The Folding loom, a tool made for :
__________exploring new pattern__________________producing repetitive folding__________________________learning for folding beginners
Some background
One of the most famous techniques used for textile pleating use cardboard moulds. The textile in between the two folded paper moulds then refolded together and put in a steamer to fix the pleats. Historically, the creator making the moulds and the ones using them were two separate jobs. Nowadays, only few still know how to make precise and complex moulds, most of them still use century old ones like in Lognon. Folding loom aims to tackle this challenge and propose a portable matrice to explore and produce paper molds.
The folding loom consists of a wooden plate engraved by a laser with a specific pattern. Create or download below a vectorised pattern to send it to the machine that will burn your wood. The Folding loom is then used to emboss the pattern on a paper making it easier, faster and more precise to fold complex folds. Pattern variations you can create with this tool are infinite, do not hesitate to combine them, to experiment!
For this you will need :
- 1 thin plank of wood
- A laser-cutting machine (go to your local fablab for this)
- One of these files (small, medium and large pattern)
FoldingLoom pattern_18x26cm.pdf
FoldingLoom pattern_26x34cm.pdf
FoldingLoom pattern_60x120.pdf
Recommendation :
- Thickness : 2 to 4mm
- Size : I provided 3 size but feel free to modify or create your own. Black lines is for engraving, red for cutting.
- Type of wood : poplar (easy to engrave) or meranti (very strong) or other
- Laser settings : power and speed will depend on the machine and the material you use… I recommend to slightly offset the focal to have a wider line, +/- 1mm is good, depending on your embossing tool (! Make sure to have sufficient ventilation, if the focal is lower it could create more fumes closer to the lens that could damage it). Make a few try before engraving the pattern.
Things that can go wrong :
- If the lines are too thin, it will be difficult to find them with your embossing tool.
- If the lines are too large, the folding will be more difficult to make and less precise.
- If the lines are not deep enough, it will be difficult to find them while embossing.
- If the lines are too deep paper can break more easily while embossing.
- If ventilation is not strong enough and the focal close to the wood, it can break the lens. In conclusion, find the right settings on your machine for a perfect pleating loom.
Now that your Foldng loom is made, time to use it !
You will need :
- The pleating loom
- Paper clips or tape
- An embossing tool (empty pen, jack, nails can also do the trick).
- Paper (I personally use 120g)
Step 1 : prepare the paper fit the size of the paper to the folding loom (I left a margin of 5mm on each size that you can cut after)
Step 2 : fix the paper clip it or tape it so that it will not move during the process
Step 3 : embossing start embossing following the lines with your tool, it might take you a bit of practice to find the right embossing force
Step 4 : remove paper check if every lines are embossed than remove clip/tape, cut the paper margin and start folding
Step 5 : folding folding process depends on your pattern by I find it easier to start by making the horizontal mountain/valley fold in accordion then the other folds.
Step 6 : folding again repeat process another time to have your second mold ready for textile pleating.
Things that can go wrong :
- My paper is marked by the burnt lines of the laser : put more ventilation in the laser, thing a wood that leaves less burn but don’t worry after a few use it should disappear
- You removed the clips/tape too soon or did not attach it correctly and the paper moved: it will be very difficult to place it back to its exact place (I recommend to fix it very tightly but you leave a free corner to lift the paper if you are not sure where the lines are at first).
- The paper breaks on the embossed lines: the laser engraving is too deep or the paper too thin or you used too much force during embossing
- It’s hard to find my embossing lines during folding : the laser engraving is not deep enough or the paper too thick or you used too little force during embossing
More adaptative patterns can be imagined, see the wikifab documentation of the designer Gwenaël Prost: Planche à plis to know more.
Making the folding loom with a CNC to avoid burn and control the angle and adapt to knew material (more strong/durable?) : metal, plastic...
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This documentation was made possible thanks to the brussels fablab network.
Dewi Brunet explored further his prototype and documented them at the Microfactory & Cityfab3 during his residency in novembre 2022.
