What is the main difference between the Schacht Baby Wolf and the Louet David III?

Shaft count, depth, and price. The Baby Wolf is a 4-shaft rising-shed jack loom in hard maple at $2,386; the David III is an 8-shaft sinking-shed spring jack loom in lacquered beech at $5,087. The David III also assembles to 33.5 inches deep versus the Baby Wolf's 54 inches, a difference that matters significantly in small studios.

Why is the Louet David III so much more expensive than the Baby Wolf?

Primarily shaft count and origin. The David III ships with 8 shafts and 10 treadles from the Netherlands on a 16-to-18-week lead time and uses a spring-assisted sinking-shed jack mechanism that requires more engineering than a standard rising-shed jack. Hard maple from Colorado is less expensive to source and manufacture than Dutch lacquered beech shipped across the Atlantic.

Can the Baby Wolf be upgraded to 8 shafts?

Yes. Schacht's Four-Now-Four-Later program adds a second 4-shaft unit to the existing Baby Wolf frame, taking total shafts from 4 to 8 on the same loom. The Baby Wolf frame was designed from the start to accept this extension. The Louet David III ships as 8 shafts and has no equivalent upgrade path; it arrives fully configured.

Which has a smaller footprint: the Baby Wolf or the Louet David III?

The Louet David III. Its assembled depth of 33.5 inches (David 70 and 90 models) is about 20 inches shallower than the Baby Wolf's 54 inches. In a small studio or spare room, the David III fits where the Baby Wolf would crowd the space considerably. The Baby Wolf folds to pass through a 30-inch doorway but does not store compactly when in use.

What weave structures require 8 shafts that 4 shafts cannot reach?

Deflected doubleweave with more than four pattern blocks, 8-shaft twills with more complex color and texture sequences, networked drafts requiring independent shaft groups beyond four, and some block weave structures with greater pattern variety. Most everyday weaving (twills, plain weave, overshot, rep weave, huck lace, summer-and-winter) is achievable on 4 shafts. The 8-shaft ceiling matters for weavers who pursue structural complexity intentionally.

Does the Baby Wolf or the David III have better treadle action?

Owner accounts consistently describe the Louet David III's spring-assisted sinking-shed mechanism as lighter than the Baby Wolf's standard rising-shed jack action. The Baby Wolf itself is lighter than a Macomber or Nilus but heavier than a Toika or Glimakra countermarche. For long weaving sessions or weavers with joint concerns, the David III's spring assist reduces treadle fatigue more than the Baby Wolf.

How long does it take to receive a Louet David III?

Typically 16 to 18 weeks from order date. Louet manufactures the David III in the Netherlands; US dealers place orders with Louet and the loom ships across the Atlantic. There is no domestic stock to draw from. The Baby Wolf is generally available through authorized Schacht dealers within a few weeks of order.

Is a used Baby Wolf worth considering as an alternative to a new Louet David III?

For a weaver whose ceiling is 4 shafts and 26 inches, yes. A used Baby Wolf in excellent condition runs $900 to $1,400, well under a quarter the price of the David III. Schacht Baby Wolves are well-built and regularly resold in usable condition after decades of use. The caveat: inspect heddles, tie-up cords, treadle connections, and the warp beam before buying used.

Schacht Baby Wolf vs Louet David III: Floor Loom Comparison

The Baby Wolf is a 4-shaft hard maple loom at $2,386; the Louet David III is an 8-shaft beech loom from $5,087. That $2,701 gap buys four more shafts, twenty fewer inches of depth (33.5 versus 54), and a lighter spring-assisted treadle. Choose the Baby Wolf for 4-shaft weaving on a budget, the David III for 8-shaft studio work.

The same decision in longer form: what floor loom do you buy when you are serious about weaving? The Baby Wolf is a rising-shed jack loom that assembles to 54 inches deep. The David III is a sinking-shed spring jack loom that assembles to 33.5 inches deep. Prices verified June 2026 at authorized dealers.

