View our Warranty, Return, Cancellation and other store policies. Read More >

All AVL looms are produced at our headquarters in Chico, California, where the company has been based since 1980. To learn more click here.

AVL now uses CNC (Computer Numeric Control) machinery to build all of our looms. There are machines in both the wood shop and metal shop. CNC machinery allows for precision cutting of all parts and is both safer and more precise.

AVL looms are made with a variety of hardwoods. Primarily kiln-dried ash for the frames and poplar on the beaters and some other small parts.

Yes, the Professional Dobby Rug Looms now use steel for the crossmembers on all eight foot (2.43M) looms. Looms ten feet (3M) and wider are now made primarily of steel.

Not at all. With the exception of Industrial and Jacquard looms, AVL looms are normally assembled by the customer. AVL looms are generally shipped in a partially assembled state. All of the so-called "hard stuff" is already done. Dobbies go out whole. So do the Spring Lever Systems, Harness Pulley Supports, and Beams. The Tension Box and Bobbin Winder also go out fully assembled. The looms come with a fully illustrated manual and generally take about a day to assemble. If you would like AVL to come out for an in-home installation, we do have a service option available.

Each AVL loom has its own serial number. The serial numbers are located on a name plate that was generally placed in the center of the upper horizontal crossmember on the Harness Pulley Support. Contact us with the loom serial number and we'll tell you when the loom was produced and its original equipment.

Most AVL serial numbers have five integers, such as 01234. If your loom has a number other than five integers -- either longer or shorter -- then you have a collector's item; most likely built in the late 1970's or early 80's. There were also some very early looms produced without serial numbers. These would have been made in 1976-77.

Before his affiliation with AVL, Jim Ahrens hand-built a small number of looms in the years between 1950-1976. These will generally display a plaque designating it as an Ahrens loom. Some Ahrens looms are very similar to AVL looms. However, most parts are not interchangeable with the corresponding AVL loom. The similar looms include: production dobby loom, countermarch production dobby loom, home loom, folding dobby loom, and a loom made with a pivoting front/rear beam.

We, of course, have no idea as to where used AVLs may have traveled, but as of January 2007, AVL had sold looms in over eighty countries worldwide.

AVL loves letters! We've even compiled a short list of our favorites Read More >

Maybe you'd like to trade yours in for a new one. Or maybe you simply need the space. Whatever the reason, selling your AVL loom is a big decision. How and at what price will you sell your loom? These are the most difficult questions to consider. Selling your loom back to AVL is a great way to simplify and shorten the process. Read More >

You can find all kinds of information in our Online Library.

Yes, click here for details!

Because AVL has agents around the world who have local pricing structures. We request that you contact your local representative for details. Our Partners

It's as easy as sending us a message or picking up the phone (toll free: 800-626-9615)!

If you would like to order parts for your loom, please have your loom's Serial number handy. Other useful information would be your loom's weaving width, dobby type (or treadle if applicable) and batch/year made. Whenever possible, refer to your loom's manual when trying to describe which parts you need, and remember that digital pictures are also very useful.

We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express credit cards, as well as money orders and checks, and bank wire transfers for orders exceeding $1,500. We will also work with a Letter of Credit for a small fee if you so desire.

The single most important thing you can do to extend the life of your loom, and preserve its operation, is tighten the bolts that hold its frame together. These will loosen over time, due to changes in its environment and to your own creative exertions. A loom which is allowed to become loose-jointed will certainly cost you weaving time, perhaps affect the quality of your work, and definitely become older than its years.

There are several mechanisms on your loom which will benefit from the occasional light application of an appropriate lubricant. Not all lubricants are suitable in the weaving environment. Machine oils and greases, for example, may provide plenty of slick, but they also capture yarn dust and will, over time, actually impede the action of your loom. To read more Click Here >

Unless you have an AVL Air Shuttle or other pneumatic accessory, you will have only one filter on your loom, and then only if you have a Compu-Dobby. This is the fan filter and it performs two functions: it cools the unit and it removes dust from the air before it is drawn into the fan. For cleaning information Click Here >

Check those cords and cables. All machines wear, and cords are usually the first things that fatigue on a loom.

