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FAQ

A-Series: Our current model. The "A" stands for the A in AVL, Jim Ahrens. A-Series looms come in 8, 16, 24, and 40 harness models and have replaced the old Production Dobby Looms and Technical Dobby Looms.

AVL40: Full frame loom of the PDL/TDL style, 40 harness dobby looms. Built from 2000 to 2003. Available over the years in widths ranging from 30" to 72".

PDL: Production Dobby Looms: 16 harness dobby looms. Built from 1977 to 2003. Available over the years in widths ranging from 30" to 72".

TDL: Technical Dobby Looms: 24 harness dobby looms. Built from 1987 to 2003. Originally, we added "technical" features to the TDL which differentiated them from the other looms, but over the years, all of the "technical" aspects migrated to the Production Dobby Loom, so that when they went out of production, the only difference was the number of harnesses. Available over the years in widths ranging from 30" to 72".

FDL: Folding Dobby Loom: 16 harness dobby loom. In production from 1982 to the present. Be aware, however, that in the 80's, we call them Production Dobby Looms too, differentiated from what we than called FULL-FRAME Production Dobby Looms. FDLs have been built in 24", 30", 36", 40", and 48" widths, although the vast majority are 40".

SDL: Studio Dobby Loom: 1997 to present. Available in 16 and 24 harnesses. SDLs only come with a Compu-Dobby II and have been built in 20" and 30" widths.

IDL: Industrial Dobby Loom. 1992 to present. Our automated looms. 24 harness only. Available in 24", 40", and 60" weaving widths.

UDL: Ultimate Dobby Loom, another name for the AVL40 discussed above.

WDL: Workshop Dobby Loom (a.k.a. The California Traveler). 2001 to present. Available in 8, 16, or 24 harnesses.

BML: Basic Modular Loom. 1980 to present. Starts in four harness, six treadle mode and can be expanded to become whatever the current dobby loom is or was. For example, a BML with four shafts purchased in 1982 could, conceivably, still be upgraded to a sixteen shaft Production Dobby loom without the necessity to drill a single hole.

AA: Automatic Cloth Advance. Winds bobbins automatically, intended for higher volume production.

ABW: Automatic Bobbin Winder.

EBW: Electric Bobbin Winder. Manually controlled, electric bobbin winder.

WW: Warping Wheel, an AVL-exclusive warping accessory.

TLC: What we try to give every customer. ♥

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Maintenance

Tightening the Bolts

Lubrication and Cleaning

Cleaning a Filter

Checking Cords and Cables

Tool Kit and Spare Parts

Troubleshooting

Harness Systems

(Commonly referred to as Shaft Systems)

Two types of harness systems can be found on most AVLs; harnesses for polyester heddles and harnesses for metal heddles. Each harness structure is distinctly different.

Harness systems for polyester heddles utilize transverse harness sticks, top and bottom and frequently have harness wire or rod at each stick end loosely tying the top and bottom sticks together.

The harness system for metal heddles utilizes a rigid structure with top and bottom harness sticks firmly connected by vertical struts. Heddles are suspended via heddle rods at top and bottom running parallel to the harness sticks. The metal heddle harness structure is the same, whether twisted wire or flat steel heddles are used.

In all cases the harnesses are hung from the top via harness cables and stabilized from the bottom by a series of spring-tensioned levers, Spring Levers, or in some cases by springs. These hold the harnesses down and prevent your heddles from floating.

Some weavers like metal heddles because they believe they are easier to thread; others prefer the lighter and quieter polyester heddles. On occasion you will find that one or more of your harnesses will misbehave. That is more likely to happen with harnesses with Polyester Heddles. There are a finite number of things that can cause these problems.

Common Issues and Solutions:

One or more top harness stick collapses; it assumes a diagonal angle and one leg of the harness cable from which it is suspended goes slack.

Possible Cause	How to fix it
Your heddles are bunched together towards the center of the harness or on one side only. For polyester heddle-type harnesses, the heddles are actually part of the harness structure.	Move a few heddles to each end of your harness sticks; just to the inside of the harness wires that connect the top and bottom sticks. That way your harnesses will be balanced.
The harness cable supporting the shaft has come out of its pulleys at the top of the loom.	Trace the cable back through its pulleys in the Harness Pulley Support and make sure that the cable is properly seated. Check the action of the Dobby Cable as well. Make sure that it moves easily up and down. If the Dobby Cable seems to bind, check for debris in the hole where it comes through the Dobby Top. You may need to use a very thin piece of wire to dislodge accumulated yarn dust or other debris.

