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Please welcome Amazing Grace!

Here she is, in all her glory!

Amazing Grace - my brand-new TC-2 jacquard loom!
Amazing Grace – my brand-new TC-2 jacquard loom!
Amazing Grace, my TC-2 jacquard loom, seen from the rear
Amazing Grace, my TC-2 jacquard loom, seen from the rear

Seven people (me, Mike, and five friends) joined together yesterday and spent six hours assembling her. My friend Dave led the assembly – he’s expert in mechanical engineering as well as electronics, and had read the manual backwards and forwards in preparation.

Here are photos of the assembly process. This is where we started: a few giant boxes.

A collection of boxes containing a TC-2 jacquard loom
Starting point – a collection of boxes!

Unpacking the boxes revealed her gleaming side frames:

Side frames for the TC-2 jacquard loom
Side frames for the TC-2 jacquard loom

We started assembling the frame, which required a couple of strong people to lift and move the side frames (which weigh 250+ pounds apiece!):

Starting assembly of the TC-2 jacquard loom
Starting assembly of the TC-2 jacquard loom

Once we got the second frame attached to the base, though, it became much more stable:

Assembling the frame of the TC-2 jacquard loom
Assembling the frame of the TC-2 jacquard loom

Soon we were putting on the back beams:

Installing the back beams of the TC-2
Installing the back beams of the TC-2

While it was mostly plug-and-play, we did have to figure out how to install an Ethernet cable:

Wiring the guts of the TC-2 jacquard loom
Wiring the guts of the TC-2 jacquard loom

And then it was time to turn her on! Here’s Dave, flipping the switch for the first time:

Hello, Amazing Grace!
Hello, Amazing Grace!

With some effort, we got the first warp beamed, and started threading. Here’s Susie taking a turn:

Threading Amazing Grace for the first time
Threading Amazing Grace for the first time

We got about 2/3 of the way through the threading before it was time to clean up for the day:

Amazing Grace, partially threaded
Amazing Grace, partially threaded

And then, of course, it was time for cake and champagne:

Welcoming Grace with cake and champagne!
Welcoming Grace with cake and champagne!

And here are Grace and Emmy, side by side in the garage. So different in looks, and yet so similar! I think they’re still trying to figure out what to make of each other:

Grace and Emmy, together in the garage
Grace and Emmy, together in the garage

And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll run off and finish the threading! I’m hoping to get her weaving “Hello, world!” today.

Please welcome Amazing Grace!

Comments

  2. Congratulations. Grace is a sleek beauty. Now I have loom envy. Can’t wait to see your first project with her.

  7. Congratulations and happy weaving. I need an explanation of how this loom works besides being hooked to a computer. It is beautiful. Guess you won’t be moving for sometime.:)

  9. She is beautiful!!!!!!!!! Gorgeous!!!! I also think you have wonderful friends!, I am anxious to see what she spits out!! We must remember her birthday!

  10. Wow, simply wow! Grace is perfectly stunning! Enjoy your new loom, may you have many many years of happy explorations together.

  14. Amazing how sleek and almost “kitchen appliance” looking Grace is. Wonderful that you had such a brave and capable team to help put her together.