The "V"
We have Jon Violette to thank for the founding of Ahren’s and Violette Looms. His determination to form a partnership with Jim Ahrens, the technical genius behind the scenes, took the business from part-time to professional endeavor. The two men worked together in the Bay Area for three years until Violette moved the business to Chico, where it officially became known as AVL Looms. In addition to the “V” in AVL, Jon provided the motivation for loom advancements, including the first computerized dobby in 1982, then called the "Apple Dobby". He retired from active life in the company in 1987. We have christened this new V-Series Loom in recognition of Jon’s contribution to handweaving.
Weaving What You Want, Where You Want
For a first anywhere, the V-Series gives you 40 shafts in a small loom package. With 40 shafts you can weave just about any pattern you can think of -- for you math lovers the actual number is 109,951,162,782 potential patterns! Its all done with AVL's trademarked Compu-Dobby system. The V-Series comes with the latest version, easy to use and compatible with a variety of Windows and Mac-based weaving software.
As for size, at only four feet (122 cm) tall and deep, the V-Series loom fits nicely in the corner of a small apartment. Outside of a table top or on the road, that is just about any space you can come up with. At introduction, the loom is available in a 30" (76 cm) weaving width. This is an ideal size for weaving a wide variety of fabrics, not to mention samples or even just trying out new ideas in texture, color or pattern.
Weaving Made Simple
We call this simple sophistication. What does that mean? With comfortable features like stationary breast beam and foot actuated warp tension brake, this loom is just right for doing just about anything outside of yardage. Check out these other standard features:
- Standard bottom swing beater with smooth hardwood race and stainless steel reed
- Plain warp beam with apron and rod
- Cloth storage beam with heavy duty cast-aluminum handle/pawl/ratchet, plus apron and two rods
- Polyester heddles - 25 per harness plus 200 more
- Tool holder, built-in tension box track, and top shelf for your laptop & shuttles
Worried about the lift on this rising shed loom? Worry no more! The V-Series comes standard with our latest, most sophisticated eLift. This powerful, electronically controlled stepper motor does all the work for you. It will even go open shed to open shed with a single press of the pedal when using the Double-shed(TM) mode.
Sturdy Construction For a Lifetime of Weaving
This loom is one tough customer. We've framed it in Select Northern Ash and, at the risk of over-doing things, have dimensioned our wood parts with extra thickness - well beyond the norm. Given its low center of gravity, this may be the most solidly built handloom ever made commercially available.
