Posted by Paula on Sunday, 15 June 2008, at 6:58 a.m.:
In Reply to: Need easy treadling, 8 shafts, big shed for lumpy warps. Has anyone woven on a Louet David loom? posted by Laurie Osborn on Saturday, 14 June 2008, at 8:01 a.m.:
I am a beginning weaver and have a Louet Hollandia loom. It is a 45" countermarche with texsolve heddles. The treadling is very easy because of the pulleys. The woman I got it from was about 5'2" and had no problems treadling with it. I haven't changed the tie ups yet, but I read the manual and am not intimidated. It has texsolve "snap chains" so is less complicated than some could be. I got my loom second hand, so it was already put together, except what we had to do disassemble to transport. The manual directions were very complete and easy to follow in putting it back together. The texsolve heddles don't move quite as easily as the wire heddles, but I haven't been frustrated with them, either. You just have to move them top and bottom at the same time. I thread them by hand (no hooks), but haven't used thick warp yet, so I don't know if that would make a difference. My loom has a special way to stagger the harnesses and hold them in place while dressing the loom, to make it easier to differentiate between the harnesses. The shed on the hollandia, with its floating breast beam is huge. I'm not sure of the difference between the david and and the hollandia, though. You are correct in assuming it is quiet. I weave in the room next to my daughter's when she is sleeping and it doesn't wake her. I was a little intimidated in buying the hollandia, at first, because it is my first loom and it looks complicated, but the instructions are easy to follow. I am very glad I got it. Good luck making your choice.