Woodturning (rec.crafts.woodturning) To discuss tools, techniques, styles, materials, shows and competitions, education and educational materials related to woodturning. All skill levels are welcome, from art turners to production turners, beginners to masters.

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Default woodturning from a wheelchair- potential obstacles and solutions please!

Hello everyone. I'm brand new to this forum. I'm a 55 Y.O guy and a
fall from my roof 5 years left me in a wheelchair for the rest of my
life. I'm what the doctors call a T-8 complete paraplegic which means
there's no real feeling and no motor response to or from any nerves
below my 8th thoracic vertebrae. In laymen's terms, I'm paralyzed from
my mid chest down but I have full use of my arms and hands.
I was a decent woodworker before my accident and I've tried to work
in my shop from the wheelchair, but it's not working out too well.
Simple things like feeding stock thru a table saw is really difficult.
Four hands are needed to push the stock and push the wheelchair. I've
never done any turning before and I've been thinking that woodturning
may be more easily done from a wheelchair since there's not a lot of
moving around required. It's a hobby that I'd like to take up if the
obstacles are reasonably easy to overcome. One problem I can foresee
right away is that a lathe on a stand is way too high for me to work at
comfortably. I would need to build a lower height stand of some kind.
No real problem. I could handle that. Any advice would be helpful.
Is it worth it to try this out? Thanks.

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John
 
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Default woodturning from a wheelchair- potential obstacles and solutionsplease!

I shall have to ponder this a bit. In the meantime, have you considered
the scrollsaw? It (and fretwork) are the only woodworking that I do
sitting down so naturally it sprang to mind first.

J.

wrote:
Hello everyone. I'm brand new to this forum. I'm a 55 Y.O guy and a
fall from my roof 5 years left me in a wheelchair for the rest of my
life. I'm what the doctors call a T-8 complete paraplegic which means
there's no real feeling and no motor response to or from any nerves
below my 8th thoracic vertebrae. In laymen's terms, I'm paralyzed from
my mid chest down but I have full use of my arms and hands.
I was a decent woodworker before my accident and I've tried to work
in my shop from the wheelchair, but it's not working out too well.
Simple things like feeding stock thru a table saw is really difficult.
Four hands are needed to push the stock and push the wheelchair. I've
never done any turning before and I've been thinking that woodturning
may be more easily done from a wheelchair since there's not a lot of
moving around required. It's a hobby that I'd like to take up if the
obstacles are reasonably easy to overcome. One problem I can foresee
right away is that a lathe on a stand is way too high for me to work at
comfortably. I would need to build a lower height stand of some kind.
No real problem. I could handle that. Any advice would be helpful.
Is it worth it to try this out? Thanks.

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Chuck
 
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Default woodturning from a wheelchair- potential obstacles and solutions please!

On 31 Dec 2005 13:25:03 -0800, "
wrote:

George,

Hello everyone. I'm brand new to this forum. I'm a 55 Y.O guy and a
fall from my roof 5 years left me in a wheelchair for the rest of my


I'm sorry I can't remember their names, but I know there are a number
of woodturners who work from their wheelchair. If I'm not mistaken,
there is at least one who either used to or still does read and post
to this newsgroup on occasion.

Here are a couple sites you can take a look at:

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~pwguild/a-wchair.htm
http://www.ableworkshop.com/links.htm

One problem I can foresee
right away is that a lathe on a stand is way too high for me to work at
comfortably. I would need to build a lower height stand of some kind.


Seems like one of the mini lathes would be a good place to start, and
they are easily stable enough, at least my Jet is, to be useable on
almost any sort of stand you would care to put it on. Heck, even a
couple of planks stretched across two stacks of cement blocks would
work for the mini, in a pinch.

No real problem. I could handle that. Any advice would be helpful.
Is it worth it to try this out? Thanks.


Anything is worth a try, if it helps you do something you enjoy. For
the height of a standing woodturner, the rule of thumb is having the
spindle height roughly that of the elbows. I'm not positive that this
would be ideal for a seated woodturner, but it would be a good place
to start. Since there is a slight leverage disadvantage to being
seated over being standing, perhaps having the height a bit lower
would be easier. Just a thought.


--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply.


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Paul Loseby
 
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Default woodturning from a wheelchair- potential obstacles and solutions please!

One of the UK's most loved woodturning demonstrators is Tony Wilson
who is also in a wheelchair. Despite this, his work is fantastic and
he tackles large, small and unusual pieces. Nothing seems impossible
for him.

I don't know Tony's e-mail address but he works for ASK Tools near
Leeds. Their office e-mail is and I am sure
that they would pass any enquiry on to Tony.

