Update about recent injury

I just posted this to the Tapestry Share blog but want to also do so here.  My hand is improving daily and I hope to back to full-time weaving very, very soon.

Thanks to Karen Donde, the loom company which manufactures the Baby Wolf loom that collapsed when I was unfolding it and causing my recent injury has made some changes to printed instructions that may help prevent it from happening to anyone else.  Karen, of Sutherland Handweaving in Asheville, is a Schacht dealer and she contacted the company with news of my injury.  Within 24 hours I had an e-mail from Jane Patrick at Schacht saying that they were sorry to hear about the incident and they were immediately making changes to the wording of the instruction manual; they're also considering a possible change to the loom to make it impossible for the same thing to happen again.  Below is the latest e-mail from her, reprinted with her permission:

Dear Tommye,

Here's the new copy for the instruction manual for the Baby Wolf, Wolf Pup, Wolf Pup LT, and Mighty Wolf Looms. These changes will be made in our instruction booklet tomorrow. I've also included the notice that we'll attach to the outside of the loom on all new loom shipments.

  

Best regards,

Jane

Jane Patrick

Schacht Spindle Co., Inc.

6101 Ben Place

Boulder, CO 80301

303-442-3212; 800-228-2553

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    Change for Wolf Pup, Wolf Pup LT, BW and MW instructions—printed and on-line instruction change.

    Unfolding the Loom

    Remove all plastic wrap from the loom. Slightly loosen the two black plastic fold knobs on both sides of the loom. Generally, a single turn will do. Note: loosening the knobs all of the way or removing them will cause the loom to collapse which could cause injury. Hold onto the front and rear beams and pull them together slightly. Pull the slide lock bars out toward the back of the loom. Continue holding onto the front and rear beams and allow the loom to unfold all the way. If there is a warp on the loom, you may need to step on the brake release pedal while unfolding the loom to loosen the warp. When the loom is all the way down in the open position, push the knobs down to the bottom of the slots and tighten them.

    Tag to add to side of loom used for shipping.

 Caution: When unfolding the loom, slightly loosen the black knobs (generally a single turn is enough). Loosening them too much or removing them may cause the loom to collapse and cause injury. For the proper unfolding instructions, see the Assembly Manual included with your loom.

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This effort on the part of Schacht Spindle Company to address a problem is to be applauded.  I hope no one else has to have such a gruesome experience with ANY weaving equipment in the future.  I appreciate what Schacht is doing toward that goal with their products.  I also very much appreciate Karen Donde's quick response in contacting the company after she read about the accident at my blog.  Contacting the company wasn't on my agenda--should have been but wasn't.  So a big thank-you to you, Karen!!