Louet David-III User manual

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David-III
ADJUSTMENTS FOR SHAFTS AND BEATER
In order for the David III to operate correctly, it is important that the shafts and the beater are
adjusted to the proper heights and positions. We have written this additional instruction to
clarify the assembly manual.
Parts of the shaft system
Let’s identify the various parts of the loom before explaining how to set the shaft heights,
correct terminology is important.
1- Cam and blocking pin
2- Shaft cords
3- Shaft bars and heddles
4- Lam cords
5- Eye bolt with adjusting nut
6- Red C-clamp to keep eye bolt
centered
7- Treadle tie-up cord
8- Treadles
9- Beater hinge hook
The David is a sinking shed loom, so the shafts are pulled downward to make a shed.
In the castle you see cords that are connected to a cam disc on the right side, and a spring on
the left. The cam rotates as you depress a treadle, and by its design and mechanical
properties, the cam reduces the force required to depress the treadle, the further the cam
rotates.
The spring pulls on the cam ensuring the shafts are pulled back up to their rest position.
In order to get a good shed, it is important to adjust the shaft height properly. During
assembly you adjust the height so that you can weave on it. Once you have threaded the first
warp, you fine-tune the shaft positions to optimize your shed. Further on in these instructions
you will find a detailed description of how to set the shaft height. In addition to adjusting the
shaft height, it is important to adjust the beater height.
On the next page you will find pictures and descriptions of the components of the system
followed by how to make the adjustments.

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Cam –after adjustment, cam 1 for shaft 1, is turned
more to the right than cam 8 (shaft 8).
On the bottom of the cam, there is another adjusting
screw. The horizontal position of a shaft can be
adjusted with this screw.
Use the blocking pin to block the cam while threading
and tying up treadles. The shafts and lams are all at
the same height.
Insert the blocking pin from back to front. Shafts are
blocked part way down.
TIP: By pressing two treadles that are tied-up for plain
weave (1-3-5-7 / 2-4-6-8) halfway through, all shafts
will move and you can easily insert or remove the
blocking pin.
The shafts are attached to the shaft and lam cords
with hooks. All hooks must be screwed in to the same
depth.
Always make sure there are a few heddles on both
the left and right of each shaft.
The lams are the metal arches that connect the shafts
to the treadles.
The eye bolt with adjusting nut are placed exactly in
the middle of the lams and are held in place with the
red C-clamps
By tightening a nut further (downward), a shaft will
hang lower - see instruction below
Treadles and treadle tie-up cords: the treadles are
connected to the lams with Texsolv tie-up cords that
are already attached to the lams. It is important to
use the correct hole of the texsolv cord. To verify this,
you should have 10 empty loops in the cord between
connection points.

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Adjust shafts
During assembly of the loom you make the first 'rough' set up of the shafts. Fine tuning the
shafts is best done when you have threaded and tied up a warp, using all eight shafts. After
you have made an initial adjustment and have woven a piece, you can fine-tune the shaft
heights even further.
Preparation:
• Tie up the middle two treadles in plain weave. One treadle connected to shafts 1, 3, 5 and
7 and the other treadle to shafts 2, 4, 6 and 8
• While the blocking pin is in the blocking position, check that the shafts are level (left to
right).
• Check that the eyebolt on the lams are positioned exactly in the middle of the lam.
• While the blocking pin is in place, the lams and shafts should hang at the same height
• Check that all shafts have a number of heddles on both the left and right sides.
• Now remove the shaft blocking pin, the shafts will be pulled upwards
You adjust the height by tightening the nut on the eyebolt in the middle of the lam. The
further it is tightened, the lower the shaft will be.
To get an even shed, the front shaft needs to be 2cm lower than that back shaft
•You can adjust the height by tightening the nuts on
the eyebolt on the lams
\
•First adjust the height of the front shaft (Shaft 1) by
tightening the nut on the lam as far as possible.
•Check that the distance between the castle of the
loom and the top of the shaft bar is 8 cm.
•Adjust as necessary by tightening or loosening the
nut on the eyebolt on the lam

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•Then adjust the height of the rear shaft.
•The distance between the castle and the top of the
rear shaft bar should be 6 cm.
•Next adjust the other shafts so that they gradually
increase in height from the front of the loom to the
back
•Check that when both treadles are fully depressed,
all shafts descend to the same height
•The distance to the top of the shaft bar measured
from the underside of the castle is 16 cm when a
treadle is fully depressed.

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Fine tuning shaft height adjustment and reed height
To get the perfect shed and shed position where the lower half of the shed rests on the shuttle
race, you will need to make an additional adjustment. You do this when you have threaded a
warp on all eight shafts and have started weaving so that the tie-on bar is past the breast beam.
Before starting the adjustment, check the following:
•There is a warp threaded on 8 shafts.
•The blocking pin is removed during weaving and when adjusting the shaft and beater
heights.
•With the first series David-III (2021) you could still depress a treadle while the blocking pin
was inplace. This is no longer possible with the later series.
•The warp has been advanced so that the tie-on bar is past the breast beam
•The distance from the reed to the fabric is at least 18 cm (7 inches).
•If you continue weaving closer to the reed, the shed gradually becomes smaller and the
lower half of the shed starts to move up away from the shuttle race.
•Two treadles are attached for plain weave
•Check that all treadle tie-up cords have the correct loop connected to the screw that belongs
to the corresponding lam. There are 10 empty holes between the connection to the lam and
the connection to the screw on the treadle
•Remove the lease sticks from the warp or place them behind the back beam.
Check shaft height
•Remove the blocking pin (if it is still inplace).
•When depressing a treadle tied up for plain weave,
half of the warp threads should be pulled down.
•Check to make sure your shed is even, none of the
threads are higher than the rest
oIf not: then correct the shaft height for the
effected shaft. By slightly pressing a shaft with
your hand you can see which shaft you need to
correct
oCorrect the shaft height by turning the nut on
the corresponding lam eyebolt up or down
(tighten or loosen).
•Check the same thing with the second treadle tied
up for plain weave.
•All warp threads are forced to move with a plain
weave tie up, thus, by depressing each of the two
treadles, you will have verified all warp threads.

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Beater height adjustment
With the David, the shed is created by shafts being pulled down.
The optimum shed has the lower half of the shed lying on the shuttle race so that your shuttle
slides smoothly over shuttle race.
As you weave and the fell line gets closer to the reed, the shed becomes smaller and the lower
half of the shed can start to lift off of the shuttle race. For optimal weaving comfort, we
recommend the distance between fell line and the reed be 18 cm (7”) or more. After every 5 cm
(2”) of weaving, advance the warp a little further.
The warp will deflect upwards when you start weaving and the tie-up bar has not yet passed the
breast beam. At this point the shed can be a little higher above the shuttle race, decreasing the
size of your shed.
It is also important that the left and right sides of the beater are flush against the buffers on the
castle. This is mainly determined by placing the hinge hooks of the reed exactly flush and
perpendicular to the side upright.
Position of the warp in the reed when
the blocking pin is removed
When the treadle is pressed, the lower half of the
shed is on the shuttle race.
•The hinge hooks mounted on the
lower cross bar must be exactly
level and perpendicular to the
side.
•The locking nut must be tight.
•The distance measured from the
flat ground must be 5 cm (2”) to
the center of the shaft.
oMeasured from the bottom of
the cross bar, the center of
the hinge hook needs to be
8.5 cm (3 3/8”).
5 cm from floor Or 8.5 cm from the cross bar