| ================== Adding Beater Weight ================== Our beaters are drilled near each end and in the center under the reed for the bars. I used 5/16 th inch bolts and flat washers. The bar or bars are mounted on the lower front of the beater on our overhead model and mounted on the rear of our underslung beater. We use 1/4 inch thick bars. On a 60 inch loom we have a 2 inch width by 64 inches long, which is 8.75 lbs. We also have a 1.5 inch width for that loom and both can be used at the same time. On a 45 inch loom we use a 1/4 inch thick by 1.5 inch width by 58 inches long, which is 6.2 lbs. but have two and both can be used at the same time; so I guess that we use 3 to 4 pounds of steel per foot of reed width. Some weavers use much heavier bars than that. I like having two bars for a loom, drilled the same so I can double up or not, as the weave requires. I painted the bars white, they stay cleaner and look good. Mark tops, left & right ends, for easier assembly as the holes will be off a little bit. I went to a steel yard and looked in the scrap/remnant, pile; that's cheaper than having a special bar cut for you. They were a few inches too long so I whacked them down to size at home. Bill Koepp ----------------------------- An easy way to add weight to a beater is to strap (velcro) athletic ankle weights onto the beater. Susan Snover ----------------------------- When adding weight to a Beater, the weight and the support for that weight should be added evenly across the weaving width of the Beater to avoid flexing. Tom Beaudet ----------------------------- |
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