PVC Loom | Start Weaving | Loom Plans

Many people have asked me this question.  The 4-Shaft PVC Loom is a rising shed Jack Loom.  Jack Looms typically hold the warp threads down approx. 1 inch below the imaginary line between the front and back beams.  When one or more harnesses rise, this creates a fairly large shed perfect for weaving.  For example . . .

Using the slider bars on the top of the loom, the jack “action” is smooth and fast making the weaving process quick and fun.

Many people have asked if the PVC Loom is portable and can fold or break apart for moving and storage.  The answer depends on how much of the loom frame is glued.

To allow the PVC Loom to break down for moving and storage, only glue the bottom frame sides as shown in this photo.

The frame side bottoms are the most critical for keeping the loom aligned correctly.  Gluing only these parts will allow the top and cross pieces to be removed.

If you only glue the parts shown, you should always check your loom before starting a weaving session to make sure it is square.  It only takes a moment, and you can use the edges of a desk or table to do so.

Don’t forget – never use PVC Pipe Cleaner or Cement indoors.  Use these products outside, or in a garage with the door wide open.

NO! 

You can go from tubes to complete frame in minutes.  The photo on the left shows the PVC frame tubes cut and ready to go.  It takes less than an hour to cut the tubes, sand/file the ends smooth, and dry-fit them together as shown in the photo on the right.

Almost looks like we are making a pipe organ.  PVC Pipe is soft and easy to cut using a hack saw.  The book has 158 pages loaded with photos and step-by-step instructions.  I have even included alternative instructions for more some of the operations.

For example – hanging the harness frames may be done using Texsolve loop cord, or masonry string.  And for the top slider bars, you can cut notches into the wooden slats, or use Velcro tab stops.

The goal is to get you up and running with your own loom quickly so you can start weaving.  I’d be happy to answer questions.  Please use our contact form.

Dave .

I’ve had several people contact me asking about printing the eBook version of the PVC Loom book. It’s actually quite easy to do using some really great free software.

Calibre is a free eBook Reader and Management software product. http://calibre-ebook.com/ If you have a Nook, Kindle, or any other type of eBook reader – or if you just want to read eBooks on your PC or laptop, you need Calibre.

You can download and install Calibre using the link above. During the install process you will be asked to specify the type of eBook reader you have. I have a Nook, and after installation the Calibre software can connect to my Nook when I use the USB cable.

Printing eBooks:

If you have the PVC Loom book on an eBook reader like the Nook, you can use Calibre to copy the ePUB file from your reader to your PC or laptop. Once you have the file copied you can convert the format.

Printing is easiest from PDF format. One of the major benefits of the Calibre software is its file conversion capabilities. It can copy from, and write to, just about any file format out there. Select the PVC Loom book and save it as a PDF file.

Once you have a PDF version of the book, you can print using Adobe Acrobat, or even print from Calibre. Another option would be to take the PDF file to Kinko’s or Staples and have them print and bind the book for you. Or just print the pages you need to view while constructing the PVC Loom.

BTW – another great feature of Calibre is that its hooked in to dozens of eBook sources. If you are looking for a particular book – search for it using Calibre first! It will search sources from around the world. I had to “turn off” some of the search sources because they were in foreign languages.

Have fun!

Barns & Noble, and others, are selling the eBook version.  Lulu.com is also selling it, which you can find here.

Many people have been asking for this, and now it’s finally here!  Happy weaving!

I found the switch that activates the comments. I had turned it off by accident. So, if anyone cares to comment on the posts in this blog, please do so.

Life is sure full of surprises.  The good news is that word of the PVC Loom is spreading around the globe.  The bad news is that Schedule 40 PVC Pipe is not very common outside of the United States.  Several people in the UK have purchased the book, but they can’t find this type of PVC Pipe.

Even worse, the Schedule 40 PVC Pipe that is available costs a whopping 13 times what it costs in the States.  A 9 foot section of 1 1/4″ pipe in the States costs $10.50.  But, in the UK, that same piece of pipe costs £84.00.  That’s $132.00 US.  There has to be a better way.

So, I’ve been contacting people in the plastic pipe business in the UK.  I hope to have this problem solved very shortly.  And, it may require a specific version of the book for the UK and Europe.

If anyone knows about plastic pipe and substitutions in the UK, please contact me.

PVC Looms at the New Jersey Fiber Show

The festival was a great success and a lot of fun, even though I didn’t have but 2 books to sell.  Being my first time out in public with the PVC Loom, I was amazed at the reactions of people seeing it for the first time.  I met the nicest people and they all thought the PVC Loom was a great idea.

I’d have to say that 100% of the visitors agreed that traditional weaving equipment is priced way too expensive.  Building a PVC Loom lets people discover the craft without having to spend a fortune.

I’m currently looking for other fiber and craft shows where I can demo the PVC Loom to more people.  If anyone knows of any shows, please let me know!