Glimakra Looms
About Glimakra Looms
Comments by Weavers
The Glimakra Looms
The Glimakra Standard
The Glimakra Ideal
The Victoria Table Loom
Susanna Rigid Heddle Loom
The Band Loom with 2 treadles
Freja Tapestry Frame
The Bohus loom
Price List (pdf)
About Glimakra Looms
The Glimakra loom factory is located in Oxberg Sweden. It is a town known for many centuries for making beautiful and functional looms and reeds. It is also an area of forests which provide the wood for the looms. The weaving traditions are very strong in this area and looms have been made here for many centuries. Here weaving traditions have never been broken and the knowledge of the past has been continually passed on in the families and communities.
The company started as a reed making business and then became a loom making company. Their looms are made with all the fine craftsmanship and features of traditional Swedish looms. Swedish pine and birch trees are specially chosen for each part of the loom. Only the lower bole of the tree is used and the factory rejects about 90% plus of the wood as they select the best pieces. Birch is well known as a fine hard wood. The Swedish pine which grows in this area of Sweden has very close growth rings, making it a very hard, strong wood. Pine is the traditional wood used in Sweden for making the frames of the looms. The wood is very carefully finished with a fine film lacquer to give a smooth surface, which is necessary for the movement of threads on the beams.
The company used refined woodworking techniques and modern (CNC) computerized equipment to assure perfect fit, finish and function. If you are in the area of Sweden be sure to arrange a visit with Jan-Olav.
For a description of the frame and features of the Glimakra loom, see Swedish Looms
Comments by Weavers
We have been selling Glimakra Swedish looms and our students who are experienced weavers have been very happy with them. If you would like to communicate with any users of the fine Glimakra looms, let us know.
The Glimakra Looms
Currently (others are in design) there are two sizes of floor model looms to choose from, the standard sized loom called "Standard" and the smaller loom called "Ideal". The STANDARD is available in 47 inch (120cm), 59 inch (150cm) and 63 inch (160cm) weaving widths. The IDEAL is availabe in widths of 27 inches (70 cm) and 39 inches (100cm). Both looms are made with the same quality workmanship, size and capcity beging the major differences.
Both the Glimakra Standard and the Ideal loom comes with a bench which is adjustable in height. Both models can be ordered as counterbalance, countermarch or both counterbalance and countermarch. The Standard can be ordered as a 4, 8, 10, 12 or even as a 16 shaft loom.The Ideal can be ordered as a 4 or 8 shaft and now as a 10 shaft loom. The four shaft loom has six treadles. The others have the same number of treadles as shafts.
The assembly of the looms is almost intuitive. Wedges hold the major components and but few bolts or screws are needed. The instruction booklet that comes with the loom will show all the parts that are included, assembly, warping and tie up of four shafts and four treadles. We also send written instructions for tying up the shafts, lamms and treadles. If you are a beginner and live close enough, we will give you a one day class on weaving on your loom. If you are not close by, and a beginner, we can help you by by mail, email or telephone.
When you order a loom, you can purchase a DVD which shows you how to warp the loom and tie up the counterbalance and countermarch with four shafts and more than four shafts.
The Glimakra Standard
There are three weaving widths: 120 centimeters (47") 150 centimeters (59") and 160 centimeters (63"). All three sizes are in stock and can be delivered in two weeks. The Standard loom is the larger of the two and is a 'standard' sized floor loom. It's greater depth makes it a better choice for weaving rugs and linen warps. It's wider weaving width makes it suitable for weaving wide, but it will weave narrow warps as well. Many accessories and attachments are available, such as sectional beams, second warp beams or fly shuttles.
The Glimakra Ideal
This loom comes in two weaving widths: 100 centimeters (39+") and 70 centimeters (27+"). Though the Ideal loom is the smaller of the two sizes it is a fully capable floor loom and is a good choice if you have less space for a loom. Like the Standard loom , there are accessories and attachments for the Ideal as well. It is available in up to 10 shafts.
The Victoria Table Loom
The Victoria loom, pictured at the right, is the perfect loom where a small loom is needed. Easy to take to workshops
or outside in the summer, this loom can be a table loom, or it can have legs and treadles added. It has four shafts, 27
inch (70 cm) weaving width, and it comes with 500 Texsolv heddles, lease sticks, 24 warp sticks, Texsolv tie up kit and
instructions.
The Victoria is undergoing re-design to accomodate 8 shafts and have two weaving widths, and hanging beater and
additional collapsablity. Watch for announcement of the re-design availability.
Susanna Rigid Heddle Loom
Rigid heddles looms are a good easy way to learn to weave. The Susanna currently weaves up to 31" and many different things can be woven on it. It comes with lease sticks, two long flat shuttles, 15 beaming sticks, and a 12.5 ends per inch heddle. Included are a warping frame on the back of the loom and two clamps if you wish to secure the Susanna to a table top. A 10 ends per inch heddle and a floor stand are also available.
As with the Victoria, the Susanna is undergoing some re-design which will allow us to offer it in two weaving widths. Watch for announcements of the re-modelled Susanna loom. The current model is shown below.
The Band Loom with 2 treadles
Bands are fun and easy to weave, especially with a loom that is comfortable to sit at. Two treadles open the shed for you so that your hands are free to weave. You can weave on this loom as a two shaft loom with the Texsolv heddles, or set it up as an inkle loom. This loom is very portable and perfect for taking outside or for demonstrations.
The band loom is fun to use and children like it two. You'll be surprised at the speed and ease of weaving up to 5 inches wide using the two treadle band loom. Some will set up the band loom with cards for card weaving and the possibilities are enormous. The pricing on the band loom is remarkably low as well.
Pull a seat up to the two treadle band loom and catch yourself smiling at the ease and fun of it all. Band looms are easy to assemble or disassemble and are light to carry about.
Freja Tapestry Frame
A nice tapestry frame loom, named after Freja, the sheep dog of Montana City. The Freja comes with a built in tension adjustment, "legs" to hold the frame at a slight angle on a table top, and accessories like tapestry bobbins are available.
The Freja is not only good for tapestry weavers but is useful in teaching situations and workshops. You'll find that the built in tensioner is handy and long warps are possible.
Tapestry beater forks and wooden tapestry bobbins are also available and shown in the photo.
The Bohus loom
The Bohus loom is a very well made yet simple two shaft loom. It is especially easy to use for children or the elderly. In Sweden, the Bohus found great use in situations such as assisted living and rehabilitation centers. The shed is opened and held open by a heavy top handle which leaves both hands free to manipulate the weaving and shuttle.
The Bohus is very sturdy and made of birch. It comes with a flat shuttle, reed, 300 heddles and cord and beaming sticks. It will weave about 14 inches wide and has a 'footprint' of about 30 inches by 20 inches.