The heddles float; they are lifted upwards by the warp thread when you tension the warp and your shed is not even or not large enough.

Possible Cause	How to fix it
The tension in your warp is greater than the tension in the springs that hold the harnesses down.	Take up a link or two in the chain that spans the Harness Spring Levers for that particular harness. Check the result and take-up more links if you feel you need more hold-down tension. Do not try to make all chains the same size. The size will depend on how much tension is required for each harness depending again on the number of threads going through that harness.

One or more harnesses that are supposed to raise don't.

Possible Cause	How to fix it
1) Left treadle isn't being pressed all the way down.	Concentrate on getting both treadles all the way through their travel.
2) Dobby arm out of adjustment.	Realign the dobby arm according to the assembly instructions.
3) Dobby cables out of finger slots.	Rearrange the cables according to the assembly instructions.

Harnesses don't raise properly.

Possible Cause	How to fix it
1) Harness cables have been hooked to the wrong harness.	Rearrange the cables.
2) Chains from the spring levers have been hooked to the wrong harnesses.	Rearrange the cables.
3) Copper hooks on the spring levers have been bent.	Straighten the hooks with pliers.

Possible Cause	How to fix it
1) Heddles are not distributed evenly over the harness sticks.	Redistribute the heddles evenly on both sides from the center of the harness sticks.
2) Harness wire that connects the harness sticks has jumped out and got stuck in the heddles of the other harness.	Pull the wire out, make sure it does not catch any heddles, and replace it to just connect the top and the bottom harness sticks. If you have a large number of extra heddles on each side, you might want to tie them in bundles to prevent getting caught by the harness wire.

Flyshuttle / Beater

If your shuttle is flying off the track or your fabric is being beaten tighter on one side, or you have a diagonal beat/fell line rather than horizontal see below.

Possible Cause	How to Fix It
1) Shuttle boxes are out of adjustment.	a) Single Box Flyshuttle: Bridge the Shuttle Race and Shuttle Box with a ruler or other straight edge. They should be in perfect alignment. If one is lower than the other, loosen the Shuttle Box and reposition it. If you need help, go to the installation instructions in your manual.
	b) Double or Four Box Flyshuttle: In the same way, check the position of each of your shelves relative to the race. If you have a problem, make the necessary adjustment at the turnbuckle in the cable that attaches to the shift handle; bring the shelves up or down. You may need to loosen the brass screws (motion limiters) top and bottom of the box carriages in order to create enough room to make this adjustment. Be sure to retighten them once you've corrected the elevation problem.
2) Your shuttle is hitting the end of the reed.	Insert small shims in the grooves that hold the reed into the race and beater top so that the end of the reed is deflected backwards.
3) Tensioner in your shuttle is not adjusted.	The advantage of an end-feed shuttle is that it allows you to tension the feed of your yarn. Most shuttles of this design have adjustable tensioners. Be sure yours is set to match the characteristics of the yarn used. Also, the tensioner opening on the side of the flyshuttle should be facing the reed. This way if the yarn does snag it pulls the shuttle towards the reed and not off. We try to avoid actual flying shuttles.
4) Bobbins not wound consistently.	If it's soft on the end and the wraps collapse and pull into one another, you will have to wind it again. Use an AVL Bobbin-Winding Guide.

If one side of your fabric is beaten more tightly than the other (even when you are holding the beater in the middle), or if you have a diagonal beat/fell line rather than horizontal, your beater may be out of alignment.

To check, push your beater all the way back against the Beater Bumper Blocks, it should strike both sides at exactly the same time. If it doesn't, you'll need to rack the beater.

Tension

Cloth Systems

If you have found that the cloth isn't moving backwards onto the Storage Roller

There are two kinds of Cloth Storage Systems used on AVLs: one is used on our larger Production Looms, the other on our Folding Looms. They are similar in that both rely on the action of a dead-fall weight to create the energy needed to roll your cloth onto a rear mounted Cloth Storage Beam - that is, they harness gravity to do work. And both systems move your cloth to this beam automatically; you need only wind the weight back up when it's reached the limit of its travel. Even though they are very similar in principle, they look somewhat different. In this class, we will pay particular attention to the system used on Production Looms.

The problem is that you have two drums that turn in opposite directions simultaneously. The best antidote here is to come to know the system so well that you can visualize its operation at any moment.

