Gilmore Looms
The GEM II
 

     Many weavers have requested that we make a small loom that can easily be transported to classes or that would not take up as much space as the larger Compact looms. Gilmore Looms used to make such a loom, the Little Gem. Many weavers have these Gems and cherish them. Whenever a used one is available it is instantly snatched up.  So Gilmore Looms decided to bring the Little Gem back.
    We listened to the owners of the older Gems. And decided to, not only bring the Gem back, but to modify it in such a way as to improve any quirks it might have had. Thus the new GEM II was born.
    This GEM II is made from poplar, as Mr. Gilmore's older one was. This makes it weigh only slightly more than 50 pounds, yet it does not slide around on the floor as you weave. The support leg structure is made of sturdy mortise and tenon joints. The poplar wood has a lot of "character" with colors ranging from white, to green, to almost black.
    The GEM II weaves 22 inches wide. It is made so the weaver can sit in a regular chair and weave.  The woven cloth goes up around a "knee bar" then to the cloth beam. This keeps the cloth away from your knees. 
    This loom is a "jack" type loom, as all Gilmore's are. It has 8 harnesses and 10 treadles! It has a generous shed and accommodates  24 inch reeds.
    The front cloth beam is a ratchet type, with the advance handle on the right side.
The warp beam has a cable on a hardwood drum friction brake. This brake can be released from the front, using a foot pedal, or released from the back where there is also a brake  release pedal.  
    There is also a sectional beam available for the GEM. The sectional beam is a replacement beam for the plain beam that comes standard. You have a choice of keeping your plain beam or turning it in for credit on the secional beam. The pegs are set on 1 inch centers, providing 22 spaces. Because this loom is portable and often laid on its back the 88 beam pegs are made of 3/16 inch stainless steel to help prevent accidental breakage.
                                                   
                                             CLOTH BEAM                                HANDLE AND WARP BEAM  BRAKE                            SECTIONAL BEAM
          One of the unique features about this loom is that it can fold up. When it does fold up the warp stays tight,  not loose, as on many folding looms. The folding part LOCKS tight holding the beater bar in. Then by tilting the loom backwards it rests on rollers and away you go.!
     All GEM II's come with a special BEATER BAR LOCK, stainless spring steel heddle bars, 400 stainless steel heddles, a 10 dent reed, 2 lease sticks, a single spool shuttle with bobbin,  a sley hook, two dozen Texsolv treadle tie up sets, and a traveling strap for the harnesses.
   
                                                       

        

     Another accessory that is now available is a Top Tray. This tray is made of solid wood. The legs that hold the tray up above the jack ends, or castle, fold underneath it when removed from the loom. This way your weaving things can stay in the tray as you take it off to transport the loom. This tray, as with the "compact" loom tray, is installed at the factory and not sent out as a kit. An added feature is the 13" fluorescent Tray Light which will light up the weaving area. If you already have  a GEM II with a tray you can order the Tray Light as a kit and easily add it on.
                                                                

  NEW Item  GEM Cloth Pocket
The Cloth Pocket is and accessory that many weavers have asked for to go with their GEM. It fits over the Breast Beam and is secured tightly. It runs the whole length of the Breast Beam and has plenty of room for shuttles and bobbins. Once you have set it for your beam you do not have to change the settings. If you fold up your GEM or want to remove it all you have to do is release a Velcro strap and slip the whole Pocket upward and off.
 This pocket will fit all older GEM looms too. Just give us the inside measurement of your Breast Beam when ordering.
                                                                      

 Gem II specifications

CNCH (Conference of Northern California Handweavers) 2005

  From April 14- April 17 CNCH was held at beautiful Asilomar in Pacific Grove, CA
  One of the classes was taught by Judy Allen and took weaver beginners from the basics to producing samples and a scarf. We brought 15 GEM II's for the class. This way all of the students would be on the same type of loom and follow the same proceedures. The class was very successful and all of the students left as WEAVERS, excited and anxious to do more.
   Here are some photos from the class: