Cleaning and Refurbishing The Loom

This past week I have started to assess the loom, below are lots of pictures of what I found and it basically comes down to this. It needs to be cleaned and only some minor work done to it.  YES, I could weave on it right now but with a wee bit of love and attention before I start any projects, would be beneficial.

NOTE: A lot of this information in the Sarah Haskell's Macomber Looms Manual, which is worth the $12.50 it costs. 

So here is what I am going to do. 

• Remove the eye bolts and springs which connect the back beam breaks to the break pedal, this is so I can open the back beam and lay it on the floor (done last weekend)
• Remove the treadle hooks and harnesses from the loom (done last weekend)
• Open the front and back beams (done last weekend)
• Remove the reed from the beater and remove the beater bar from the loom (done last weekend)
• Remove the old cotton warp from the sectional back beam (did that last weekend and it was very dust packed) 
• Remove the old tape from the treadles so they can be cleaned and washed
• Wipe down all the chains that hold the heddle harnesses and that connect the treadles to the jacks
• Wipe/wash all the wood with Murphy's Oil Soap as recommended by other Macomber loom owners
• Apply daubs of Vaseline to the jacks where the bronze bushings meet the metal rod known as the Jack post
• Apply silicone spray to the lamm and jack rods so they glide through the wood slots 
• Wipe down the break drum on the sectional beam and inspect the ratchet on the regular beam
• Remove the heddles on the 8 harnesses and set aside any bent heddles. Wipe the harnesses down, apply silicone to the harness tops and bottoms so the heddles, when put back on, glide smoothly.
• Remove the old bumper pads from the beater bar - these will be replaced with new ones
• Remove old pads from under the upper jacks each side of the castle
• Remove the skirts from the front and back beams - they are functional yet old, yellow and bordering on crumbling
• Remove the felt strip from the top and bottom grooves of the beater where the reed sits, need to confirm this with Macomber!
• Clean the 3 reeds (10, 12, 15 dent)

Then I have to order the following, probably next week:

• Bumper Pads for the beater
• Beater Handle (new to me) as the beater does not have one
• Felt strips for the reed holder in the beater
• Pads for under the upper jacks 
• Front and Rear Skirts
• New strings for the sectional beam - I may have to make these
• Wheels (new to me) as the loom does not have them and it would make moving it, for cleaning under it, easier
• Extra Treadle Hooks

Of course after I am done cleaning, I then get to put it all back together, after the replacement parts arrive, why do this twice!

There are things I need but I don't want to order just yet as they maybe given to me when the rest of the accessories are sorted by the person I bought the loom from

• Warping board
• Tension box
• Raddle, for use with the regular beam or I will make one
• Extra treadle hooks, there were only 10 in use when I bought the loom
• Handles for the drum and ratchet brakes
• Maybe get a 5 dent reed since rug warps are thicker and a finer dent reed can be abrasive!
• Insert eye heddles, I had them on my other loom and like them better for rug warps

Having had my second cuppa coffee, it is now time to start the cleaning