If the cloth isn't moving backwards onto the Storage Roller, try one of these solutions:

Possible Cause	How to Fix It
The weight is at the bottom of its track and is no longer pulling on the cord, so there's no energy left to roll cloth onto the Storage Roller.	Wind the weight to the top position. If the weight does not want to stay in the top position, check if you forgot to insert the pull pin when you last had the Cloth Storage Roller off or the pin has fallen out. Replace the pin.
The cord on the Cloth Storage Drum at the rear slackens, unspools, and leaves quite a mess. The cord at the Cloth Take-Up Drum in the front may even snarl and wrap around its axle.	You will achieve the best result, if you simply reinstall the system. First, locate the instructions in your manual, in the Assembly section, that pertain to installing your Cloth Storage Drum. Begin at the place where you are instructed to "Route the Cloth Storage Cord".
The Cloth Storage Spring has come unhooked at the loom frame or the spring has broken.	Lock the weight up. Go to the Cloth Storage Drum at the back of the loom, pull the pin, and turn the drum clockwise: If it seems not to offer any resistance, remove the drum and examine the spring (spring has hooks on both ends). If the spring is hooked over the pin inside the drum, and has a corresponding hook at its other end, replace the drum, taking great care to engage the free hook on the pin in the side frame. If either hook is missing, the spring needs to be replaced.
The Clutch Bearing in the center of the Cloth Storage Drum is malfunctioning.	You need to replace the Cloth Storage Ratchet Assembly and Clutch Bearing. Call AVL to order parts.
To determine if this is the problem, with the pull pin in place, try turning the Cloth Storage Drum lightly clockwise. You should not be able to move it without moving the cloth storage beam.

Shed

Mechanical Dobby

Compu-Dobby I & II

From AVL weaver Doreen McLaughlin

"The best way to troubleshoot a Compu-Dobby II equipped AVL is the "half method." In this instance, the components of the AVL Compu-Dobby II system are the computer box, the computer solenoid dobby box, the dobby fingers, the cabling, and the treadles. Since only shaft 13 is refusing to cooperate, the focus of the investigation can narrow down to the computer box, the computer solenoid dobby box, dobby finger # 13, and the cables for shaft 13.

To begin, turn off all power to the Compu-Dobby system. Get out your manual, and go to the section on changing your manual dobby for a Compu-Dobby (even if your AVL came with a Compu-Dobby the manual still has this section). Read the portion about how to remove the old manual dobby head and insert the Compu-Dobby box to orient yourself to the components I'm going to be discussing next.

Go to the side of the loom with the dobby box. Note that the computer solenoid box's pillow blocks are held in place by two retainer plates on either side of the dobby box. In the middle of the retainer plate there is a set screw with a nut. With a Phillips head screwdriver, remove the two retainer plates. Pull the computer solenoid box towards you. If you have a helper, have the helper hold the computer solenoid box. Do not disconnect any cables from the computer solenoid box.

Visually and physically inspect both the back end of the computer solenoid box (solenoid 13 in particular) and dobby fingers (# 13 in particular). There should be a minimum of dust and dirt. The dobby finger should move freely. Now check the cables running from the dobby arm up through and out of the dobby box. Does cable 13 have it's silver ball? Is it's silver ball the same size as the rest? Check the dobby arm. Is the slot where cable 13 goes in straight and narrow? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then you have cabling, or the slot portion of your dobby arm, to replace. Now, check the internal dobby head pulley. It is the pulley located in the top right-hand corner inside the dobby box.

Next, turn the solenoid box so you can see the solenoids. Turn on the Compu-Dobby. Watch all of the solenoids fire (move out and back in) in sequence. Did solenoid #13 behave as the rest or did it refuse to move? If it did not fire, then that solenoid has frozen up and needs to be cleaned/replaced.

If everything so far looks good, then replace the computer solenoid box into the dobby head (spring first, pillow block on the solenoid box next, then the retainer plate). Tighten the screws down on the retainer plate. Make a straight draw test draft with your computer and send it to the Compu-Dobby. With your helper treadling and you analyzing the action of the Compu-Dobby, watch and listen as shaft 1 raises, then lowers, shaft 2 raises, then lowers, etc., paying particular attention to shaft 13. Did the solenoid fire? Did the finger move? Did the cable get pushed into the slot on the dobby arm? Did the dobby arm "catch and hold" the cable (the silver ball should be at the bottom of the slot in the dobby arm)? Did the dobby arm then successfully pull down on the cable? Did the cables to shaft 13 move? Did shaft 13 raise? If so, then problem solved. If not, now you have a great deal of info to pass along to AVL."

Compu-Dobby III

Compu-Dobby to Computer Connection

Here are the most common issues and their solutions:

No Weaving Information

If your computer does not send the first pick and seems totally unable to talk to your Compu-Dobby here are some areas to review:

USB or USB-Serial Adapter driver software not installed
Incompatible USB to Serial Adapter
Computer "assigned" port and the weaving software "chosen" port do not match.
Bad serial cable
Bad serial port on computer
Bad RS-232 interface on the Compu-Dobby

The solutions to these issues are as follows:

Compu-Dobby IV, 4.5, Jacq3G and Little Weaver v1.0 require FTDI driver software to be installed. See here for download information.
Install the USB to Serial Adapter software and ensure that the assigned port is within the range allowable by the weaving software. Staying within COM1-7 is usually safe. Please refer to your weaving software manual to determine how many and what COM ports are allowable.
Purchase a compatible adapter. For the Mac, you must use a high speed adapter. AVL has qualified Keyspan and Cool Gear adapters and sells them.
Verify "assigned" port through the Device Manager or USB to Serial Adapter software, then match it up in the weaving software.
Buy new serial cable. The RS-232 serial cable is readily available at most computer stores and through AVL.
Purchase PCI Serial card, new computer or USB to Serial Adapter if the computer is equipped with USB ports. All of these solutions are readily available at most computer stores.
Send the Compu-Dobby to AVL for repair. However, before you send us your Compu-Dobby, please contact our customer support to ensure we know its coming. Please notify Lucinda if you are sending it in for repair. There is a standard fee for Compu-Dobby diagnostics and we will provide a quote for your approval prior to doing any work. Please note that AVL will not re-use your Compu-Dobby packaging if it is substandard or significantly damaged upon arrival. Our standard crating fee applies to all Compu-Dobby repairs.

Compu-Dobby Doesn't Advance

If your Compu-Dobby receives and executes the first pick, but fails to advance to the second pick, the answer is not a communication problem. Rather, the issue lies in the arm/slide plate up/down sensor.

The solution depends up the Compu-Dobby. Click on your Compu-Dobby, below, to view possible solutions:

Compu-Dobby I

The arm position sensor, located in the Eye-Case, is triggered by light. Bright light can fool the sensor. Low light can also cause problems. If the loom is in bright light, where for example sun light is falling directly on the arm near the sensor, move the loom or filter the light. If there insufficient light, tape a white piece of paper onto the arm right in front of the sensor.

If this fails, the arm position sensor or the Compu-Dobby may require repair. Before contacting us, it is always wise to check that your cables were properly connected.

Compu-Dobby II

The arm position sensor, again located in the Eye-Case, is triggered by a magnet. This sensor type is a Hall Effects Sensor. Here are the potential causes:

The Eye-Case electrical connection is plugged into the wrong port on the Compu-Dobby. These were supplied color-coded from the factory, so the solution should be obvious. However, if the color coding is no longer present, count the wire strands in the Eye-Case plug, then compare to the receptical.
The proximity of the sensor to the magnet mounted on the arm may be too far away. The Eye-Case should be adjusted to approximately 2 sheets of paper from the magnet.
The magnet on the arm is backwards. Flip it over.
The arm position sensor or the Compu-Dobby may require repair. Return unit to AVL for repair.

Compu-Dobby III

The Compu-Dobby III is configured with a Hall Effects Sensor mounted inside the Compu-Dobby and a magnet mounted on the slide plate. Here are the potential causes:

The proximity of the Hall Effects sensor to the magnet may be wrong due to the magnet/bracket being turned. This is typically easy to decipher as the bracket or magnet will be scraping against the inside of the Compu-Dobby housing.
The magnet on the arm is backwards. Flip it over.
The Hall Effects sensor or the Compu-Dobby may require repair. Return unit to AVL for repair.

Having Trouble Connecting USB using Mac Mavericks

Compu-Dobby Related

My Compu-Dobby isn't working properly. What do I do first?

The troubleshooting section above didn't help and I need to talk with someone at AVL. What information does AVL need in order to help me?

What is the difference between a 'computerized dobby' and a Compu-Dobby?

How do I know which Compu-Dobby I have?

When was the Compu-Dobby first sold?

What's the difference between each Compu-Dobby?

