Tools Day: Loom Lighting

Karen

Let there be light! I now have exceptional lighting at my weaving looms. Steve installed a snake arm lamp on both of my Glimåkra looms. This wonderful illumination gives me greatly improved visibility, especially when working with fine threads. These lamps meet my lighting needs much better than the floor lamps I had been using. Good riddance, floor lamps!

Supplies

  • Snake arm shop light with clamp (mine are Rockler 24″ Snake Arm Shop Lights)
  • Light bulb, preferably close to natural light
  • Wood block, sized to fit on loom (mine is installed on the countermarch frame; 8 1/2″ x 2 3/4″ x 3/4″ for the Glimåkra Standard 8-shaft loom; 6 1/2″ x 2 3/4″ x 3/4″ for the Glimåkra Ideal 6-shaft loom)
  • Electric drill and pilot bit
  • 2 drywall screws
  • Short three-prong extension cord

Steps

  • Prepare wood block by drilling screw holes (screw threads slip through the holes without biting)
  • Position prepared wood block on loom, mark loom for screw placement
  • Drill pilot holes
  • Screw wood block in place
Mounting on Glimakra Ideal loom for a loom lamp.
Block of wood is screwed into place on the Glimåkra Ideal loom countermarch frame for mounting the loom lamp.

 

  • Position lamp and clamp into place
Mounting a loom lamp on the Glimakra Standard loom.
Lamp is positioned on the mounting that is attached to the Glimåkra Standard countermarch frame.
Snake arm loom light gives flexibility in directing light where it's needed.
Snake arm gives flexibility for directing the light onto the weaving surface, or over the area of work; e.g., threading, sleying the reed, etc.
Loom lamp is clamped onto a mounting on the countermarch frame.
Lamp is clamped onto the mounting. Project notes hang for easy referral while weaving. The back of the sheet shows yarn snippets used in the project.

 

  • Plug lamp cord into extension cord; plug extension cord into outlet
Loom light shines on monksbelt weaving.
Simple on/off switch controls the lamp. Monksbelt picks are easier to count with the new loom light turned on.

 

  • Illuminate!
Monksbelt on the Glimakra Standard loom. Well lit.
Lamp cord runs along the frame of the loom and down to the floor, where an extension cord continues to a wall outlet.

 

May the work of your hands be illuminated.

Wishing you the best,
Karen

8 thoughts on “Tools Day: Loom Lighting”

  2. If your loom is light weight this will not work. The loom shaking each time you beat causes the filaments to break easily. I’m afraid us small loom weavers have to put up with floor lamps, but we (my husband the woodworker and myself) have been using a headlamp. a light that straps on your head and directs light where your working. Fondly called a “DORK LIGHT” Maybe that will work for some .LP&J, linda

    Reply

  3. Karen, you do such lovely work and are so generous to share it and all of your wonderful techniques.thank you! Also, that monk’s belt piece is beautiful. I am not generally a fan, but at the smaller proportions, it appears intricate and lovely.

    Reply

  4. Here are some thoughts on attaching a light directly to smaller looms despite vibration. They still sell “rough service” vibration resistant incandescent lights designed for workshop applications. Because LED’s are solid-state they are inherently more vibration resistant. You can also get rough service LED bulbs e.g. those designed for garage door openers which produce far more vibration than a loom can ever make. Hope this helps someone.

    Reply

    1. Hi Tommy, Thank you for the helpful information. I wasn’t aware that there are rough service bulbs. The bulbs in my lamps happen to be LED and have stood the test of time. Never an issue with them on my big or my small looms.

      Thanks again. It’s great to get more information!
      Karen

      Reply

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