October 31, 2021
A Tapestry Beater, or Weaving Beater, or Weft Beater, or just plain Beater, is a handheld tool with a handle and tines, that is used to press the weft down, in order to seat it properly in the warp and in order to compress is as tightly or loosely as the weaver wishes, onto the weft below.
Here I will share how to make Tapestry Beaters without electricity, using only hand tools. Enjoy!
I decided I wanted to have a nice warm, well-finished, handmade tool to beat down the weft of my weavings.
I have been weaving for a while now, on a small hand held loom, and also a tapestry loom. Having used forks and other devices as beaters, I set out to make some nice hand-made wooden beaters with stainless steel tines.
Making a Hardwood Tapestry Beater:
First, here are my drawings. I designed this style of beater to be nicely balanced in the hand while being heavier at the tines-end; I also included a long point on the back end which can be used to press down, or lift, individual yarns in the weaving if needed. Please feel free to make these beaters for your own use, but please do not use my design for commercial purposes to make and sell these.
First, while the wood stock was still square, and before I started shaping the handle, I marked out the location for the tines.
For the peacefulness and the fun-of-it, I made these beaters without any electric tools, I used only manual tools. One could just as well use electric saws and drills and have great time making these!
Then I marked the hole locations with an awl.
I used a small hand-held bit-holder to drill 1/32" holes for the 1/16" stainless tines I will use.
Drilling holes for the tines.
With the holes drilled I cut and carved the handle. First I measured out the main dimensions (1" x 3/4" x 8") and cut our the blank piece.
I used my Japanese pull saw to rip and cut the main dimensions of the handle. One could use a conventional push saw, or various electric saws.
Now I have a 3/4" thick piece. Next I will cut it to 1" width, then 8" length.
Now it's cut to the main rough dimensions. Next I drew out the pointed taper of the handle onto this surface and used a plane to shape the taper.
The piece is in the vise and I am planing the first taper. One could use a saw or chisel for this if a plane were not available.
Okee Dokey! The first tapers are shaped on the handle. Now I will turn it 90deg and draw the pointy taper on the other side.
Here is the taper, and the rounded tip, drawn onto the side profile of the beater.
I used a rasp to round the tip of the beater handle. One could use sand paper if rasp not available.
With the tip rounded off, I will shape the tapers into the sides.
I used a chisel for this. Never put your hands in front of the chisel where they could get cut, please.
So, here is the tapestry beater handle, holes drilled, end rounded off, and the tapers are cut into a long square sided point. Next I will round of the edges to make it a rounded long point.
I whittled the handle round with a knife. Nice peaceful evening whittling by the fire, into which the wood shavings were thrown.
Hand carved tapestry beater handle. Now I will sand it.
Sanded with coarse sandpaper, then 220grit to finish.
Now I will make the stainless steel tines. I used 1/16" stainless rod for the 5 EPI beater. I used this stout little wire cutter. I wire snips or tin snips will not cut this stainless rod (at least not without damaging the tool) so use a some type of hack saw/metal saw, or cutter such as this, or cut off disc.
5 little stainless steel tines for the beater.
I used a very fine file to carefully round the ends of each tine.
I used the file to rough up the portion of the tines that will be embedded in the wood, then I applied super glue and pounded them in , one at a time.
All 5 tines are installed. I will let the glue dry and then fine tune the tines so that they are perfectly straight. In this photo, you can see the nice rounded tips of the stainless steel tines.
Tines being set into the 2" wide 8EPI beater. This one is made from Hard Maple.
10 EPI Mahogany Beater after carving
3 Coats of hand rubbed Tung oil, in process.
paste wax and hand rubbed finish.
Completed Tapestry Beaters
Making Long Wooden Needles
For weaving on little hand-looms, I find a long needle with an eye in it, helpful. It is easy to make them out of wood. I cut 3/16" thick strips from Hickory, drill the eye hole (before carving the needle), then carve the needle, sand it, and oil it.
3/16" thick x 3/4" wide hickory strips. I drilled 4 holes at the tops, now I will rip these in half and will be able to carve four needles from these.
Here are the needles after whittling them to rough shape with a sharp knife. Then I sanded them with 120 grit, then 220 grit, then Tung oiled them.
