Sectional beaming with a warp chain

[@emmielou72]

How much effort do you put into sorting the threads evenly in the reed? I am new to sectional beams and tension boxes and am nervous not using a cross. I have a Macomber tension box with a 2-inch 12 dent reed and found it very awkward to try to thread a 40 thread 8/2 cottolin warp chain with the tension box attached to the loom. I guess it would be easier to take it off the loom for threading.

[@rocklakeweaving1142]

If you mean the reed in the tension box, then yes. I put the threads as evenly spaced there as I can. The reed in the tension box helps to spread the section evenly on the beam, which is very important for even tension while weaving.

[@MichelleThompson-by6df]

I am noticing that you are warping every other section. Do you eventually fill in the others?

[@rocklakeweaving1142]

It depends. For this warp I did not, because it was more efficient to measure the ends for 4” of width at once. (I have 2” sections).

[@sopranoxpiano3855]

I have a question! Do you make a new chain for every section? Mine has 1” sections, so would I make a new chain for each or could i get away with separating them off one big chain?

[@rocklakeweaving1142]

Theoretically you could measure one large chain, and then separate 1" sections off to measure one at a time, but I find it easier to measure individual chains from the start. You CAN beam a sectional with a single large chain, but it is akin to beaming a plain beam, and requires some mental and physical gymnastics, and a friend along for the ride definitely helps.

[@maggiepatterson7949]

AVL? what is that?

[@rocklakeweaving1142]

AVL is a brand of loom.

[@michelleherrington5334]

I am curious if you use a cross?

[@rocklakeweaving1142]

Sometimes. I generally do not, but if the colour order is important, I will secure the order of the threads on the beam side (where the starting knots are) of the tension box when I get to the end of the chain/section length. That keeps them mostly in order. Then when I thread, I will have a chart/list nearby to double check my colour order while I am threading.