My computer doesn't have a Serial Port. How do I connect it to a Compu-Dobby?

Learning to Love USB.

The Serial Port (aka Comm Port) has become a thing of the past for many computers, but fortunately, both new and old Compu-Dobbies can still be connected to your computer via the USB (Universal Serial Bus) Port. While Compu-Dobby IVs have direct USB to USB capability, older dobbies can still be connected via an adapter.

USB can generally be recognized by one of these symbols:

The key to getting the USB Port connected to the Compu-Dobby is through the use of a USB-Serial Adapter. Using this device is relatively easy. There are many, many manufacturers of USB - Serial Adapters. Chief among them are KeySpan (the best for Mac) and Belkin (for the PC), but just google USB-Serial Adapter and let Google or Froogle take you to a host of Web Sites devoted to the device.

Or get one from AVL. We have one that we have had pretty good luck with for both Mac OS X and Windows. If you have a Compu-Dobby I, you may also need this adapter and an RS232 cable to convert from 25 pins to 9.

The way it works (both Mac and Windows):

Here is the order of connection. Plug the USB-Serial Adapter into the computer. Then plug the AVL Compu-Dobby Cable into the Adapter. Last, connect the other end of the AVL Cable into the Compu-Dobby. That's it … well almost.

USB (Mac OS X):

In order to make the USB-Serial Adapter work with your Mac and Compu-Dobby, you must install the software that should have come with the Adapter. Installing the software will allow your software to recognize the USB Adapter. If software, generally in the form of a CD-ROM, didn't come with the unit, then try downloading the driver from the manufacturer's Web Site.

When you go into WeaveMaker, you should see the USB-Serial Port listed under Dobby Port in the Dobby Menu. It is NOT Bluetooth, which comes with the Mac. Then make sure you have the correct AVL Compu-Dobby model I, II, or III chosen in Dobby Type.

Clicking on Dobby Weave should activate the unit.

Sometimes the Mac will inform you that the Serial Port is already in use. In that case then, we advise that you "burp" the unit by disconnecting the USB-Serial Adapter at the USB port. It is OK to do this while the Compu-Dobby and Mac are "hot". The USB is designed to be "hot-swappable" … unplugging and plugging back in will help the Mac to recognize that a USB Port is in use.

USB (Windows):

In order to make the USB-Serial Adapter work with your PC and Compu-Dobby, you must install the software that should have come with the Adapter. Installing the software will allow your software to recognize the USB Adapter. If software, generally in the form of a CD-ROM, didn't come with the unit, then try downloading the driver from the manufacturer's Web Site.

Install the software and then immediately go to the Device Manager (Control Panel: System: Hardware: Device Manager). About three-quarters of the way down the list of devices, you'll see Ports (Comm & LPT). Clicking on the plus sign will reveal the active ports, one of them should be the USB-Serial Port and it will tell you what Comm Port it has allocated for itself. Generally, it will be Comm 3 or Comm 4, but not all the time.

Next go back to your AVL (or other) software and tell it which Comm Port and which Compu-Dobby you are using. You should be ready to weave.

How do I change my COM port number for my Keyspan USB-Serial Adapter?

If you purchased a Keyspan adapter from AVL or elsewhere, you may have trouble getting to the correct COM Port. The latest version of WeavePoint allows COM 1-7. WeaveMaker Mi and older versions of WeavePoint accommodate for COM 1-4 only. However, the Keyspan software will often assign the Keyspan adapter a COM Port number higher than is required by your loom control software. Here's how to make the change.

Step 1 - Ensure that you have installed the latest Keyspan driver software for your adapter

You can download the latest from: http://www.tripplite.com/en/support/downloads

Select Category: Drivers, then Subcategory: Keyspan Products.

Step 2 - Verify the Keyspan COM port in the Keyspan Serial Assistant

To do this, go to the 'Start' menu -> 'Programs' -> 'Keyspan ...' -> Keyspan Serial Assistant. This will open the Keyspan Serial Assistant.

In the Keyspan Serial Assistant, click on the 'Adapter Status' tab. This will show your Keyspan adapter and the current COM port number (i.e. COM4, COM 5, etc.).

Step 3 - Changing the COM port

Click 'Port Mapping' tab. Once you are in the 'Port Mapping' section select or highlight the Keyspan COM port that you wish to change. With your Keyspan COM port highlighted, select the COM port number that you wish to change to from 'COM Port mapping for the selected adapter port' pull down menu.

