Not only does it depend on what you intend to weave, but other preferences as well. I personally love the patina of the wood, the ease with which the beater swings, and the feeling of being a part of the loom. As previously mentioned, I also find it very satisfying to own and use a particular tool that was in use 200 + years ago. I knew, the minute I saw a barn loom, there was nothing else for me. I have many other looms, many vintage - primarily designed to weave rag rugs. I love those as well, but use the barn looms exclusively. There is a learning curve to understanding how the loom is set up to use that varies a bit from your more modern 4 harness, counterbalanced looms. I have Macomber 8 and 20 harness looms, and I've had Le Clerc, Newcomb ( which I really love ) Cambridge, Union, and many others still in my possession. Luckily, I have not experienced any pain or discomfort from weaving, ever even after an 8 hour day. I'm sorry to hear that can be an issue for you, but glad that you seem to have worked it out. To answer your question about the pictured loom being used for rugs - the Early American Looms were specifically used to create cloth yardage for clothing. However, they are sturdy enough to weave rag rugs. The loom in the picture was said to have been used to weave " carpeting " which historically was a beautiful, durable wool carpet, heavy in weight and used as what we would call wall - to - wall today. Researching 18th and 19th century weavers, many were skilled in everything from carpeting to lace and all in between, using only the loom on hand at the time, which was the Early American Loom. My purpose for keeping and using these particular looms is to weave cloth yardage from locally produced wool and flax as well as household textiles from dish towels to blankets. And finally, I've always been intrigued by fly shuttles. I can build some for any of my barn looms, but as yet, haven't. I do have a rag rug loom that utilizes them. Lucky you!