Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Wrenching


One of the things Doug did last week was to make me a new wing nut 'wrench'.

A loom is pretty much a machine made from wood.  Wood which is susceptible to the humidity - the drier it is the more the wood dries out and shrinks.  The more humid it is, the more the wood absorbs the moisture and swells.  I would assemble the loom during a dry period tightening the wing nuts on the beater down tight so that they wouldn't loosen.  All fine and good, but sometimes my longer warps take a few weeks to weave off and if, during that time the humidity has risen, it is nearly impossible to loosen the wing nuts on the beater.

I took to using a couple of flat sticks (the old 'give me a lever long enough and I can move the moon' principle) until Doug saw me one day.  I asked him if he could make a tool for tightening and loosening the wing nuts and he came up with a plastic 'wrench' which worked but was too flexible.

So my new wrench made of metal.  I used it tonight and it tightens like a dream.  We'll see if it loosens as well!

I'm essentially packed and the van is loaded with everything except my small grey overnight case which still has a few more personal items to be packed into it.

Will be staying overnight with my in-laws and hope to make it to my friend's mid-afternoon, before the rush hours.  (Yes, it is hours in and around Seattle, just like any major city.)

I'm not overly fond of driving in metropolitan traffic but I know the route to my friend's and usually manage just fine so long as the traffic isn't too heavy and/or raining.

I have also arranged a ride to the Seattle guild meeting so I don't have to drive into Seattle itself, thank goodness!  :D  (What can I say, I'm a wimp!  And a small town 'girl'.....)

There is a bin full of hand hemming to do, I've got a new scarf started and enough yarn to knit a second one should I finish that one.  A half dozen pocketbooks are packed along with the library book I'm in the middle of reading - I do have 4 days 'off' while with my friend after all.  :^)  Not to mention the short stories etc., loaded onto my iPad for the trip to Texas.

I hope I've packed everything I will want for the workshop.  I can't think of anything else so we will see!

Not sure that I will be able to blog while I am away although I might manage a few text only posts.  If not, I will be back by the 27th at the latest.  I have a bone density scan on the 28th along with a massage appointment and I can't miss either of those.  And on the 29th is the dedication for my brother at the railway museum.

So I don't know when I will be able to hit the looms, but both of them are essentially ready to go.  I've woven the header on the small loom's warp, and the AVL is ready to be tied up and the liftplan generated.

All that's left is to hit the highway in the morning.

Au revoir!

2 comments:

Rhonda from Baddeck said...

Have a great trip! At least this time, you shouldn't encounter any icy roads. ;)

Anonymous said...

Safe journey. Enjoy your travels.