Spec	Baby Wolf (26”)	David III (David 70, 27.6”)
Weaving width	26”	27.6” (70 cm)
Price (2026)	$2,386	$5,087
Shafts	4 (upgradeable to 8)	8
Treadles	6	10
Assembled depth	54”	33.5”
Weight	~68 lbs	~66 lbs
Mechanism	Rising-shed jack	Sinking-shed spring jack
Material	Hard maple	Lacquered beech
Origin	USA (Boulder, CO)	Netherlands
Availability	Dealer stock	16–18 week lead time
8-shaft path	Four-Now-Four-Later upgrade	Standard configuration

What can four shafts weave, and where do they stop?

Four shafts cover most of the weave structures that weavers actually use. Plain weave and its variations, four-shaft twills, huck lace, turned twill, simple overshot, log cabin, rep weave, summer-and-winter: all of these are within reach on a Baby Wolf. Plenty of studio weavers who spend their careers on one loom produce nearly everything they want from 4 shafts and never hit the ceiling.

What 4 shafts cannot reach: deflected doubleweave with more than four pattern blocks, true 8-shaft twills that exploit all eight possible shed combinations, networked drafts requiring independent shaft groups beyond four, and certain complex overshot block structures. These are not beginner territory. A weaver who needs them generally knows it. The question at purchase is whether you currently weave those structures or realistically expect to within the loom’s life.

The Baby Wolf’s answer to the shaft-count question is the Four-Now-Four-Later upgrade: a second 4-shaft unit that attaches to the existing frame, extending total shafts from 4 to 8 without replacing the loom. Schacht designed the Baby Wolf frame from the start to accept this extension. It is not a retrofit. If you buy the Baby Wolf and later find yourself at the edge of 4-shaft complexity, the upgrade path exists on the same hardware.

The David III arrives with 8 shafts and 10 treadles already installed. You do not add to it; you sit down and draft 8-shaft patterns from the first warp.

Close-up of warp and weft threads interlacing on a floor loom, showing the weave structure forming as the shuttle passes through the shed between parallel warp ends — Warp threads interlacing with weft as cloth forms on the loom. The number of shafts in the loom does not change how individual threads cross; it determines how many independent groups of warp can be raised or lowered simultaneously, and therefore which weave structures are possible. *Photo: Karola G (kaboompics.com) via Pexels. Pexels License.*

Which loom takes up less room, the Baby Wolf or the David III?

The David III, by about 20 inches of depth. The Baby Wolf assembles to 54 inches deep. The Louet David III (David 70 and David 90 models) assembles to 33.5 inches. That is a 20.5-inch difference, roughly the width of a standard interior door.

In practice: a Baby Wolf needs at least 5 feet of clear space in front of the loom to sit and weave comfortably, plus the loom’s own depth behind the breast beam. In a 10 × 10 foot spare room, that allocation fills most of the usable length. The David III’s 33.5-inch depth gives you close to an extra foot by comparison, in the same space.

The Baby Wolf folds to a footprint that passes through a 30-inch doorway. That fold is for moving the loom between rooms or transporting it, not for storage. Unfolded for weaving, it is a 54-inch-deep machine that occupies floor space for the duration of the project.

The David III does not fold. It is a stationary studio loom. At 66 pounds for the narrow model, two people can move it short distances, but it is expected to stay in one spot. Its depth advantage is not about portability; it is about how much of the room it claims while in use.

If depth is a real constraint in your space, the David III wins by a margin that is not close.

Interior of a 19th-century weaving workshop in Appenzell canton Switzerland, showing multiple floor looms installed side by side with weavers at work on narrow upright frames — A weaving workshop in the canton of Appenzell, Switzerland, c. 1850. When floor looms share a room, depth determines how many fit. The Louet David III's 33.5-inch assembled depth allows a more comfortable studio arrangement than the Baby Wolf's 54 inches. *Kaspar Burkhardt (1810–1882) / ETH Zürich via Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain.*

Does the Baby Wolf or the David III have lighter treadle action?

Owner accounts consistently give the edge to the David III, whose spring-assisted sinking shed feels lighter than the Baby Wolf’s rising-shed jack action. The Baby Wolf is a rising-shed jack loom. Pressing a treadle raises the connected shaft: the activated warp threads move up, opening the shed through which the shuttle passes. This is the mechanism in most North American floor looms, including the Macomber, the Nilus II, and the Wolf Pup LT. Owner accounts describe the Baby Wolf’s action as predictable: lighter than a Macomber or Nilus but heavier than a Toika or Glimakra countermarche.

