Revisions and Decisions

At this stage, i am still thinking through and looking for materials to carve out the final prototype of the adjustable loom. The two main materials that i am debating through are acrylic or wood. I am probably going to settle on wood which is what i have been using throughout the iteration process. I have handled and looked up the characteristics of acrylic and i am realizing that the feel of it is too smooth and too fine. The problem with this is that the yarn will slide off when the process is initiated and when the patterns are being made with the yarn.

Wood on the other hand provides a formidable alternative because of its texture. So far, i have experimented with baltic wood in different sizes and thickness. I find that the thinner wood bends easily when the knitting is initiated and cannot withstand tension. Also the dowels in thinner wood starts to bend when knitting is being done on this type of material. The thinner wood i used was about 1/4inches thick. When i used thicker wood, which was about 3/8inches thick, the loom was much stable and the dowels stayed in place. It would be great if i could even use the laser cutter to cut even thicker wood, but unfortunately, the laser cutter is not able to cut much thicker wood. Since i am using the laser cutter in this process, i have decided to settle on this thickness.

Another alteration i have to make is to decrease the width of the placers that are secured on the top and bottom end of the main loom. I will need to decrease the size so that they fit securely within the space afforded by the dowel placements.

Additionally, i have settled on color coding the placers and the main loom to make it visually obvious where they are placed and which ones are placed together. The idea is that anyone who picks up the pieces will know how to place them and how it works. I will be testing different types of paint in the lab on wood to identify which type of paint will be suitable. ie. not rub off when the knitting is initiated. Lastly, i am working on a manual that will accompany the loom. The manual will take a hands on approach and introduce a novice to the loom and its usability within a number of minutes.