Do you have a penturning malady?

[cbb007]

I have been making pens for about 5 months now and I have developed tennis elbow. I imagine it is from the constant pressure working on the lathe.

I have also had rheumatoid arthritis, so I imagine I have a pre-disposition to something like tennis elbow.

I don't make a lot of pens, maybe 2 to 4 a week, and after making a pen my elbow and forearm hurt worse. The majority of pens I make are acrylics, which take more work, but I like them better.

It hurts enough that when I pick up something so light as the suger bowl - maybe a pound - it hurts, and I have to be careful that I don't drop it. I bought a gallon of milk at the store yesterday and I couldn't carry it with my right hand.

I'm just curious as to whether anyone else has developed something like this...I want to know what I have to look forward to....

See you later --- I have to go make a pen.

Clay

 

[JimB]

You might find that changing the height of the lathe will help or taking a small step towards or away from the lathe to change the angle your arm is bent at will help.

Also, if you are using your arms to move the tool across the blank, that could be your problem. Your arms should stay in place and your body should move. You keep your feet planted in one spot and kind of sway your body to the side. I've heard some turners call this the 'turner's dance'. If you are right-handed, your right arm should be tucked against your body and your left hand at the tool rest. If you sway right to left your arms stay in that position and slide the tool across the tool rest and the blank. This will also give you better tool control as you are maintaining a consistant angle and distance with the tool.

 

[rwyoung]

I occasionally get "mouse elbow", occupational hazard since I wrangle electrons all day.

But more to the point, it has happened less frequently since I made a concerted effort at posture and not taking a death-grip on the mouse. Same would go for any other task. A firm grip on the lathe tools but nothing white-knuckle.

 

[Steve Busey]

I don't have any problems doing pens, but I tried to finish up a roughed out bowl a couple weeks ago, and my shoulder is still giving me fits. :frown:

 

[Fred]

My biggest "malady" is that I don't have enough money to do what I want to do!

And as has been stated on the Forum time and time again ... there ain't no cure!

 

[leehljp]

Malady: for me - the dust and fumes from CA. I used CA for two years with no problem. Then in about 4 months went from mild to severe allergic reaction. Now I use a dual canister mask, a face shield, a DC system, long sleeve shirts, gloves and take an allergy pill before turning.

 

[wdcav1952]

Clay,

I had tennis elbow a number of years ago from extracting too many teeth. (Why to I open myself up to ridicule????) I tried the steroid injections which I DO NOT recommend. I got relief using this device https://secure.cho-pat.com/products/product.php?product_type=2 and doing a series of exercises to strengthen the joint. I definitely understand the pain. If someone with a strong grip shook hands with me I would almost drop to the floor. I started keeping my right hand in my pocket when I went to meetings to avoid instinctively shaking hands with people. The brace and the exercises got me through it and I haven't had any problems for years.

 

[mostangrypirate]

I do have anger issues. I guess it could be called a malady. some times if you were to stand outside the door to my shop and just listen. you would think that pen turning is the thing I hate most in life. just yesterday, my nieghbor came running over asking if I cut my finger off. I WISH!!!!! was my reply. as far as yours goes...I would say you need to relax a bit. let the tool lay in your hand, instead of trying to choke the dreadful thing.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I have been making pens for about 5 months now and I have developed tennis elbow. I imagine it is from the constant pressure working on the lathe.

I have also had rheumatoid arthritis, so I imagine I have a pre-disposition to something like tennis elbow.

Clay

Don't have problems with the elbow, but seem to have a touch of carpel tunnel in the left wrist... I do more bowl turning than pens and do some pressure with the left hand holding the bowl gouges.

I occasionally get "mouse elbow", occupational hazard since I wrangle electrons all day.

After a few hours on the computer, my mouse "shoulder" feels like I've been lifting weights all night...

 

[Chris Bar]

Had similar problems but the steroids seemed to help elbow...but shoulder is a different matter. Might be a cervical disc/nerve problem and not really your elbow. See a sawbones before you mess yourself up.

 

[TBone]

Clay,

I had tennis elbow a number of years ago from extracting too many teeth. (Why to I open myself up to ridicule????) I tried the steroid injections which I DO NOT recommend. I got relief using this device https://secure.cho-pat.com/products/product.php?product_type=2 and doing a series of exercises to strengthen the joint. I definitely understand the pain. If someone with a strong grip shook hands with me I would almost drop to the floor. I started keeping my right hand in my pocket when I went to meetings to avoid instinctively shaking hands with people. The brace and the exercises got me through it and I haven't had any problems for years.

Another vote for the brace for tennis elbow. I wore mine for about 6 months after injuring mine moving an entertainment system with the tv still inside. I don't need it full time now, but it definitely helps.

 

[GouletPens]

If you're using 'pen turning' chisels, I would suggest turning some much larger diameter handles. The ones for the pen turning chisels are tiny and even hurt my arm and I'm young and healthy. My full-size lathe chisels don't give me this problem, which is why I stick to them most of the time.