Important: Please note that you can select any COM port you wish however, you may notice that certain ports are 'in use'. This may mean that there is hardware connected to these COM ports or they have been reserved for the operating system or other software. Changing the COM port mapping to a COM port that is in use may render any hardware and/or software using that port inoperable.

Once you have finished setting up the new COM port number, click on the 'Adapter Status' tab in the Keyspan Serial Assistant to verify your new COM port number.

Warnings:

Changing a COM port is not recommended and can cause serious problems with your computer. The Keyspan software automatically selects the COM port avoiding all those that are 'reserved' by other software/hardware components. For example, if your Keyspan adapter creates COM9, which means that COM1 through COM8 have all been 'reserved'. Reserved COM ports will not show up in the Windows Device Manager and are often tied to software devices (and not physical serial ports). According to the rules of COM port creation, set by Microsoft, any device that creates a COM port must respect 'reserved' COM ports (i.e. if COM8 is 'reserved', a device can't become COM8, that device needs to keep trying COM ports until it finds a 'non-reserved' COM port in the Windows registry).

That being said, the Keyspan software allows you to overwrite 'reserved' COM ports. This is done via the PORT MAPPING tab in the Keyspan Serial Assistant (see above for instructions).

IMPORTANT!!! The Keyspan software will allow you to overwrite 'reserved' COM ports but this can cause serious problems to your computer. This feature is not supported by Keyspan and may not work in all cases depending on the state of your Windows registry. We can provide you information on how to override a COM port but if you have any problems (i.e. like your hard drive being erased or worse), you will have to solve these issues on your own.

Troubleshooting Keyspan Software Info:

This FAQ ASSUMES that: a) your COM port is list in the 'Adapter Status' tab AND b) the same COM port is listed in the 'Port Mapping' tab.

If your Keyspan adapter is NOT listed in the ADAPTER STATUS tab, contact Keyspan and let them know this information. They can troubleshoot the problem from there.

If your Keyspan adapter's COM port is listed in the ADAPTER STATUS tab BUT that COM port is NOT listed in the PORT MAPPING tab, this means that the Keyspan software can't get access to your Windows registry. This can be because a) you don't have Administrator privileges on your Windows 2000/XP computer, b) you have some software preventing the Keyspan software from accessing the Windows registry like a virus/virus protection software/spyware app that aggressively protects the registry/or something similar, OR c) your Windows registry is damaged. If you have this issue, please let Keyspan know if any of these 3 cases apply to you and they will provide further instructions.

How to Install Rabbit Core Module

How do I install a new Solenoid?

Software

Can I get a demo of WeavePoint

Can I get a demo of ArahWeave?

How do I license my newly installed WeavePoint software or demo?

How do I determine the version of WeavePoint or WeaveMaker Mi that I am running?

How do I upgrade my WeavePoint Software?

Why am I receiving warning messages while trying to install WeavePoint?

Are Software License Keys transferable?

Shipping, Warranty, Returns

Shipping Policies and Methods

Can you ship my loom fully assembled?

How do you arrange shipment of looms?

How do you ship international?

How do I know if a product is in stock?

Warranty Information

What does "limited warranty" mean?

What does the AVL Warranty cover?

Your warranty covers:

New Looms:

AVL Looms, Inc., a California corporation (“AVL”) warrants to the original purchaser of any AVL loom (each, a "Product") that the Product will be free from defects in materials and workmanship during the limited warranty period described herein. The limited warranty coverage begins (a) the day the Product is installed if installed by a professional from AVL, or (b) on the date of shipment from AVL to the original purchaser if the Product is not installed by AVL (the “Effective Date”). Except as set forth under the section entitled “What is Excluded?” below, AVL will, for a period of two (2) years from the Effective Date (the “Original Warranty Period”), repair or replace the defective part(s) of the Product with a repaired, renewed, or comparable part (whichever is deemed necessary or proper by AVL) if it becomes defective or inoperative or fails to perform according to AVL’s specifications. Any repair during the Original Warranty Period will be carried out without charge to you for parts (except applicable taxes, if any). You will be responsible for all labor in connection with installation of the parts and service upon the Product, as well as the cost of shipping involved.

