*My first blog entry in way too long and not sock machine related - but yarn related! I used my iPhone to start this blog entry.
After recently viewing a bunch of Instagram posts, I was inspired to make my own adjustable peg loom.
Using leftover wood posts from Home Depot from maybe 7 years ago when we made our own cat post, today we went to two different hardware stores for doweling which will be cut down and drilled for loom pegs.
I am surprised how expensive doweling is. Wow.
We bought 1/4” and 3/8” diameter doweling. Those from Canadian Tire come in a 36” length while those from Home Depot were 48” long.
For the loom base: We found three same length posts and also two shorter same length wood posts.
The three same length posts were previously prepared to be used on our cat post so they already have a nut-like threaded attachment on each end piece (using T-nuts) effectively allowing each of the three pieces that effectively could be attached to form one very long piece. (Ya gotta have crafting options after all).
I removed two of the T-nuts to designate those pieces of wood as first and third pieces and left the middle wood post as is. I recessed the remaining T-nuts into their end flat areas using a hammer for better attachment seating in the future. I then dug through our assortment of bolts and threaded pieces (I have a plastic vertical drawer tower) and located a maybe 4 inch length of threaded metal bolt post (without the bolt head) and took forever with my dremel to cut it in half, ensuring the threads still worked by running a correct nut over each newly cut end - smoothing any sharp ends.
The two same length wood posts do not currently have a way to attach them together (no T-nuts). These will be put aside and reassessed in the future.
Initially I planned to make some sort of extra set as a surprise gift but after seeing the cost of the doweling perhaps how complete an extra set would be is indeterminate.
So now I measured the surface the the dowels will be later placed into to help make a plan. The length of the surface is just over 60cm long (60cm 7mm). The width was measured but I forgot to write it down.
I detest math. To make things easier for me I took a scrap letter size sheet of paper and created a paper template that matches the top surface of the future loom - with an additional fold over area on both ends. I then measured in 1cm from the top and bottom width-wise so that there’s a comfy space along each long end of the wood. I found that the 3/8 is about 1 cm and the ¼ is 0.5cm in terms of doweling edge to edge width. I made the 3/8 center doweling 1.5 cm apart and the ¼ center doweling 1 cm apart. I want my loom to be universal.
My thoughts: If the material I use is sock yarn I want the posts to be close together (1/4 doweling). If the material I use is thicker I can accommodate by choosing the 3/8 holes and choose the doweling spacing for that task.
When I finished my paper template I temporarily taped it to the wood post base and used a hammer and a small screwdriver as pilot hole start placement. I then carefully removed my paper template. Hmm maybe for now I make one loom?
After searching online for best methods of best drill outcome I tn called our apartment neighbour over asking if they have a drill jig allowing for 90 degree exact drill hole placement. We both talk over ideas then decided it’s better to have the right tool to do it right. I looked on Amazon and bought a cool jig that should arrive at work tomorrow before 5pm. Fingers crossed.