George, I think your plan is great. I don't have your difficulties, however, as a life long die maker and woodworker I see no problem to you operating a lathe. The secret is getting the lathe close enough to you. I suggest: 1. Using a mini or midi lathe. 2. Mounting it onto a custom made table that will position it in and just above your lap. This will necessitate... 3. Using a chair with no arms while turning. If you can do these three things then I believe there is no reason that you can't become an accomplished metal and/or wood turner as good as any. Keep me posted on your plans and If I can assist in the construction of any of the above, let me know. Bob
I was thinking that perhaps after recovering from tonight's Party I would attempt to turn something over a dead slow lathe, while sitting, just to see what it feels like.
Mini lathe might be the ticket.
The thought of using a metal lathe also came to mind since the cutter is mounted in a vise, so holding it would not be a bother if moving about is difficult. Not the best for woodturning but some dandy brass/copper/bronze items could be made, though.
J.
Bob Woofter wrote:
life long die maker and woodworker I see no problem to you operating a lathe.
above your lap. This will necessitate...
can't become an accomplished metal and/or wood turner as good as any.
Some thoughts come to mind. Nichols used to build lathes for people in wheel chairs. I believe they are no longer in business but the possibility is certainly there. As I recall, the adds were some pretty huge machines and most of us, in wheelchairs or not, do not really need a machine that turns a
48" bowl. A mini lathe on a table that suspends over a lap seems more my speed. Actually a solid surface suspended on sturdy legs well enough apart to get a wheel chair under begins to have possibilities. If the legs were cast iron or concrete they could absorb a lot of vibration. Also, there was a woman in California, I think it was, who did some great wood turning on a metal lathe using the tool holder and manipulating the x, y axes. Michelle Holtsappfel I think but these senior moments are catching up.
In an earlier discussion of this same problem, it was suggested that the lathe be tilted toward the operator. This is spacially equivalent to a person with the use of his/her legs standing and leaning over the lathe.
Another point occurs to me. I frequently reverse my lathe rotation, and cut on the back side. This makes it easy to hold the tool and see what is happening inside a bowl. So, I am suggesting that you make sure your lathe has reversibe rotation.
Thank you Bob, John, and all. You guys have some good ideas. I'm going to do a little planning and then get started. I'll let you know how things progress
==================== Bob, As one who has spent the last 6 years in a whel chair, let me recommend you NOT get one of the popular mini/ midi lathes (with motor underneath) for wheel chair turning unless youi expect to do a lot of modification to mounting it. In it's normal configuration atop a table/bench, the centerline of the spindle will be more on level with your shoulder than your elbow as recommended by most turners. So, unless you want to adopt an unstable "side arm" style of turning, look for a set up where you can tilt/ rotate the lathe forward to near horizontal (like mounted on a vertical wall or cabinet). Then the problem becomes how to mount your banjo and toolrest. Otherwise, the ideal would be a small lathe, 9-10 in swing with the motor mounted to the rear. The lathe would be mounted over a pair of pedestals allowing the lathe to drop into the users lap. Other considerations: 1) keeping shavings away from the wheels, as they tend to lock up the wheels, especially the small ones up front; 2) lack of side to side mobility, meaning modification of the "turners sway"; 3) difficulty in doing deep or closed forms; the list goes on, but you'll have to adapt to your individual lathe/shop characteristics. HTH
Just came upstairs to dinner after having tried the seated turning. I was somewhat apprehensive but in the end produced a respectable Christmas tree ornament from a scrap of red oak.
Tinkered with height adjustments for a dinner table chair - blocked up on blocks and two-bys. While I did not feel entirely comfortable -- mostly because I couldn't get my legs underneath the lathe bed -- with freshly sharpened chisels and some light cuts, it worked out okay. I think the inconvenient posturing would be much alleviated by being able to get my body around and under the lathe more readily.
I conclude that a bench/midi lathe rather than a full floor model would serve well if you could construct some sort of wall mounted, adjustable height stand. But pay strict attention to vibration and shaking, and tolerate substantially less than you might for a "stand up" lathe. You want the mount to be rock stable, I should think, if you're effectively going to be putting one of these tools in your lap. Alternatively, outboard faceplate turning with a floor model lathe might even be simpler, provided you have a separate, floorstanding toolrest around which you could position the chair. I did not try this tonight but it seems to me that it would work out just fine.
Last suggestion would be to use a chair having at least thigh-high sides so as to help the turner to maintain his seat, literally. But with sides not so high as to bump up against the lathe. Presumably a wheelchair bound person would not be able to feel himself slipping off the chair sideways, or at least would not want to have to concentrate on that as well as on the turning. I observed this directly because of the blocked up chair upon which I sat. Very distracting. Lock your wheels, too.
In sum, I have been intrigued by the prospect of trying this. My stock equipment is entirely inappropriate for the task but I see no reason why you could not succeed if you're willing to do some trial and error design and redesign. Looks like there's a community of wheelchair turners out there too, judging from some of the other responses.
BTW, a friend at last night's party made a suggestion about what you said about the tablesaw not working out too well for you. He recommended a panel saw instead. Maybe that'll get you the rip and cross cuts you want by moving the saw instead of the workpiece. If need be you could clean up the cuts on a router table with a shaper-style fence.
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