We at Leclerc designed the Voyageur loom following demands for an 8s loom with front levers and easy portability. This 4s Voyageur has the advantage of being smaller and lighter. It is for the beginner or those who just want a 4s to carry with them even for a weekend. The 15 3/4" model weighs in at 12½ lbs., comes with 400 inserted Eye Heddles, a Stainless Steel Reed and a Custom made Bag with pouch.
Come with:
- (1" profile) Custom Low Profile Cherry Shuttle
- Reed and Heddle Hook,
- 2 Lease Sticks,
- 2 Beam Sticks
- Newly designed Warp and Cloth Roll lashing system
- 1 Multi bits Screwdriver
- Transfer Heddle Bars
- 1 Book "Warp and Weave" by Robert Leclerc
Our new Voyageurs are set up with Levers starting with #1 on the right (standard). If you prefer we can set your Loom up with #1 Lever starting on the left at no extra charge. In addition for those who choose, Texsolv Heddles and the new Swinging Beater are available at no extra charge. For those who prefer even greater versatility, the Swinging Beater is also available in a Kit. The Beaters can be interchanged in a few minutes.
SPECIFICATIONS & DIMENSIONS
Weaving width: 15¾” 40 cm
Quantity of heddles: 400
Loom width: 19” 48 cm
Depth: 19¾ 50 cm
Height: 20” 51 cm
Net weight: 12½ lbs 5.7 kg.
Dimensions when folded: 13” x 9” x 20”
VOYAGEUR 8s
2 SIZES: 9½" OR 15¾" MAXIMUM WEAVING WIDTH
Testfield by many experience weaver's from different region since January 98
9½", 8s - 2120-0006
15¾", 8s - 2120-0016
This new loom originally made for Workshop traveller's end up to be a practical loom for all weaver's, beginner's or more experience one.
The 9 1/2" weigh only 16lbs., have 8 Shafts with front Levers, will fold to slide under an airline Seat(most larger commercial), come with 250 Inserted Eye Heddles, a Stainless Steel (Rust proof) Reed and a Custom made Bag with pouch for Tools and misc. items
The 15 3/4" will weigh in at 20 1/2lbs., have 8 Shafts with front Levers, will fold for checking in at the Counter(no hassle), come with 400 Inserted Eye Heddles, a Stainless Steel (Rust proof) Reed and a Custom made Bag with pouch.
Both Looms will come with a special designed (1" profile) Cherry Shuttle, Reed and Heddle Hook, 2 Lease Sticks, 2 Beam Sticks, the newly designed Warp and Cloth Roll lashing system 1 Screwdriver, transfer Heddle Bars and the Book "Warp and Weave" by Robert Leclerc.
Our Voyageurs are set up with Levers starting with #1 on the right(standard). If you prefer we can set your Loom up with #1 Lever starting on the left at no extra charge.
In addition for those that choose, Texsolv Heddles and the new Swinging Beater are available at no extra charge. For those that prefer even greater versatility, the Swinging Beater is also available in a Kit. The Beaters can be interchanged in a few minutes.
Some history on the LeClerc Voyageur Loom and its origins:
What started out as a challenge to build a very unique Loom, to satisfy the needs of a very select group of workshop travelers, soon morphed into trials with broad national interest and a wide application spectrum with weavers from every background of our society taking part in the trials and input. We are delighted.
When Sally posted Her challenge we looked at the project and concluded that in todays fast track, mobile society there was a need now and would be a greater need in the future for a workshop Loom to fit this category. With almost 125 years of Loom design experience in our files and hardware from countless past prototypes on our shelves we felt we could not only poduce a trial Loom for the 2000 Convergence as the challenge put forth, but with commitment and help from the weavers List we could produce this Loom for the upcoming 98 Convergence in Atlanta.
Francois Brassard is a dedicated believer in field experience trials and agreed to the project provided a suitable field trial program could be developed. The trial outline was developed and the challenge put forth to Sally. I am sure most of you on the List recall Sally's challenge to the Loom mfgrs. in December of 97 and Leclercs' takeing up the challenge a few weeks later in Jan. of 98. The rest is history.
