Posted by Donna on Friday, 6 January 2006, at 5:45 p.m.:
In Reply to: Ambitious beginner with Q about when to upgrade loom posted by Penn on Thursday, 5 January 2006, at 3:42 a.m.:
I went from a Leclerc Voyageur to a monster J-Made 48" wide jack. I made this jump in less than 3 months from the time I started weaving. The J is all that and a bag of chips! Even though I only got 4H to start, the castle is big enough to add on additional harnesses/jacks all the way up to 16 total (don't need to buy a whole new loom). And it's heavy enough for rugs if I ever choose to do that.
My only problem with it is that it's too big physically. When I'm on the matching bench, my feet can't properly depress the treadles (my feet are dangling in the air over them and I have to lean foward to treadle). I am going to combat this by getting platform boots and a height-adjustable Leclerc rocking bench. Then I should be good to go.
The reason I went with a J was for its long-term usefulness and upgradability. It's like a heirloom, crafted from solid maple with a beautiful quilted grain to it. This is a handcrafted loom. It is very easy to treadle (to lift the harnesses) even with 400 inserted-eye heddles on each shaft.
That said, I'm selling it, because I don't like weaving all that much. I want to downgrade to something smaller, probably a 24" Voyageur. But I have had several interested nibbles from people who have owned, or used, J-Mades in the past and have all raved about the quality. If I really liked weaving that much, I'd definitely keep it. It has the rear-hinge treadles, a second warp beam, worm gear cranks, etc. etc. etc.
From the fact you've been to the Mannings you probably aren't interested in it (I'm in Seattle and it would cost $1500 to ship), too bad, heh!
Good luck with your decision.
Donna