louet Jane Manual

Instructions for assembly

Remove the wrapped paper used to pack the loom.

Remove the shelf with the toggles and the box with hardware from the loom.

Open the hardware box which contains:

• 6 Texsolv cords for the warp and cloth beams
• 2 or 4 bundles of 100 Texsolv heddles 205 mm
• 8 pieces of elastic cord
• 8 nylon cords for the shafts
• 2 beam handles
• 4 buffers
• 2 black screw knobs
• 4 dowels with a buffer
• 2 screws 5 x 50 mm
• 2 screws 4 x 35 mm
• 12 screws 4 x 15 mm
• 16 shaft sides
• 16 shaft bars
• 16 warp sticks
• 2 apron bars
• screwdriver

Turn the loom with the bottom up and tap in the four dowels with the buffers. A difference in sound will tell you that the dowels have reached the bottom of the holes.

Turn the loom back on its buffers and unfold it while you lift the front a bit.

Install the black knobs onto the threaded ends that protrude from the slots in the beater supports.
When the neck of the knob is screwed into the hole at the end of the slots, the loom is locked in the unfolded position and there is no need to tighten the knobs too tightly.

Use the 5 x 50 mm screws to attach the shelf with the toggles onto the loom.

Assembling the shafts

Take eight of the shaft sides and insert two shaft bars into each of them.

Slip a bundle of heddles onto one of these incomplete shafts and untie the bundle.

Count the number of heddles that you will need on a shaft and cut them apart, using a pair of sharp scissors.

Insert the bars of another shaft through the separated bundle and move the heddles from the first shaft bars.

Install the other shaft side and make sure that the eyes at the end of both shaft sides point in the same direction.

Press the ends of the shaft bars onto the bottom of the shaft sides as shown in the picture.
Assemble all eight shafts the same way.

On each shaft, cut the loops that connect the heddles.

Make a knot at one end of each elastic cord at about 1 cm (5/8 inch).
Use a fork to pull the knots tight.

Thread the cord from the inside through the hole in the shaft side and pull the knot into the hollow of the shaft side.

Thread the other end of the cord from the outside through the hole in the other shaft side and make a knot at that end too. Pull the knot into the hollow.

Installing the shafts and the cords that connect them to the toggles

Turn the loom upside down, so that it rests on the back beam and the top of the castle.
This picture shows the 40 cm Jane, which has a carrying handle. The 70 cm Jane does not have such a handle because it is too wide to comfortably carry the loom. The 70 cm Jane can be carried by turning it 90 degrees and hold it using the cross member of the castle.

A shaft cord has to be attached to the toggles. Start with the toggle for the eighth shaft; when the loom is in the upside down position shown in the picture, it is the one at the left.
Take a nylon cord in the middle and thread it through the hole of the toggle.

Place the loop around the end of the toggle as shown on the picture.

Pull the loop tight and thread both ends of the cord through the opening in between the two toggle hinges and underneath the white nylon roller.

Both ends of the cord have to go between the pair of rollers that line up with the first toggle.

Lead the ends of the cord to both sides in a way so that they are not twisted.

Lead the elastic cord of the shaft over the rollers at the top (normally the bottom) of the loom.

Attach the cord to the eyes of the sides of a shaft using a knot as shown on the picture.

Adjust the position of the shaft as shown on the picture by changing the length of the nylon cord. The distance between the elastic cord and the bottom of the shaft should be about 8 mm (5/16"). Later on we can adjust the shafts more precisely.

Now attach a second shaft cord to the next toggle and lead it through in between the hinges and the rollers.

Again, lead the cord ends to both sides. The picture shows how one cord end runs in front of the pair of rollers used by the cord installed previously.

After you have connected all shafts with their toggles, the cords will form the pattern shown in the picture.
Turn the loom right side up and adjust the level of the shafts to the position that the clearance between their bottom and the table surface is about 18 mm (5/16 inch).
To shorten the cord, pull the end back and forwards as shown on the left picture. The right picture shows how to lengthen the cord; lift the shaft to isolate the cord and use your nail to pull the end of the cord back.

If you want to shorten the ends of the cords, you will need to melt the ends after cutting to avoid unraveling, or cut the cords by melting. Use a lighter or a soldering iron.

Remaining assembly

Use the two 4 x 35 mm screws to assemble the handles onto the warp and cloth beams.

Using the pilot holes, screw the four buffers onto the side of the loom. When folded, Jane can stand on this side.

Attach onto each, cloth and warp beam, three Texsolv cords, using the eight remaining screws.
Push the screw through the cord loops; if you screw them through, the thread may damage the cord.
Attach the cords in the direction that is blocked by the ratchet.

Make loops in the cords and insert the apron bars.
The apron bars are marked where the cord loops should be positioned.

Tighten the loops by pulling on the apron bar.
After ensuring the cords at both sides of the loops have even tension, you can mark the cords to help attachment of the bars next time.

If you swing the beater towards the shafts, the beater will be caught by plastic pieces at both sides, to realize an optimal shed.
If necessary, you can adjust the plastic pieces with a screw as shown on the picture.

Folding Jane

Before you fold the loom again, you have to pull all the toggles down, so all shafts are lifted.
If there is a warp on the Jane, you have to release the tension by taking the ratchet out of the ratchet wheel on the warp beam.
Unscrew the black screw knobs that fix the loom unfolded.
Lift the loom at the front while you fold it.

Lock the Jane in its folded situation by screwing the black knobs onto the threaded ends that protrude from the hole in the beater supports.