So I have a buddy of mine who is is not as mobile as the majority of us. My question is, is it possible for him to be a wood turner in the normal fashion, or should he stick to smaller projects, ie: pens ect?
I think a full size lathe may be too much for him in his chair, but I may be wrong? I have been prodding him to find himself some more hobbies and he already loves to work with wood, so I thought this may be a natural transaction. I just would like to know what you other wood turners may think before I push too hard for him to take this up?
Several years ago, John Nichols was building lathes (BIG LATHES) specifically for disabled turners. I remember seeing him demonstrating from a wheel chair. Unhappily John is no longer building machines but I think that he proved that there would be a market and that a disability frequently means only that the person needs to work harder or differently to accomplish a task.
Hi Tim, I personally think that anyone with desire, determination and will, should persue whatever their goal or mind is set to. It is better to have tried and failed than to have never tried and always wondering ( could I have done that). I think that if you were to look into a turning club, you may find that they would welcome giving him a try at a larger machine, so as not to make the large investment and he could also get a lot of info before hand. This individual may just become as astute at woodturning larger projects and perhaps as famous as Ray Allen.
I am not permanently disabled, but I've had some trouble with my right foot that makes it difficult for me to stand for long periods of time. As a consequence, I do a lot of my turning while sitting on a shop stool with a rotating seat.
This works fairly well, but it is not ideal. For one thing you're forced often to use your arms in awkward ways where you would normally use your whole body. For example, long sweeping cuts into a bowl are difficult. so I often do stand up to make certain cuts.
Be that as it may, I think it would not be impossible at all for your friend to turn at a full size lathe. In fact I think the major consideration is being able to sit close enough to the work to have sufficent leverage for large-scale turning. Perhaps a lathe with a stand that allows his chair to slide part of the way under the lathe bed would help.
In the UK at my club (Wight Woodturners) we had the pleasure of seeing Tony Wilson demonstrate from his wheelchair. Apart from having a Hegner lathe reduced in height and extra wheels fitted to the front of his chair (To stop it tipping forwards) he was able to hold the group enthralled for several hours.
Another alternative I have seen was a swivelling stool fixed under the centre point of the headstock for the turner and athletics rings hanging from the ceiling to allow the turner to raise himself into the seat.
Possible ideas?
Regards, Peter Charles Fagg Freshwater, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom.
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Each can do but little! But if each DID that little, ALL would be done!
That's the real difference, I think. According to disability, your friend may not be able to employ the invaluable "body English" that makes some cuts easier. That, and the fact that a lot of tools have exceptionally long handles may pose a problem for him, though with spindle technique, even bowls can be cut with short-handled tools. Not sure if I'd suggest a rotating or sliding headstock. Probably rotating, as it demands less floor space.
It seems to me that the Nichols lathe designed for wheel chair bound turners had the top surface of the ways tilted toward the turner rather than horizontal. I also seem to remember that the tailstock lock down and the banjo lock down were operated hydraulically.
I've been giving that some thought and I think there's a solution if someone is interested in picking it up and running with it. A bolt-onto-the lathe-bench, dual-tracked bar system that allows a chair (cycolac or whatever) to ride along the track and pivot at the same time. That would allow the sweeping moves and the changes in angle of attack that are required to easily do the turning. It isn't a very complicated thing to setup and shouldn't be very expensive, but is far better than merely placing a wheelchair in front of a lathe.
I have a friend that has a full workshop, all set for his chair height. A lathe, Table Saw, Jointer, etc. He does great work, anything from pens to arrows to....
In one of our labs we used to have wheeled stool with a back rest. Don't know where to find them now. Could actually make a "raking" motion easier. :-)
I picture something like a Jet Mini, mounted on a table like the ones you est off of in a hospital bed..
You could use it standing or sitting, move around it or have it move around you... adjustable height could be pump, crank or electric?
Some cuts or angles might be difficult, but so is life adapting to a handicap.. if he has a "give in, not up" (Chuck Yeager) attitude, he'll find lots of things that he can enjoy making on the lathe..
Hi Tim, good post & thread. We need to revisit this aspect of the turning life often.
For years kitchens, baths and boats have been designed for use by the disabled. There may be some expertise available there. Also occupational therapists and even OSHA might possibly offer some ideas. I'm sure Lyn M. could help you or aim you toward a source. Handles, levers, switches, and sophisticated feedback elements come to mind.
Hi Dave, You have have gone beyond a travelling steady or captured tool shank system or tool gate and invented a way to put people in them. :) (in no way meaning to make fun of disabilities, not with my advanced spinal stenosis) Did I hear someone say... "and cerebral stenosis!"
