Turning for the disabled.

[Band Saw Box]

I've been giving this some thought ever since I been using crutches to get around and sitting on a stool rather then standing to turn. I've been thinking about someone who maybe confined to a wheelchair is there a way for them to turn. Looking on line it seams most if not all lathe stands are ment to used standing and even if a wheelchair could fit under a stand the height of a lathe would still be too high. I don't know about the engineering behind it but could a low boy lathe be built? Just a thought.

 

[mbroberg]

There are stands built for turners who either want to or have to sit at the lathe. I saw one several years ago at the MPG but I cannot recall who manufactured it.

 

[MarkD]

There are probably others but here is a sit down lathe:
Oneway 1236 SD Sit Down Lathe | Oneway Lathes

 

[walshjp17]

Robust also makes a lathe for seated turners - the Independence.

Robust Woodturning Lathes: 25" American Beauty, Sweet 16 and the Tilt Away Tailstock Attachment

 

[ashaw]

Here is a link to popular woodworking discussing this very topic. It is from 2007 but has some interesting ideas.

Woodworking Machines Accessible for Everyone - Popular Woodworking Magazine

 

[rholiday]

Here's a link to Hunt County Woodworkers plans.

Sit-Down Lathe

Or you can google --> sit down lathe Hunt county woodworkers

 

[Band Saw Box]

Glad to see there are lathes out there for sit down turning as well as other woodworking too. Some great links and information. Thanks for the reply's

 

[stonepecker]

I seen a Delta stand that had been designed for someone seated in a wheel chair. The stand was cut and I believe set at a 30 degree angle towards the turner. I got to sit at it and I thought it was confortable. I wasn't allowed to turn it on as the owner wasn't there at the time.

The one drawback I could see was having everything within hands reach but I am sure that could be dealt with easy enough.

 

[mark james]

There are stands built for turners who either want to or have to sit at the lathe. I saw one several years ago at the MPG but I cannot recall who manufactured it.

Bob Jackson bought one there - check with him.

 

[KenV]

Dan -- Doing most most my turning sitting because of arthritis (arthritis and corrosion never sleep), I find the lathe arrangement is less the difference than the approach and techniques. Most training in tool handling goes away with the limited mobility.

Being largely restricted to upper body movement, and not being able to hold tools close and move the body makes many cuts very different from the standard recommendations and training. Having your body mass mostly fixed, makes the flow of movements less fluid.

Carbide and shorter handles can be a friend, and shorter handles in general work better. I use smaller tooling than I used to use normally.

Grab a stool or a drummers throne and get turning while sitting by the lathe. You can do it -- and will appreciate it more when you can use your whole body.

 

[Band Saw Box]

Ken I have don't it. I'm using my shop stool I learned that I can do it fairly well now that I've turned about 6 blanks. I posted this because I was really wondering about folks who have to choose but to sit. I was glad to learn that there was lathes or stands out there to help those folks.

 

[Ligget]

I cannot stand for long periods, my workshop has a couple of stools I use for turning at the lathe or drilling blanks at the drill press, they are no very comfortable but better than nothing.

 

[Curly]

Vicmarc also mak a sit down lathe, the VL200. I don't know if it is imported to North America but it is a good starting point if you want some ideas for making your own setup.

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

The main difference is the banjo, as it comes out at an angle to be able to lower the tool rest to a workable height. Have seen a few that were home modified, basically the bed was turned 90degrees upright and a new banjo made in a right angle to take the existing one so that existing tool rests could be used. The switch gear needs to be moved or altered so that it is easy to reach.
Kryn

 

[oneleggimp]

I turn sitting down in a wheelchair since I am a full-time wheelchair user. I have also found that shorter handles are definitely my friend. I just got a set of BB HSS Midi tools for Christmas and I like the short handles a lot. When I first got restarted last June (I had turned as a TAB before I became disabled and my whole shop got sold because I couldn't get down the basement to use the tools (lathe, drill press, band saw). Last June I got a HF VS Midi Lathe for Father's Day and am turning pens upstairs. I bought a couple of PSI Carbide Tools (Gouge and Skew). They also have short handles. When I got started back turning pens last June someone gave me a Rockler chisel with an indexable square carbide cutter. The handle was far too long to work for me and I have since given the Rockler long handled Carbide "Rougher" to a Lodge Brother (TAB [Temporarily Able Bodied]) which is gimp speak for anyone is not (yet) disabled. I made it to 54 as a TAB and just celebrated my 17th year as a Gimp. I just set-up a grinding station (Rikon 8" slow speed grinder with Wolverine Jig) and set-it up low so I can see the chisel relation to the wheels. I do like the looks of the Robust Independence lathe but like almost everything especially made for PWDs (persons with disabilities) from wheelchairs on to lathes, they are much more expensive than it seems they should be. That includes the Robust Independence at over Five Thousand dollars and the OneWay at around Three Thousand.

 

[dogcatcher]

I use a walker t get around, I sit on a stool for my woodturning. I bought a surplus desk from one f the local colleges and have my lathe mounted on it. I can pretty well turn everything I want to turn.