Loom's on the Go just in time for Christmas

I'm getting so excited about Christmas!  Are you?  Well, I've been racking my brain trying to think of something new for my shop that would be perfect for children or grand children of weavers!  Teaching someone to weave, well that is my all time favorite thing to do or to hear about.  So I've got a new loom in my shop....and it's perfect for little weavers (and big ones too).
Here they are....Little Loom on the Go!

Cherry

Walnut

and Large Loom on the Go

Progress made on my new Handmade ski shuttles.

So in between orders I've been working on my ski shuttle design and here she is.  One day I'm going to make that steam box so I can get a better curve on the ends of these but for now this is as good as it gets.  These will be for sale now and I will continue to work on the design as I get user input but I'm feeling pretty good about these.  YAAAAAAAAAAAAA  :)  These will be 16" and 13" long and 1.5" wide x 1 inch tall.  This one is made from black walnut.

Handmade Ski Shuttle

Wow, it was a beautiful weekend.  The weather was a cool 80ish and breezy.  I don't know about you but I long for these sort of days and I wish we had more than one or two a year!  Anyway the weather was so nice I spend the entire and I do mean entire weekend in my garage filling orders and oh yes...designing new stuff!  Oh and how fun is that.  So I wanted to find ways of using that totally expensive (for me) laser machine and I've created several files to test out to see if they will be worthy of laser cutting.

The first thing I set out to try to cut is 3/4" oak with a mirror cut.  Well unfortunately this did not work.  The oak is just way to hard.  So I tried the same file (heddle stands for my looms) on some pine and wallah it worked like a charm.  I'm not sure I want to use pine for the heddle stands but it might work since they really don't get any stress.

So then I moved on to making a new shuttle.  Oh yes a new shuttle!  This one has been in my mind for some time to make.  A "potential" customer has been nagging "sort of" me for a ski shuttle for months.  I told her when time permits that I would give it a go.  Well finally I did.  This is the proto type it is 1" tall x 1" wide x 16" long.  I'm going to change the width to 1.5" so more yarn can fit onto it and I'm also going to do a 13" version.
Well without further ado here is my first ski shuttle.  These I made from solid mahogany.

As you can see from the bottom I need to work on the file so the tabs come all the way through to the bottom. :)  These will be in the scratch and dent section.

 

Backstrap loom with shuttle.

You might have noticed my post about my new laser machine.  Well it's taken a super long time (at least for me) to get it all figured out and actually make something with it.  My goal is to make rug shuttles, heddles and other items I can dream up.  So I thought I'd post an update.  Here is my first project that is for sale.  :)  I have made other items and will take pictures soon but this one is ready and I'm super pleased!

Laser cutter for a new toy...OH MY :)

Yep, I finally did it, and she has arrived.  This massive machine will cut my heddles and I will be able to make larger ones....I'm super duper excited about this.  Now to learn how to make cut files with new software....yes I can do it.  I'm confident!  So I was thinking not only will I be able to make larger heddles on this massive machine but maybe other things too...I need to think, think and think some more.  What kind of weaving tools can I make with this monster?????
Oh, and I'm thinking of naming her ...yes...I am a bit strange sometimes but I think Kat will love her new name ;)
So now I'll need to re-organize my garage...I'll give it a good clean in the process so that's another great reason to re-organize!  I've ordered a wood storage shelf...and I'm going to get 3 more cabinets for storing paint...I'm sick of looking at it sitting on a shelf.. I prefer stuff like that hidden. :)  I'd rather see my tools...yes I am serious...I LOVE TOOLS....all kinds of tools, kitchen tools, crafting tools and power tools.  There is nothing like getting a new tool and this girl "Kat" ..well...she is the ultimate tool.