I had a cervical (neck) spinal cord injury 10 years ago. This left me with Paralysis of my left arm, left leg and loss of sensation on my right leg. I was an engineer before my injury, so i am comfortable & respectful around machinery Lathes, bandsaws etc. I have been turning for Two years now. It just takes some forethought! I built a work bench at the height of a gas operated office chair. On my bench i put my lathe, bench grinder(with sharpening system) & my bandsaw. I can propel my self with my R/leg along my bench to each machine. I can also sit in my wheelchair at the bench, as the height is such that my knees are safely under the bench. I have limited use in my left hand,but my right is good. I don't find any restrictions when using chisels. It is just a matter of body position before you get started. I also have a full sized lathe. What's important, is that the head stock can be rotated. Mine can be rotated and locked at 60,90,180 degrees. This enables the user to keep good posture without having to lean unnaturally. Without knowing his background or his disability, it is hard to know what to recommend. But when you have a disability you always find a way to do things. If it would help, you or your friend can e-mail me. I can send photos of my setup.
========================== Tim, In the Spring of 2000, I developed a neurological condition that affected my entire body, but specifically attacked the Quadricep muscle in my right leg. Lost 125 pounds (325 to 200), and completely lost use of my right leg. Went from healthy to wheel chair over a about a 4 month period. I was a turner before all this started, so as soon as my physical therapy allowed me to get to my shop and sit on a stool without sprawling on the floor, I got started again. Still spend most of my time in the wheel chair, but I've regained some function. Some things you need to know:
Turning residue is a problem, since small wheels tend to stop you --suddenly! So position a shop vacuum close at hand and clean your movement path often.
You need a stand or bench that allows your knees to go under without interference, but it needs to be very close to your lap height -wise, to get the lathe down as low as possible. Either raise the chair on a platform or lower the bench/stand.
Table top to spindle center distance is critical if you are going to operate the lathe in a "normal" configuration from a wheel chair ! You need a lathe with the motor behind the headstock, not under it, as this loses a lot of valuable working area. Most turners will tell you spindle center should be at or near elbow height. For most seated people, elbow height is only 4-6 inches above their lap. This means you'll need a small lathe or adapt youself.
If you can get on a stool, you can turn "side saddle". Depending on spindle height, you may have to learn to turn "side-arm"(elbow elevated and away from your body).
You won't be able to do the "turner's sway", so you'll need to take lighter cuts with attention to cutting angles to prevent monster catches and poor surface quality (but you should do that anyway :-)).
If you want to go to a big lathe, you'll probably need to build a bench or big heavy streel stand with a sloped top that will allow the head stock to tilt toward you. Rember all the dynamic forces that go with big pieces turning on big lathes, and remember that these forces aren't going to be transmitted directly thru the normal direction the lathe was designed for.
My current lathe is a Jet 1236 clone. (Original was a Sears monotube) Both have advantageous base to spindle centerline distance. I used the Sears on a bench top, 3/4 MDF over 3/4 CDX plywood. I'm using the Jet clone on the factory stand that has been mounted on a plywood base. A platform is needed to raise my chair up close under the front of the stand. ( Be sure if you use a platform you have a rail to prevent the chair accidently backing off.) The stand back and ends are re-enforced with 3/4 plywood. This set-up with the rotating headstock allows pretty good access and the vibration has lessened since adding the plywood, especially if the piece is cut to near balance state on the bandsaw.
There are some other things that would have to be considered on a case by case situation.
It took me a while to reply to your query, I have been trying to put myself in a position where I sit in a chair and do some wood turning, and I think there are a few ways that your friend could do some turning. If one would use a office desk or some setup like that, where the desk is low enough, and the chair can be wheeled up against it, his legs under, and so that a small lathe like a Jet mini could sit right close to him, he would be able to turn al kinds of spindle stuff, like pens, bottle stoppers, pepper grinders, tops, whistles, etc., the list is endless. For bowls and hollow turning, it would be more of a challenge, but a small lathe that can have the head stock on the end and the end of the lathe facing him, he should be able to make a go of it. On and off switches can be had to use with power tools, I myself turn on the end of my lathe mostly and use a air powered switch, the tool plugs into it and by pressing a air bulb you turn on and off the power, the air bulb is connected by a plastic hose so there is no danger with electric wires, Lee Valley carries them, I have one on my lathe at least
5 years and never had a problem yet. Anyway, the biggest problem I can see is to get the lathe low enough so that he can use his arm and upper body to control the tools.
Thank you very much everybody for all the info that has been presented here. I had no idea how many options there really were for him. I will put forth all the info to him that I have so far and see what we can come up with.
I can't stand up for more than a couple minutes at at ime. I still turn and make furniture. granted, I'm a lot slower than before, but I can still do everything I did before my injury. I do have an assistant to help me move around big lumber (into the planer, SCMS, etx), but once the stuff is more or less dimensioned, I just hold it in my lap and wheel it to where I need it...
I have Muscular Dystrophy, it is just starting to affect my legs and arms. I too have problems with the big stuff but my wife helps me. I am using a Jet Mini now but I am thinking of switching to a bigger lathe as when I do get into my wheelchair (powered seat) it will be easier to bet closer to the lathe.
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