For a basic list of nice-to-have-around items Click Here >

If you are having trouble with harnesses sticking to each other, jamming up, floating or raising or not raising Click Here >

If you are having trouble with warp tension or the tension arm Click Here >

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

If your shed is restricted Click Here >

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 Click Here >

If the dobby skips, dobby head jams, dobby chain or dobby doesn't advance or the last few harnesses will not change pattern or some combination of last and current pick harnesses are raised Click Here >

If you are having trouble with your Compu-Dobby I or II Click Here >

If you are having trouble with your Compu-Dobby III Click Here >

If you suspect your Compu-Dobby is not connecting with your computer Click Here >

Review the Troubleshooting Guide first.

Please be prepared to tell us:

• What version of Compu-Dobby you are using (I, II, III, III+ or IV)
• What software you are running, name and version number
• What computer you are on
• What Operating System the computer uses (Mac or Windows)
• When the Compu-Dobby last worked and whether anything has changed since then

Many loom manufacturers sell dobby systems equipped with a computerized mechanism, or a 'computerized dobby.' AVL was the first though, thanks to tremendous efforts by a select few customers and AVL engineers. In fact, AVL beat most power loom manufacturers to market. As for handweaving, AVL has decades of experience over our competition. AVL is proud to call its computerized dobby the Compu-Dobby®, which is a copyrighted trademark owned by AVL.

• Compu-Dobby I is one solenoid box with a small Control Unit with six buttons on it.
• Compu-Dobby II has two fairly equal sized boxes, one of which has a Liquid Crystal Display unit.
• Compu-Dobby III is one big box, no secondary boxes.

• Apple-Dobby: approximately 1981
• Compu-Dobby (now called the Compu-Dobby I): approximately 1983
• Compu-Dobby II: approximately 1994
• Compu-Dobby III: approximately 2000

There are many small differences, but one huge difference. The Compu-Dobby I & II (as well as the mechanical dobby) are positive-type dobbies. The Compu-Dobby III is a 'negative' dobby design. A negative dobby is one where the harness selection is defaulted to lift, whereas in the positive dobby design the harness selection default is not to lift. This sounds like a nebulous discussion for us loom geeks, but this one change enabled Compu-Dobby III-equipped looms to have up to 30% lighter lift! The Compu-Dobby IV is USB connection compatible.

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. Read More >

With thanks to Dana Cartwright, author of WeaveMaker software, here is his explanation of the world of Serial and USB. Read More >

If you purchased a Keyspan adapter from AVL or elsewhere, you may have trouble getting to the correct COM Port. Read More >

AVL Looms, Inc How to Install Rabbit Core Module Read More >

Yes. Read More >

Yes. Click here and then click Demo from the sidebar to download a demo of WeavePoint.

Yes, click here.

Select the Help Menu and click on Register Software. Select the Change button and a dialog box will open that allows you to input your license key. Please enter the name and license key exactly as they appear since they are case sensitive. Select the Register button and you are done.

The WeavePoint software provided by AVL is different than the demo version; the demo version cannot be licensed as a full version. To enter your license key information in a full version, select the Help Menu and click on About WeavePoint. Next, click on the name box directly below "Licensed to:". A dialog box will open that allows you to input your license key. Please enter your username and license key exactly as they appear since they are case sensitive. Select Ok and you are done.

To determine the version of WeavePoint or WeaveMaker Mi you are running, select the Help Menu and click on About WeavePoint, or About WeaveMaker.

WeaveMaker Mi software updates can be downloaded directly from WeaveMaker's website. Simply click here, choose your operating system and download the latest version. Alternatively, AVL can provide the latest update on CD-ROM for a small price. It's good practice to periodically check the latest updates for bug fixes and improvemtns that might be of use for you.

WeavePoint software requires that you receive updates via email or on CD-ROM from AVL. We will announce WeavePoint updates in our eShuttle Newsletter. Please contact us if you would like to receive the latest version.

Manuals for both software programs are available online. Click here to view the WeaveMaker Mi manual on WeaveMaker's website. For WeavePoint, you can find different versions of the manual on our website in the AVL Library. (scroll all the way down to the W's)

In OSX Lion, Mac has defaulted their system to only run applications from "approved" developers. WeaveMaker has recently been approved and is working on updating their software to eliminate the warning. Until then, there is a workaround you can implement. Read More >

There are several different warning messages that you may encounter while installing WeavePoint software. Read More >