Our plan called for the trials to take place on the West Coast,
pending Sally's acceptance of the challenge, with Sally overseeing the
program with complete autonomy. Her choice of trial weavers and conditions.
We had full confidence that the weavers of this List that took part in the trials would give us a very thorough unbiased appraisal of the Loom. Our hopes for an in-depth, fair, comprehensive field trial and feedback was far exceeded and the results speak for themselves.
What started out as a Loom to satisfy a very unique sector of our
society was soon recognized to have very unique design features that could be applied to a much wider field application. As the trials spred nationally, and weavers of varied backgrounds and interest saw potential for their particular use, the trial program grew. It was gratifying but a little<!!>scarey
The Magnetic Lever system and folding concept Francois developed for this Loom was unique in design and new to the industry. We were anxious to find out how it would be accepted and perform. Our questions were soon answered.
To date, the prototype trial Looms have been tested under every popular weaving application time would allow. We have tested them with Cotton, Wool and Linen of different Yarn size and Thread count(epi/ppi), and under varying tension requirements. The last under a very high tension Linen Lace with Laurie.
As the performance feedback and comments and suggestions came in from the field, Leclerc immediately started makeing design changes to comply with the trial weavers findings. Within a few weeks after Sally launched the program on the West Coast, and it became apparent there were weavers across the country that wanted to take a hand in the testing, Leclerc produced two more prototypes with the latest design changes and sent them out to trial on the East Coast. The program had gone national.
With daily communication between all key people involved, with all recieving copies of all dialogue concerning the trial performance, and all offering input, we were able to continually get feedback and offer input in an ongoing state. We recorded and logged every comment that came in.
Our trial program is now finished. Ruth wrapped it up on the
18th. We have evaluated the information in an ongoing basis and will continue to evaluate as we go along. We have a ton of info to look at.
As the trials progressed we recognized that the unique design
features of the Voyageur had appeal to a much wider weaving application than a workshop traveler. The temptation was strong to look at a wider application than originally planned. We know however from experience we could not build a Loom that would satisfy all weavers under all conditions. With that we decided to target on building all the improvements possible into the original workshop
traveler Loom concept and focus on that for the first model of Voyageur and make the available to our weavers in time for Convergence 98. And this we will do. We will announce shortly the ship dates for the first production Voyageurs. They will be in your hands in time to take to Convergence.
Other models of Voyageur incorporating other features(12, 16 etc. Shafts, Swinging Beater, etc.) for different application(formal classroom, Computer driven, etc) will be introduced following Convergence 98.
The weavers that made all this possible are from across the nation, but the real key to the success of this program are the Field Generals on the West and East Coasts that stayed right on top of these little jewels and chaperoned them thru the trial process.
Sally, of course, that generated this whole undertakeing with Karen and Sharron on the West Coast and here in the East, Ruth, Mary, Ute and Laurie that went at the V's with a mission. They were terrific. The trial evaluation was fair, thorough and in depth and nobody pulled any punches. It was great.
With that we will announce that the Voyageur workshop flyer(or
Vanner or Backpacker etc<g>) will be built in two sizes. The 9 1/2" and the 15 3/4".
The 9 1/2" will weigh in at 16lbs., have 8 Shafts with front
Levers, will fold to slide under an airline Seat(most larger commercial), come with 250 Inserted Eye Heddles, a Galvanized(Rust proof) Reed and a Custom made Bag with pouch for Tools and misc. items
The 15 3/4" will weigh in at 20 1/2lbs., have 8 Shafts with front
Levers, will fold for checking in at the Counter(no hassle), come with 400 Inserted Eye Heddles, a Galvanized(Rust proof) Reed and a Custom made Bag(designer Jean<G>Yes)with pouch.
Both Looms will come with a special Cherry Shuttle designed by Francois for the V's(1" high profile), Reed and Heddle Hook, 2 Lease Sticks, the newly designed Warp and Cloth Roll lashing system(one of Ruth's many improvements) 1 Screwdriver, transfer Heddle Bars and the Book "Warp and Weave" by Robert Leclerc.
In addition for those that prefer, Texsolve Heddles are avaiable at no extra charge.
