8
— Make the tension rod.
¶
a. Mark the center point in the raw cut end of piece C. Hold it in a bench clamp or clamp it to your workbench and use the 3/16" drill bit to pre-drill the hole.
b. Use the pliers to grab one end of the hanger bolt and screw it into the pre-drilled hole you just created.
c. Screw into place by fitting the hanger bolt into the slot with the washer and wing nut on the other side.
This guide has been completed 0 times.
Page 1 of 1
Comments Comments are onturn off
No comments.