The Louet David III uses a sinking-shed mechanism with spring-loaded assistance. The springs serve two purposes: they return the shafts after the treadle releases, and they reduce the peak force required to depress the treadle in the first place. The result, consistently described in owner accounts, is a lighter, more continuous treadle feel: less like pressing a lever against resistance and more like a consistent push through the full travel.

For a weaver logging four or more hours at the loom in a session, treadle weight accumulates into fatigue. The David III’s spring assist reduces that load measurably. Weavers with joint concerns (knee or ankle trouble that makes sustained treadle depression tiring) frequently cite the mechanism as a factor in choosing the David III over other looms.

Neither mechanism produces better cloth. They both open the shed for the shuttle. The difference is ergonomic.

Grouped bar chart comparing the Baby Wolf (madder bars) and the Louet David III (indigo bars) across price, weaving width, shafts, treadles, and assembled depth. The David III leads on shafts, treadles, and price, and runs about 20 inches shallower; the two are near-even on weaving width. — Five specs side by side, each scaled to its own range so the longer bar shows which loom leads. The David III carries twice the shafts and treadles and runs roughly 20 inches shallower, while the Baby Wolf wins decisively on price. *Wool Hall original diagram.*

Is the David III worth $2,700 more than the Baby Wolf?

It depends on whether you need 8 shafts, a shallower studio footprint, and lighter treadling, because that is what the gap buys. The David III costs $2,701 more than the Baby Wolf at comparable weaving widths: $5,087 for the David 70 (27.6”) versus $2,386 for the Baby Wolf 26”. The three things that gap buys are four more shafts, twenty fewer inches of depth, and a lighter treadle mechanism. Whether those three things are worth $2,701 depends on the individual weaver.

The case for the David III: you plan to stay on this loom for a decade or more, you intend to weave 8-shaft structures, your studio benefits from the shallower footprint, and treadle ergonomics matter to your practice. Bought new and used for twenty years, the David III’s cost-per-year is lower than the sticker suggests.

The case for the Baby Wolf: four shafts covers your weaving now and for the foreseeable future, the $2,386 entry fits your budget, and you can add shafts later via Four-Now-Four-Later if you reach that point. A Baby Wolf bought carefully and used well for fifteen years is its own good investment.

A used Baby Wolf at $900 to $1,400 is a third option worth naming. It buys a serious hard-maple floor loom (4 shafts, US-made, parts and service through Schacht) without the full new price. If the goal is to determine whether floor loom weaving warrants a major purchase before committing, a well-inspected used Baby Wolf is a reasonable entry. The David III’s secondary-market prices rarely fall below $3,000; there is no equivalent used-market shortcut.

18th-century wooden floor loom with two harnesses from Crete showing the heddle frames warp beam and frame structure used in traditional Greek weaving — 18th-century floor loom from Crete, two shafts, wooden frame. The fundamental structure (warp beam, shafts, treadles, breast beam) has not changed in centuries. What changes between a Baby Wolf and a Louet David III is the engineering refinement: shaft count, mechanism, material, and how far the loom reaches into the room. *SEN Heritage Looms (Sophia Tsourinaki) via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0.*

Which loom to buy

Both are well-made looms that will produce good cloth for as long as you weave on them. The decision is specific to where your weaving is now and where you expect it to go.

Choose the Baby Wolf ($2,386) if:

Four shafts covers your current and near-future weaving plans
Budget matters: the $2,386 entry is reasonable, and the Four-Now-Four-Later upgrade preserves optionality
You want a US-made hardwood loom with a strong dealer and parts network
The 54-inch depth is manageable in your space

Choose the Louet David III (from $5,087) if:

You weave or plan to weave 8-shaft structures: deflected doubleweave, 8-shaft twills, networked drafts
Your studio benefits from the 33.5-inch depth
Treadle ergonomics are a priority: long sessions or joint concerns
You are prepared for a 16-to-18-week wait and a Netherlands-built loom

A weaver coming from a rigid heddle loom or buying their first floor loom usually lands on the Baby Wolf. The David III is the right loom for a weaver who already knows they need 8 shafts and a shallower profile, and who is ready for the price and the wait. If width between 18 and 26 inches is still an open question, the Baby Wolf vs Wolf Pup comparison is the place to start before this one.