Structo Artcraft 600 Loom from eBay

I purchased this loom from eBay almost 2 years ago. I think I paid more for shipping than I did for the loom. No surprise! There wasn't any part of this loom that wasn't rusted or filthy.


It's a Structo Artcraft 600 4-shaft loom with a maximum weaving width of 20". The loom came with a 15-dent reed. If the reed is sleyed two threads per dent (for a sett of 30 ends per inch) the loom could accommodate 600 warp ends. It was made sometime around 1925 but before 1932 (when the next model was released). I was able to find an original owner's manual and product catalog on eBay. Click any picture below to enlarge.

I took the loom completely apart and sanded all the metal parts down to bare metal and spray painted them back to their original black paint. I decided not to sand the mahogany down to bare wood, instead I sanded the old finish off with steel wool and used Restor-A-Finish. This stuff is amazing.

Ta-dah... Here is the completed loom. I created cloth aprons with rods and ordered TexSolv heddles. I really didn't think I could get the rust off the 15-dent reed but I kept at it and it came out beautifully.


Here she is with her first warp. I used the Katie Reeder Meek method of using a trapeze. You can get a review of her book Warp with a Trapeze and Dance With Your Loom Using Live-Tensioned Weights here.

For the first project I put on a little over 5 yards of cotton warp for dishtowels.


I really enjoyed restoring this old loom. It's hard to believe it's the same loom.

Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder

I can't believe how long it has been since I posted last. Where does the time go? I got this e-mail a couple of days ago and can relate, especially when it comes to my crafts.

Stay tuned... I'll be updating my blog soon.

AAADD
KNOW THE SYMPTOMS...PLEASE READ!

Thank goodness there's a name for this disorder.
Somehow I feel better, even though I have it!!

Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D.-
Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.

This is how it manifests:

I decide to water my garden.
As I turn on the hose in the driveway,
I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.

As I start toward the garage,
I notice mail on the porch table that
I brought up from the mail box earlier.

I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys on the table,
Put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table,
And notice that the can is full.

So, I decide to put the bills back,
On the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think,
Since I'm going to be near the mailbox
When I take out the garbage anyway,
I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the table,
And see that there is only one check left.

My extra checks are in my desk in the study,
So I go inside the house to my desk where
I find the can of Pepsi I'd been drinking

I'm going to look for my checks,
But first I need to push the Pepsi aside
so that I don't accidentally knock it over.

The Pepsi is getting warm,
And I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the Pepsi,
A vase of flowers on the counter
Catches my eye--they need water.

I put the Pepsi on the counter and,
Discover my reading glasses that
I've been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk,
But first I'm going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter,
Fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote.
Someone left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV,
I'll be looking for the remote,
But I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table,
So I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs,
But first I'll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers,
But quite a bit of it spills on the floor.

So, I set the remote back on the table,
Get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then, I head down the hall trying to
Remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:
The car isn't washed
The bills aren't paid
There is a warm can of Pepsi sitting on the counter
The flowers don't have enough water,
There is still only 1 check in my check book,
I can't find the remote,
I can't find my glasses,
And I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,
I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all damn day,
And I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem,
And I'll try to get some help for it,
But first I'll check my e-mail...