Accessories, Loom Upgrade Parts, and Replacement Parts:

Subject to the limitation contained in subsection (i) under the section entitled “What is Excluded?” below, AVL warrants to the original purchaser of any accessory, loom upgrade parts, or loom replacement parts (the “Additional Part”) that are sold by AVL that such Additional Part will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for ninety (90) days from the date of purchase. In the event that any Additional Part is physically damaged or physically defective and if such defective Additional Part is returned to AVL within ninety (90) days of the date of purchase, AVL will provide a replacement Additional Part at no charge. The sole remedy for this warranty shall be limited to the replacement of the defective Additional Part. You are responsible for all shipping charges (including applicable taxes) incurred with returning the defective Additional Part.

Software Media:

Subject to the limitation contained in subsection (i) under the section entitled “What is Excluded?” below, AVL warrants to the original purchaser of any physical diskette (or downloaded software) and documentation (“Software Media”) that is sold by AVL that such Software Media will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for ninety (90) days from the date of purchase. In the event that the Software Media is physically damaged or physically defective and if such defective Software Media is returned to AVL within ninety (90) days of the date of purchase, AVL will provide replacement Software Media at no charge. The sole remedy for this warranty shall be limited to the replacement of the defective Software Media. You are responsible for all shipping charges (including applicable taxes) incurred with returning the defective Software Media. To the extent any additional warranty coverage may be available with respect to the Software Media, it is offered by the third-party manufacturer and you must contact them directly.

All New Products and their components (including replacement Product and its components) are covered only for the Original Warranty Period. When the warranty on the original Product or Software Media expires, the warranty on any replacement Product, components, or Software Media also expires. After two (2) years from the Effective Date, you pay for any replacement or repair, including all parts, all labor and shipping charges (including applicable taxes).

Factory Refurbished or Renewed Looms: AVL Looms, Inc., a California corporation (“AVL”) warrants to the original purchaser of any Factory Refurbished or Renewed AVL loom (each, a “Product”) that the Product will be free from defects in materials and workmanship during the limited warranty period described herein. The limited warranty coverage begins (a) the day the Product is installed if installed by a professional from AVL, or (b) on the date of shipment from AVL to the original purchaser if the Product is not installed by AVL (the “Effective Date”). Except as set forth under the section entitled “What is Excluded?” below, AVL will, for a period of one (1) year from the Effective Date (the “Original Warranty Period”), repair or replace the defective part(s) of the Product with a repaired, renewed, or comparable part (whichever is deemed necessary or proper by AVL) if it becomes defective or inoperative or fails to perform according to AVL’s specifications. Any repair during the Original Warranty Period will be carried out without charge to you for parts (except applicable taxes, if any). You will be responsible for all labor in connection with installation of the parts and service upon the Product, as well as the cost of shipping involved.

Factory Refurbished or Renewed Accessories, Loom Upgrade Parts, and Replacement Parts: Subject to the limitation contained in subsection (i) under the section entitled “What is Excluded?” below, AVL warrants to the original purchaser of any factory refurbished or renewed accessory, loom upgrade parts, or loom replacement parts (the “Additional Part”) that are sold by AVL that such Additional Part will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for ninety (90) days from the date of purchase. In the event that any Additional Part is physically damaged or physically defective and if such defective Additional Part is returned to AVL within ninety (90) days of the date of purchase, AVL will provide a replacement Additional Part at no charge. The sole remedy for this warranty shall be limited to the replacement of the defective Additional Part. You are responsible for all shipping charges (including applicable taxes) incurred with returning the defective Additional Part.

All Refurbished or Renewed Products and their components (including replacement Product and its components) are covered only for the Original Warranty Period. When the warranty on the original Product expires, the warranty on any replacement Product, or components also expires. After one (1) year from the Effective Date, you pay for any replacement or repair, including all parts, all labor and shipping charges (including applicable taxes).

Possible Cause	How to fix it
1) Your Tension Tie-Up has loosened.	Re-adjust the tie-up and either tie a bow in the cord ends or bind it tightly with a double wrap of cord.
2) You have mis-routed your brake cable. If you have just installed the system, disconnected your Brake Cable, to move the loom, or warp the beam, you may very well have incorrectly replaced it.	Review the cable routing as shown in the appropriate figure in the Assembly Section of your manual. Be careful, though, there are different illustrations depending on whether your beam is in the upper or lower position.
3) You may have warped your beam backwards. Go to your manual and consult that figure in the Weaving Section which illustrates how your warp should be routed.	If you did warp your beam backwards, you will need to reverse your tension cable. Unhook the buckle, loosen the cable, and wind it in the opposite direction. This is not a permanent fix. Use it only to weave off the warp you wound backwards.
4) The sandpaper on your Cloth Beam is not grabbing the warp and pulling it around as it should.	Check the first symptom listed under Troubleshooting Cloth Storage System. If the warp still won't adhere to the Cloth Beam, you'll very likely need to add SoftGrip or another kind of beam cover in order to get satisfactory warp tension.
5) The surface of the Brake Drum has become polished and no longer offers sufficient friction to grab and hold the Brake Cable.	Disconnect and unwind the Brake Cable. Lightly sand the surface of the groove in the Brake Drum with your #220 sandpaper. Replace the cable (but be sure about its routing!)

