The Complete Handbook of Weaving Shuttles

Finally, a book that treats shuttles like the serious equipment they are. The chapter on understanding how the internal eye geometry affects yarn tension alone saved me hours of headache on a tricky silk project. It’s the first thing I recommend to new weavers at the studio.

It’s a solid reference, but I was hoping for a bit more depth on the high-end industrial projectile shuttles. The chapters on choosing and buying are great for a small shop owner like me, but the future trends section felt a little light. It’s still a good book to have on the shelf.

This is a lot of information for a subject I thought I knew pretty well. The maintenance chapter is thorough, but it assumes you have access to some specialty tools and a proper worksbench. That said, the troubleshooting flowcharts are genuinely useful for everyday problems.

I bought this to help me decide between a couple of boat shuttles for my production loom, and the decision framework in chapter three was worth the price of the book. It’s also really well-organized, so I can jump straight to the specs table when I’m checking a new yarn. Only wish the glossary had a few more terms.

As a business consultant for textile startups, I was impressed by the business opportunities chapter. It gets into the actual economics of servicing and reselling, which most books ignore. I’ve already used a few of the cost models with a client. The tone is dry, but that’s what you want from a handbook.

This is the reference manual I wish existed when I started my weaving workshop ten years ago. The chapters on installation and maintenance are precise and have saved me from ruining two expensive shuttles already. It’s not a casual read, but it’s comprehensive and practical. A permanent fixture on my workbench.