Kevin,

Here are two different suggestions:

Make the lathe be 2-4" above the elbow. Again, hunching will cause to to
over-compensate in other ways, like a tight grip.

Buy a dead center from Delta or Oneway and use it as your headstock driver
when turning between centers. If you get a catch because of poor tool
presentation, the wood will just stop spinning. Consequently, it will force
you to make better cuts with proper tool presentation.

I also echo the "get assistance" advice. Contact the local clubs in your
area and ask to visit a club veteran. Many clubs have mentoring systems in
place to assist new turners free of charge.

Joe Fleming - San Diego



"Kevin" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

I got a new lathe a little over a month ago and have noticed a few things
that I would appreciate some comments on - in particular physical
strains/difficulties.

When turning I tend to hang on to the tool- be it a skew, gouge, or
scraper - like grim death. Within a couple weeks, I've noticed a pain in
my
upper back/neck area. I assume this is at least in part due to how
tightly
I am gripping the tool handle.I use an overhand grip on the tool and my
little finger is pressed against the tool rest. After a time, my whole
hand
becomes numb.

Have any of you also experienced these discomforts? If so, how did you
deal
with them?

Thanks,
-k