Possible Cause	How to fix it
Your tie-up is too tight.	Loosen your tie-up.

Possible Cause	How to fix it
This is a clear indication that the wood grain in the groove of the Brake Drum has become swollen. If you've had a recent elevation in humidity, it's almost surely the case. The grain has become so sticky that it won't let the cable slide smoothly over the drum.	Remove the Brake Cable and sand the raised grain with #220 sandpaper until it is again smooth to the touch. There will be two places on the drum in particular that need attention; these are where the end-grain is exposed and will be opposite one another.

Possible Cause	How to fix it
1) Weight on the tension arm is in a too far out position	Adjust the position of your weight on the tension arm.
2) Too much weight on the tension arm.	Use a smaller weight on the tension arm.
3) The tension rope has gotten crossed over itself on the warp beam brake drum.	Straighten out the rope.

Possible Cause	How to Fix It
1.) Shuttle Race is too high or low. When your beater is pushed all the way away from you, your warp threads should just be gently touching the race.	If the race is too high, you'll need to lower it. If you see a gap between the bottom of the warp and the top of the race, bring it up! On the overhead beaters, there is an adjustment screw at the top of the beater hanging arm. On the bottom swing beater, there is a same kind of adjustment screw, but at the bottom of the beater.
2.) Treadle cables fell off the pulleys.	Replace the treadle cables so they go over the pulleys.
3.) Dobby Cable Turnbuckle is out of adjustment.	You'll need a helper to check this. Have him watch the travel of the Dobby Arm in the slot on the right side of the Dobby while you treadle the loom. Do not have any harnesses engaging. The arm should travel all the way to the top of the slot and to the bottom. If it does not go all the way to the bottom, check if the dobby arm stop is not blocking the movement. If there is a pin in that place, pull it out If it is not, you'll need to tighten or loosen the turnbuckle at the side of the loom.

Symptom	Possible Cause	How to Fix It
Dobby skips	a) Pressing too hard or too quickly on the treadles.	Press the treadles with a smooth, rhythmical motion.
	b) Cable turnbuckle out of adjustment.	Adjust according to the assembly instructions.
Dobby head jams	a) Dobby chain not brought out over the top of the lower roller.	Reverse the dobby and turn by hand to get the dobby chain out.
	b) Dobby cable turnbuckle out of adjustment.	Adjust the turnbuckle according to the assembly instructions.
Dobby chain does not advance	Detent wheel on the dobby head is loose.	Contact AVL Looms customer service for advice on correcting this problem.
Dobby does not advance, last few harnesses will not change pattern or some combination of last and current pick harnesses are raised	Left Treadle not fully depressed. If you do not fully depress the Left Treadle each time you lift, you will experience problems with your harnesses. Because the Left Treadle is unweighted, it's easy to forget that you need to do this. However, this treadle does something very important - it releases the harnesses that were engaged for the previous pick, but only in the last fraction of its stroke. So, if you seem to be experiencing harness lifting problems, your use of the Left Treadle is the first thing to suspect.	Fully depress the left treadle with each shed change.

Help Center

Manuals & Downloads

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Downloads

USB Drivers for USB equipped Compu-Dobbys (IV, 4.5, 5), Jacq3Gs & Little Weavers

Drivers for Keyspan USB to 9-pin Serial Adapter (USA-19HS )

Firmware for Compu-Dobby 4.5 & Little Weaver 1.0

Weaving & Loom Control Software

FAQ

General

What are your store policies?

What is a "dobby" loom?

Where are AVL Looms produced?

How are the looms produced?

What kind of wood is used?

Aren't some of the looms made of steel?

Does AVL need to send an assembler out with every loom?

How can I tell when my loom was produced?

What about Ahrens looms?

AVL seems to have looms in a lot of countries. How many countries are home to an AVL loom?

What are all those acronyms? A-Series? PDL? FDL, SDL, IDL, WDL, etc??