Boat Shuttles

Stick Shuttles

Ski Shuttles

Belt Shuttle

Rag Shuttles

Rug Shuttle

Plastic Bobbins

Pirns

Boat Shuttles

Our boat shuttles are beautifully shaped and well balanced. They are sanded smooth and then given a hand-rubbed Danish oil finish. Four sizes are available: 9", 11", 13", and 15". Our smallest boat shuttle, the 9" mini, is styled after a Japanese silk shuttle. This duck-nosed shuttle is wonderful for narrow widths and fine yarns. Our most popular boat shuttle, the 11" boat shuttle, is offered in slim and regular models with closed-bottom and open-bottom styles. 

Our two largest boat shuttles are 13" and 15" long, and can handle fine to medium weight yarns. Because of their extra length and yarn capacity, weavers often choose these shuttles for wider weaving widths. 

We also offer slim and regular double-bobbin boat shuttles which are ideal for doubled weft threads. Two separate bobbin shafts make it possible to remove one bobbin at a time. All boat shuttles are available in hard maple and some models are also available in cherry. From time to time we offer special shuttles in a variety of models and woods. Check with your dealer or our website for current offering.

9" Mini Boat Shuttle

Schacht End-Delivery Shuttle
"The best thing since sliced bread!"

The Schacht End-Delivery Shuttles are the ultimate in shuttles designed especially and precisely for handweavers. They are lightweight, comfortable to throw and catch, adjustable to a variety of yarns, and easy-really easy-to thread. Our end-delivery shuttles are available in 12" and 15" sizes.

Schacht End-Delivery Shuttles

How the end-delivery shuttle works
The end-delivery shuttle has a pirn which remains stationary, instead of a free-spinning bobbin. The weft yarn unwinds off the pirn’s tip when the shuttle is in motion and stops unwinding when the shuttle stops. The yarn comes off the pirn and goes through a set of tension pads and comes out of the shuttle at a constant tension. This even delivery of weft causes less draw-in, which in turn makes better selvedges.

Resist the temptation to handle the weft yarn at all. Simply adjust the tension with the enclosed Allen wrench to suit the yarn you are using and allow your shuttle to do the work. You'll love how you can weave making your weaving go more rapidly than ever. 

Stick Shuttles

The simplest and most versatile of all shuttles. Ours are available in 9", 10", 12", 16", 20", 24" and 30" lengths. We recommend you choose a stick shuttle slightly longer than the width of your warp.

Product #

SH5301

1 oz

SH5307

10" Slim Stick Shuttle

10" x 7/8" x 1/8"

SH5300

SH5302

1 oz

SH5303

1 oz

SH5304

1 oz

SH5306

1 oz

Ski Shuttles

Made to hold medium to heavy yarns, the 18" and  24" ski shuttles are designed so that the yarn is wrapped horizontally around the top of the ski. This leaves a smooth bottom for sliding smoothly across the warp.

3.5 oz

5 oz

Belt Shuttle

Specially designed for use with inkle looms, this shuttle has a bevelled edge for packing in the weft.

SH5601

Belt Shuttle

8" x 1 3/4" x 1/4"

1 oz

Rag Shuttles

These broad, sturdy shuttles have been traditionally used for rag weaving, though they are also excellent for heavy rug wools and bulky chenilles.  Available in 14" and 20" lengths.

14" x 2" x 1 3/4"

SH5202

20" x 2" x 1 3/4"

Rug Shuttle

This beautiful shuttle is carved from a single piece of hard maple.  It's good for medium to heavy yarns.  It's 20" long and has a low profile.

20" x 1 1/2" x 1 1/4"

Plastic Bobbins

Our plastic bobbins come in three sizes. The 4" bobbins fit the 9" mini, the 11" shuttles, and both double-bobbin boat shuttles; the 5" bobbins fit the 13" shuttles; and the 6" bobbins fit the 15" shuttles. The bobbins have specially designed ends for trouble-free release of yarn.

Pirns

Our pirns come in two sizes: 6" and 8". They are made of wood and are tapered. Choose 6" lenghts for the 12" end-delivery shuttle and 8" for our 15".

How to wind weft yarn on the pirn
It is important to wind the pirn so the weft yarn unwinds smoothly. A double-end bobbin winder which holds the pirn firmly at both ends works best. Single-end winders can be used, although you may need to wrap the winder spindle with a little paper and tape, so that it holds the pirn firmly.

The weft yarn must be wound very tightly. Begin winding at the funnel-shaped end of the pirn. Follow the funnel shape as you wind the weft, winding a series of concentric cones along the length of your pirn. You will be moving the weft yarn back and forth in a criss-cross motion over about 1 1/2”, moving gradually toward the tip of the pirn at about a scant eighth of an inch at a time. Once the yarn has almost reached the tip, stop winding. The wound pirn should be cylindrical in shape and approximately 1 1/8” in diameter, tapering off at the tip. Do not go back to fill in any uneven areas along the length of the pirn. Your technique will improve after you have wound a few pirns.

Positioning the pirn in the shuttle
Push the spindle up from the bottom of the shuttle (the spindle only comes up about 30 degrees and locks in place). Slide the pirn all the way on until it is fully seated on the spindle. Lower the pirn back down into the shuttle. The pirn should be level.

The position of the pirn spindle has been set at the Schacht factory. Over time you may need to adjust the pirn position slightly up or down. Find the spindle-adjusting screw on the bottom of the shuttle. It is inside the hole directly beneath the pivoting end of the spindle. Raise or lower the spindle by turning the screw clockwise or counterclockwise respectively, using the Allen wrench which came with your shuttle. This adjustment rarely needs to be done.

Adjusting the weft yarn tension
With the pirn correctly filled and positioned in the shuttle, pull out a few inches of weft yarn. Hold the yarn with your finger at the tip of the pirn. Lay the yarn over the tension pads and pull it down into the tension pads and curved slot. Now pull the yarn slightly to the left. It will automatically go over the angle pin and be captured.

Test your tension by weaving a few shots across the beginning of your warp. If you have loose loops at the selvedges, you need to increase the tension on the weft yarn by turning the tension-adjusting screws clockwise. If the selvedges are drawing in, you need to ease off on the tension by turning the screws counterclockwise.

The tension-adjusting screws are located in holes on both sides of the yarn-feed end of the shuttle. These screws have small springs in their ends which press against the tension pads. Use the Allen wrench to adjust these screws. In practice, very little adjustment is necessary. (Be careful about loosening the tension pads more than a few turns or the springs will fall out.) Once the tension is adjusted for a particular weft yarn, it will probably not need further adjustment for the entire length of the warp, unless you notice loops or draw-in at the selvedge.

SH5000

9" x 1-5/8" x 7/8"

SH5001

11" x 1-5/8" x 1"

SH5002

11" x 1-7/8" x 1-1/4"

SH5003

13" x 1-7/8" x 1-1/4"

SH5004

15" x 2" x 1-1/4"

SH5015

11" Slim Closed Bottom Boat Shuttle (Maple)

11" x 1-5/8" x 1"

SH5016

11" x 1-7/8" x 1-1/4"

SH5020

SH5021

SH5104

SH5105

SH5106

SH5111

SH5110

8" Pirns for 15" End-Delivery Shuttle /5 black