Canku Ota
	(Many Paths)
	An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America
	August 10, 2002 - Issue 67
	The " How To" Series - The Beading Loom The Box Loom
	by Lynne Sageflower Pennington
	Please be sure to read the Disclaimer for the " How To" Craft Articles - Disclaimer

In this article I will be talking about the Box loom and another loom with instructions on how to make them. Before I start this article I want to address some emails I received about what to use if you can not find extension springs. You can use: 3/8 in diameter door springs Threaded Rod These two are the easiest to find however there is another way you can make the spring yourself. Get a roll of heavy gauge wire around 24-28 gauge. Then using a thin pen barrel or a 1/4 inch dowel, wrap the wire close together several times. You need at least 18 inches per side. Put a loop on each end of the wire to use for screwing the ends to the wood. I hope this information helps.   Loom 1 - The Box Loom The Box Loom was used for making wider beadwork. The thread was wrapped around the loom like pictured below. However the loom I am going to give you instructions on is a little different. You will only wrap the thread on one side. This saves a lot of thread waste.   Materials:         4 pieces of 1 ½ x 18 " wood 10 wood screws         8 eye hooks 2 springs that extend to 18 inches             wood glue screwdriver for screws         skill saw or hand saw sanding paper             Wood pattern for cutting two of the pieces of wood ( provided below)     1. Cut two of the pieces of wood like below: 2. On the other two pieces of wood place the screws as in the picture below and then put a little wood glue on the ends and the screw the pieces together.   You want to make sure you have the loom squared off like the picture below: 3. Screw the springs down on each end   4. Now place your eye hooks on the two end sides. Make sure to place them equal lengths apart.   Loom 2 - Another Dowel Loom Materials         2 pieces of wood 1x6 1 door spring ( cut in two)         2 wood screws 2 1/2" dowels ( do not cut in half)         2 metal rods 1/4x8" 4-1/2" hose clamps         6 eye hooks               1-1/2" hole drill bit Drill         1- 1/4" drill bit Hand saw or Skill saw         Sanding paper     1. Cut the 2 pieces of wood like the diagram below 2. With your 1/4 drill bit, drill holes 1" down from the top of the wings all the way through on both pieces of wood, both sides. Make sure you mark the wood before you drill because you want the holes in both wings to be parallel to each other. (Diagram Below) 3. Now take a metal rod and slide it thru the first wing, then slide your spring onto the rod and slide the end into the hole on the other wing ( diagram above)   4. On one piece of the wood drill your 1/2 inch holes 3/8ths into the wood  1 inch from the side and 1/16 inch from the bottom and screw your wood screws in to keep the dowels form moving. ( Diagram Below) 5. On the other piece of wood you want to drill your 1/2" holes all the way through the wood 1 inch from the side and 1/16 inch from the bottom. ( Diagram below) 6. Once the holes are done, before putting the dowels through #5, put on your eyehooks on the outside of each piece of wood ( Diagram Above under #2)   7. Now slide your dowels through the end with the 1/2" through holes.   8. Take the hose clamps and put one on both sides, in front of #7 and behind #7. You will use the clamps to keep the end from slipping once you have the loom the length you want. Just remember to tighten the screws on the clamps.   A picture of this type loom is in Beads to Buckskins Volume One. I did the instructions from looking at the picture. All the graphics for it I made myself. If you do not want to make one yourself you can purchase one from the publisher of the book. Page 7 of the book has the address on it or e-mail me if you want the address. You will have to call for the price of the loom.   In the next article I will give instructions on how to make some other types of looms.