"slipslidinaway" wrote in message
...
Severe back problems force me to ask this--can turning be done from a
sitting position? What kind of noise issues can I expect?
===========================
Yes , you can turn sitting down. I've been doing it from a wheel chair for
the past 4 years now, but it requires some pretty radical changes compared
to standing turners.

First, you have to choose the equipment wisely. Since you'll have to get
your legs underneath the lathe, you have to select one where the spindle to
lap distance is not excessive. Most of the "mini" lathes have the motors
mounted underneath, so, although they might seem a good choice initially, by
the time you figure in the height of the mounting surface (bench, stand,
etc.) your spindle is up near the level of your nose! You can tilt the lathe
toward you, but this redirects the "out of balance" forces away from the
straight up and down direction, so that can be problematical. Additionally,
you have to rig some way to position your tool rest, as the conventional way
won't work with the tilted lathe, at least not without some difficulty.

If you are already a turner, as I was prior to losing use of my legs, you
have to relearn tool use. The "turner's sway" is no longer an option, so you
have to learn to use more control without being able to hold the gouges in
against your body. That means you'll lose some of your power. Longer gouges
may pose a problem also, as they won't pass in front of you. If you're in a
wheel chair, you don't have much side to side movement available. If you're
in/on a wheeled/castered chair or stool, you have some side to side
movement, but risk sudden stops on floor shavings or debris.

So, yes, it can be done, but it's not as much fun as standing.

Ken Moon
Webberville, TX