14
A tour of the loom control
box
Looking at the back of the box,
you will see the on/off switch,
the connection for the power
cord and the cord that runs to
the control pedal. The front of
the box has:
•
the connection for the USB
cord to attach to your com-
puter,
•
The indicator light next to the mode buttons that will light up when the control box is on.
•
2 mode buttons and a reverse button.
Modes
The Toika loom has 3 speed settings to allow you to work at the pace that best suits you and the weaving you
are doing.
Normal
is when the left mode button is pushed in; when you press on the pedal, the control box will lift the
shafts indicated for the next pick. The shed stays open as long as your foot remains on the pedal and it closes
when you lift your foot.
Normal
action
-
shed stays open with foot on pedal, closes when foot is removed.
Fast
is with both mode buttons pushed in. In this mode the shed is always open. A first tap will open the next
shed and hold it open. The next tap will close that shed and open the next shed. Your foot only taps, but
does not hold, the pedal.
Slow
is operated with the only the right mode button pushed in. Slow mode operates with a foot tap rather
than holding the pedal down. One tap opens the shed and leaves it open, the next tap closes the shed.
Reverse
will operate in any of the 3 speed modes. It causes the loom to work backward through the picks
just woven. When you put the loom in reverse, you will see a red
‘
R
’
on the computer screen in Weavepoint
indicating that it is in reverse.
The important thing to remember is that it takes 1 pick before it reverses direction. The reason for this is that
at the end of a pick, the control box sets up for the next pick in the draft and it will lift those shafts first, then
move into reverse. The same is true when you release the reverse button to move forward again—the loom
will complete the pick that was set up, then reverse directions. I usually tug on the last weft pick and when it
comes loose I know I
’
m back at the pick where I left off.
