Lathe height

Pretty good rule, the elbow. Turners of bowls who don't rest the tool at centerline like them a bit higher, so they can use long-handled tools braced against their hips. I have to turn over the bed exclusively, so my tools are always pretty much in the same position.

Which brings us to the second part - use the legs you have gratefully. You sacrifice a lot of delicate "body English" by placing your butt on an immovable object. if you're still having back problems, try the old trick of putting one foot up on a low stool while you're doing fairly static things and/or keep a couple styles of footwear available so you can change and load your feet differently. I rest a foot while sanding, and sometimes while hogging, and can hold my old body in front for as long as my bladder can stand it.

Dave

If your body is sore after turning you are not going to do allot or enjoy it as much as when you feel well after. If you find that you get a stiff back while turning, by all means raise the hight, I'm 5'9 and had to raise my lathe 5" to make it easy on the back. Also, I do have a stool to sit on, but usually it is used when finishing or when I am working on small turnings. If you find the lathe to high for some turning then just make a wooden box/bench to stand on to raise the hight of the floor.

My 2 cents.

James

Dave jacks> Hi,

Elbow height is good. Assuming you don't normally have back trouble, that will probably ease the back ache considerably. Been there, done that. You might also try getting a bench mat to stand on.

That is a big rise. Depending on the size and weight of what you are turning, you may want to thow away the current stand and build a heavy duty bench that will put your lathe at the desired height.

Not me. IMO it would restrict movement too much. For me, turning is very much a whole body skill, much of the movement coming from the legs. No doubt if you can only sit, you will learn to overcome the lack of mobility, but I think it would make many tasks very difficult, inefficient and tiresome.

The trouble, in my opinion, would be to find a "bar" that doesn't mind the wood chips and sawdust on everything!

Many of us are better than 6' so we face the same problems. Many of us are getting older as well, so the back problem is shared as well. Derek is right about the mat, but standing on a box isn't a good answer to the problem. Unless the box is the size of the area in front of your lathe you won't be able to shift your weight properly as you move your tools. Then there's the "falling with sharp tools in hand" problem. Raise the lathe and avoid all the pain. My back hurts less after I turn due to the Tai Chi (sp) type lunges done while turning. You can't do much motion sitting on a bar stool. Except the one that takes us back to "falling with sharp tools in hand".

Dave in Fairfax

I have the same lathe and the stand mine came with was way to low.

I mounted mine to my bench where the base sits ~waist high which works out pretty close for elbow height.

I wouldn't worry about the 10" part. Just get it up at the right hight for you to be able to stand up while you work the wood.

You might be able to do the right thing on a stool but I've personally found that it is easiest to hold your uppper body in position and then shift your weight to move up and down the stock....and for me that is easiest done standing.

Another thing that might help is a floor mat. Standing on concrete (if you are) puts quite a strain on legs and back. I tossed down several old throw rugs and things are much better now. Another possibility is a stall mat. These are available at tack shops and are used in horse stalls.

You can also watch the good will stores for the interlocking mats used in kids room. Mine has letters and numbers with different colors. If you get extras the pad can be used to make rubber sanding disks.