Tony is an inspiration to all turners, disabled or not. If you have a
look at
http://www.burmastar.org.uk/issue5.pdf there is an article
from our woodturning club on Tony

Kindest regards and I hope you all have a wonderful 2006

Paul



On 31 Dec 2005 13:25:03 -0800, "
wrote:

Hello everyone. I'm brand new to this forum. I'm a 55 Y.O guy and a
fall from my roof 5 years left me in a wheelchair for the rest of my
life. I'm what the doctors call a T-8 complete paraplegic which means
there's no real feeling and no motor response to or from any nerves
below my 8th thoracic vertebrae. In laymen's terms, I'm paralyzed from
my mid chest down but I have full use of my arms and hands.
I was a decent woodworker before my accident and I've tried to work
in my shop from the wheelchair, but it's not working out too well.
Simple things like feeding stock thru a table saw is really difficult.
Four hands are needed to push the stock and push the wheelchair. I've
never done any turning before and I've been thinking that woodturning
may be more easily done from a wheelchair since there's not a lot of
moving around required. It's a hobby that I'd like to take up if the
obstacles are reasonably easy to overcome. One problem I can foresee
right away is that a lathe on a stand is way too high for me to work at
comfortably. I would need to build a lower height stand of some kind.
No real problem. I could handle that. Any advice would be helpful.
Is it worth it to try this out? Thanks.


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Posted to rec.crafts.woodturning
Tom D
 
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Default woodturning from a wheelchair- potential obstacles and solutions please!

I myself am a disabled woodturnerI can manage to stand at the lathe for
short periods so it is much easier for me. I attend Sheffield Northern
General spinal injuries hospital once a week for occupational therapy which
is where I got started on woodturning. The lathe there is mounted on a
metal table with adjustable sliding legs and a hydraulic car jack is fixed
at the back. In this way it can be adjusted to any height to suit those in
wheelchairs or those who can manage to stand. I have seen many people in
wheelchairs use this lathe (Myford Mystro) and they make a very good job of
it. Hope this may be of some help to you and a happy new year to you and
all the N.G.

Tom
wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello everyone. I'm brand new to this forum. I'm a 55 Y.O guy and a
fall from my roof 5 years left me in a wheelchair for the rest of my
life. I'm what the doctors call a T-8 complete paraplegic which means
there's no real feeling and no motor response to or from any nerves
below my 8th thoracic vertebrae. In laymen's terms, I'm paralyzed from
my mid chest down but I have full use of my arms and hands.
I was a decent woodworker before my accident and I've tried to work
in my shop from the wheelchair, but it's not working out too well.
Simple things like feeding stock thru a table saw is really difficult.
Four hands are needed to push the stock and push the wheelchair. I've
never done any turning before and I've been thinking that woodturning
may be more easily done from a wheelchair since there's not a lot of
moving around required. It's a hobby that I'd like to take up if the
obstacles are reasonably easy to overcome. One problem I can foresee
right away is that a lathe on a stand is way too high for me to work at
comfortably. I would need to build a lower height stand of some kind.
No real problem. I could handle that. Any advice would be helpful.
Is it worth it to try this out? Thanks.





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Ralph E Lindberg
 
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Default woodturning from a wheelchair- potential obstacles and solutions please!

In article .com,
" wrote:

Hello everyone. I'm brand new to this forum. I'm a 55 Y.O guy and a
fall from my roof 5 years left me in a wheelchair for the rest of my
life.


George

I have a good friend that does all his woodworking from his chair. As
Bob suggests, all his equipment is "small", he has a Jet Midi and a
small metal lathe, everything else (bandsaw, table, saw, etc) is all
bench mounted to allow complete access.

But then he also a master archer (from his chair)

Here's another "it can be done" advice

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George Hunt
 
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Default woodturning from a wheelchair- potential obstacles and solutions please!

Thank you all very much for your advice and encouragement. This
certainly sounds do-able. Time to get busy...

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Posted to rec.crafts.woodturning
Steve
 
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Default woodturning from a wheelchair- potential obstacles and solutions please!

George,
The gentleman who taught me turning (pens) was a very experienced
woodturner who used a jet mini lathe. I had only minor experience from
highschool over 20 years prior, and I will always thank him for his
patience and kindness. He had a real passion for the craft, and the
wheelchair wasn't an obstacle for him with this lathe.
All the best,
Steve

George Hunt wrote:

Thank you all very much for your advice and encouragement. This
certainly sounds do-able. Time to get busy...


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Posted to rec.crafts.woodturning
Walt Cheever
 
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Default woodturning from a wheelchair- potential obstacles and solutions please!

Good Luck George. And keep posting. There are a lot of new things to learn
about turning that we can help on.

Walt C


"George Hunt" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thank you all very much for your advice and encouragement. This
certainly sounds do-able. Time to get busy...



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