How long does it take to get a Gilmore Loom after it is ordered?  Currently your loom can be made to order within 2 to 4 weeks. Shipping times are from 1 to 5 working days.

Is there anyway to tell the age of a Gilmore Loom?  Early Gilmore's do not have dates on them. From the 60's and 70's onward many were dated with small stamped numbers on the wooden handle of the cloth beam advance lever. After 1999 looms carry a serial number on the front jack bar.
    If the address of our company (burned on the front and back jack bars) is 1032 Broadway Avenue then the loom was made after October 1957, before that looms would show the address as Commerce Street.
    However, if you know some of the following items we might be able to look the loom up in our database, which covers from 1937 to the present. (Original customer's last name, loom size and number of harnesses, city and state loom originally went to.)

How can I tell if a loom is an authentic Gilmore Loom? Except for a very few looms, prior to 1940, all Gilmore's have the company name and address burned into the front and back jack bars. There are other indicators, such as tool marks and assembly, that help determine if it is authentic.

Can I get parts for my older Gilmore Loom?  Our company still stands behind all of our looms. You may order replacement parts for your Gilmore. If it is a "compact" loom we usually have the parts in stock. If it is a model not currently being made we will be glad to make parts. Some parts are common to all Gilmore's, such as the metal ratchets and dogs, rubber cushions, straps, heddles, etc.

Is there any way to clean the rust off the non-stainless spring steel heddle bars? There are probably many ways. One way that we have found successful follows: 1) Using the common Orange Hand Cleaner, with pumice, scrub off the rust. 2) Rinse with water and dry  3) Use bluing, usually available at a gun shop, to seal and darken the metal.  4) Wipe a very small amount of light machine oil (as used on sewing machines, or "3-In-One" type) over the bars. Then wipe off any excess.

Can I oil squeeks or sticky parts?  Using WD-40, or petroleum based oil, does NOT seem to be a good idea. The wood acts like a sponge. The best thing to do is clean the problem parts, but it is tricky taking some things apart. If you are desparate there are some lubricants that will not damage the wood or finish. These will not remove rust. Some of these are silicon based. One brand, LPS #1, seems to work well. However, we cannot recommend or be responsible for any use of these products.

My loom is very dry and the finish is gone. What can I put on it?  The loom was originally painted with a lacquer finish. If there are stains they will be very difficult to get out without loosing the patina of the old loom wood. You can lightly sand the surface smooth with 220 grit sandpaper, being careful not to sand too much on edges and corners as these will become lighter looking than the aged wood of the rest of the loom. Then apply a lacquer type finish, we find great success with semi-gloss DEFT finish. Sand again lightly with the 220 grit sandpaper. Dust off. Apply a paste wax (see next question).

What is the best wax to put on the finish of my loom?  We have found that many furniture polishes sink into the wood and this makes it difficult to re-paint with lacquer or other finishes. If your loom still has its finish on it we recommend using a paste wax, such as Johnson's Paste Wax.

Can I change my plain beam to a sectional beam?  We stock sectional bars for the "closed" type warping beam on  "Compact"  looms. These are made with 3/8" maple dowels set on 2" centers. You can also special order  3/16" stainless steel pegs set on 1" centers. These mount directly on your old beam and can be removed anytime to turn it back into a plain beam.
      The GEM II series looms also have sectional bars. They are 3/16" stainless steel pegs set on 1" centers. This beam replaces the plain beam on the GEM II. Currently there are no sectional beam kits for the older Gem looms.
     On older or other series looms we usually need the warp beam type, and a check that there will be clearance for the new pegs in order to change it to a sectional beam. (click to jump to a photo)
                                                                                     
                           "Open" type Warp beam with sectional pegs                     "Closed" solid type Warp Beam

Help! My warp beam spins when I release the brake. This can really be a problem for the warp, especially if you have sectional beams. It is always adviseable to release the pressure using the cloth beam system first before releasing the warp beam brake.
     Also, try taking some yarn or string and wrap it around the warp beam axle on the opposite end from the brake ratchet. This fills any space there might be to the slotted warp beam brackets. The resulting "drag" will keep the beam from spinning freely.   
    New looms have a block and spring system that prevents this spinning from happening.

Can I change my 4 shaft Gilmore Loom to an 8 shaft? There are no kits available to change a Gilmore from 4 to 8 harness. Structurally there would be so much to replace you would probably be better off getting another loom.

How much is a used Gilmore Loom worth? This question we are frequently asked. It is impossible for us to determine the value of a loom without seeing it. There does not seem to be an increase in value for a real old "antique" Gilmore unless it is in perfect condition. There are certain things to look at when placing a value on an old loom. Here are some checks: 1) Are there water stains? Is the finish gone and the wood has a dried out feel? Has the loom seen lots of sunlight showing a dark patina in some areas and lighter bands where something covered the wood?  2) Are there any cracks in the wood? Look at the top of the castle, at the ends of the shuttle race (where the reed slot meets the beater leg). Are the lams or the harnesses warped (some warping will not affect the operation of the loom at all)?  3) Are the rubber cushions ( 2 under the jacks, and 2 at the underside of the lam guide tops) flattened or turned to goo?   4) Are the metal parts rusty? Check the spring steel heddle bars, the heddles, the lam chains, reed, etc.  5) Do both sides of the beater bar hit the castle at the same time? Do the beater bar legs have clearance as they move back and forth?  6) Are the straps on the beams in good shape?  7) Does the crank handle turn the warping beam, or does it spin freely?
    If you plan on buying a used loom try to see it first. Not everyone sees things from the same perspective.

Can I disassemble the loom? It is not recommended that you do so.
    When your loom was assembled some parts were drilled and assembled in place. If you disassemble the loom make sure to mark every part as to which side or which place it goes. Sandpaper shims are sometimes added on the beater assembly to align everything and these must be put back in the same place. Metal washers between the jacks vary in thickness and need to be put back in the correct order. On very old looms the screws can rust in their holes and will break off if turned out. Because of this, and more, you can see why we do not recommend disassembly.

What types of Gilmore looms have been made ?   Many types of looms have been made by our company from a 144 inch - 2 harness loom, to several 16 inch - 4 harness looms. Listed below are the main types:
      Rigid :
           This loom was similar but bigger than the "compact" we make today. If you needed to move it through a doorway you would need to take it apart in several sections. This was easily accomplished with only taking apart a few bolts. The warping beam axle slid into a grove on the leg rails. The breast beam and the back top beam lifted off. The beater bar assembly lifted up and out of the loom. Over 550 "rigid" looms were made from the mid 1930's until 1971 and they eventually evolved into the "compact" series by 1970. Read the TRIVIA section below to see how many were made.
                                                
      X frame:
           This loom folded up vertically making a "X" shape of the legs. This made it much narrower for storage and moving. You must always watch the beater bar assembly in the folded position, as it can swing out and hit the floor. Many weavers love this type and travel with the narrower ones to classes. Over 1150  "X" series looms were made from the mid 1930's until 1963. Read the TRIVIA section below to see how many were made.
                                                                                                                                            
     Compact
          This successful series is still being made today. After over 35 years of weavers it is still the strong workhorse of home weaving.
      GEM
           The Gem series has been made in 18 inch and 22 inch. It is a lighter loom for easier traveling. Today the only model made is the 22 inch.

 What are the names of the different parts of a jack loom ?     Names can always help when asking about something on a loom. Even though there are different styles and series of looms most parts have standard names. However, some parts are known by several different names (I tried to put them in parenthesis).  

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