Information
The Megado is the largest dobby loom in Louët's dobby collection and offers nearly unlimited possibilities for weaving patterns up to 32 shafts. It came on the market in 1999 and has been a popular dobby loom for many complex weavers.
A dobby is a programmable shaft selector. Weaving on a dobby is attractive because you no longer have to worry about choosing the shaft combinations during weaving. You also no longer have to tie the treadles under the loom. A dobby is not a weaving machine like those used in industry. Setting up the warp and weaving is the same process as with the other handweaving looms. All the dobby does is select the shafts. You can choose between a mechanical or an electronic dobby system.
Dobby
With the mechanical dobby you 'program' the shaft selection with pegs on program bars. These program bars form a chain that is attached to the loom. An additional treadle is used to select the next program bar during weaving. With complex patterns and block patterns, you will need many program bars. In that case, the computer dobby may be a better choice.
The Megado can be equipped with the Computer Dobby 2.0. This is the upgraded electronic dobby for the Louët Megado, introduced in 2017 and makes the dobby system less dependent on weaving software and computer operating systems. It is a small wooden box that hangs on the right side of the loom. In this box is a minicomputer that controls the shaft selection of the dobby mechanism. During weaving you can follow shaft selection on the web browser of your tablet or computer via a direct WIFIconnection using the proprietary Louet weaving software which was designed to drive your loom. You can make adjustments to the shaft selection pattern via this Dobby-2.0 web interface. Weaving patterns in WIF file format can be imported onto the Dobby 2.0 via a USB stick.
As with the previous electronic dobby's it remains possible to connect the Dobby 2.0 with a cable to a Windows computer and weave with 3rd party software. The dobby 2.0 is connected with a USB cable to a computer with a Windows or Apple operating system. On Apple Mac computers, the internal USB to serial conversion does not support macOS Big Sur. Your Windows computer must have 3rd party weaving software with a dobby module and Louet dobby driver. You have to purchase this software yourself. Widely used are Fiberworks PCW, Weavepoint, Pixeloom, ProWeave.
Mechanically, the loom operates with a system developed by Louët, in which the back beem rises resulting in a large shed with equal tension on the upper and lower half of the shed. Treadling is light and easy.
Light treadling
The patented floating breast beam system developed by Louët, ensures that the tension on the warp is consistent every time you advance your warp. With the help of a friction brake system, the fabric can be advanced while you remain seated on the weaving bench.
The Megado is available with 16 or 32 shafts in the weaving widths 40, 70, 90, 110 or 130 cm (36”, 475/8”, 55½”,633/8” ,71¼”). You can choose between a mechanical dobby and Computer Dobby 2.0.
The Megado is made of lacquered ash hard wood. Included are: built-in raddle, 10 dpi reed, 900 (16s) or 1700 (32s) heddles, 2 lease sticks, 2 apron sticks, 16 warping sticks.
Instruction Manuals
Product Numbers
WP0152: Megado 40-16 – without dobby
WP0134: Megado 70-16 – without dobby
WP0154: Megado 90-16 – without dobby
WP0140: Megado 110-16 – without dobby
WP0146: Megado 130-16 – without dobby
WP0153: Megado 40-32 – without dobby
WP0135: Megado 70-32 – without dobby
WP0155: Megado 90-32 – without dobby
WP0141: Megado 110-32 – without dobby
WP0147: Megado 130-32 – without dobby
