"Severe back problems force me to ask this--can turning be done from a
sitting position?"

Absolutely. Many turners work from their wheelchairs. This site:

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~pwguild/a-wchair.htm

is just one of several describing the issues on the web. Others use stools
and still others ride the bed of the lathe .. but that's another story. g


"What kind of noise issues can I expect?"

Not sure what you mean by this.


- Andrew

"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

slipslidinaway wrote:
Severe back problems force me to ask this--can turning be done from a
sitting position? What kind of noise issues can I expect?

I had my 2nd L4-5 operation for Xmas, my first one was 12 years
ago. I find that I'm in less pain the more I turn, up to a point
%-). Apparently the slow gentle lunging motion, much like
Tai-Chi, keeps my back from stiffening up and is good, non-impact,
exercise. I DON'T do it from a sitting position, but making sure
that lathe height is correct is crucial. I guess the real
questions are, how bad a back problem and what kind, and what has
been done about it.

As for noise, a lot of that depends on technique, it'll get
quieter as you get better. Catches are noisey, chatter can be
noisey, cutting at the wrong angle can make a squeal, and
depending on your voice, swearing can be noisey too. %-)

I hope that helps,
Dave in Fairfax
--
reply-to doesn't work
use:
daveldr at att dot net
American Association of Woodturners
http://www.woodturner.org
Capital Area Woodturners
http://www.capwoodturners.org/

slipslidinaway wrote:
The simple ? is... do I need hearing protection during?
It can never hurt, but a lot of turning is listening to the sound,
and the feel of the tool as it cuts the wood. I don't use hearing
protection, but if I can't hear the birdies over the turning, I'm
doing something wrong. If you are brand new to turning you need
to be able to hear what you are doing, as well as feel it. I
can't recommend that a person not use protection. This is America
where lawyers reign supreme. You'll have to make that call
yourself. You could try some spindle work w/o it to see wha tthe
volume is like and make your decision based on that. If you are
going to be in a closed room in a house then a good mask and dust
removal equipment are crucial. The Dust Collector/Shopvac will
make more noise than your lathe and the cutting will. Did I
mention that's crucial, it is. Exotics and the Walnut family are
renowned for their effects on your lungs. JKust plain pine or
maple dust is bad for you if inhaled, that's why your nose is
designed the way it is.

Sorry about the lack of a cut and dried Y/N.
Dave in Fairfax
--
Dave Leader
reply-to doesn't work
use:
daveldr at att dot net
American Association of Woodturners
http://www.woodturner.org
Capital Area Woodturners
http://www.capwoodturners.org/

I always wear earplugs. I can still hear the sound of cutting with them in.
They are the orange type with a harder foam in a flaring vessel shape with a
piece like a shoelace string tip inside to help with insertion. Some other
types cut out a little more noise, perhaps too much.

Ahh, ok. I thought it was related to the use of a chair somehow. g I
couldn't figure out how the chair and/or the lathe with the chair was going
to be making a whole lot more sound than just the lathe itself.

In general, it really depends on the lathe. Some squeal and run loud and
some are as soft as a computer running. What lathe do you have and maybe an
owner of the same lathe can comment on that. A good lathe won't be really
loud. Of course, it depends on the type of turning you'll be doing too.
Thin walled bowls can do some squealing on their own! If you have to wear
hearing protection, you've not got a great lathe or something is wrong with
it. The clothes washing machine is far far louder than I'd accept in a
lathe.

- Andrew


How loud is the machinery and the actual wood removal? I probably
would have to do this in a closed room inside the house.

slipslidinaway wrote:
Plenty to ponder, thanks.

Don't let the need for ear protection and dust collection turn you
off to turning. Good protection cuts out specific decibel limits
and certain ranges. A little looking should make it possible to
find one that'll filter out loud noises like the DC and allow you
to hear the lathe. The problem, as I see it, is that the noises
will be magnified inside a closed room, as will the dust
concentration. Do you have a deck or patio that you can move a
lathe out onto when in use? That would take care of the dust
problem, to a large degree, as well as decreasing the noise
level. It does a wonderful job of stress reduction as well as
helping my back.
Dave in Fairfax
--
Dave Leader
reply-to doesn't work
use:
daveldr at att dot net
American Association of Woodturners
http://www.woodturner.org
Capital Area Woodturners
http://www.capwoodturners.org/

Here's some comparisons based on my experience, for comment:

Fine Woodworking measured several common types of woodworking machines and
reported that the shopvac was one of, if not THE LOUDEST "machine" in the
workshop. I'd have to dig out the article to get specifics.

Tablesaws were also somewhere near the top of the list. My JET contractor
isn't that bad, and I don't always wear protection. A buddy has a DELTA
direct drive (with a tiny belt inside the motor/gearbox housing) and I saw
him pick up his earmuffs before turning it on. As soon as he turned it on, I
wish I had brought mine with me. I did bring them the next day we worked
together because that saw howled horribly.

At the time of reading the article, I had never turned a stick of wood so I
ignored lathes which may have been in the article, but from my experience
here's what's loudest:

buddy's DELTA tablesaw
my 1957 six inch planer
shop vac
router
my JET tablesaw
.... then further down the list ...
my antique lathe because the 3/4 hp motor and old lathe bearings make some
vibration and hum. Tool use adds to the noise level.
sander/jigsaw/drillpress barely count
dropping a beer on the concrete floor while admiring my work always makes a
loud noise.
....

When I eventually upgrade from the antique lathe (circa 1900), I expect the
new one to be more quiet.

--

Stephen
"Derek Hartzell" wrote in message
...
I always wear earplugs. I can still hear the sound of cutting with them
in.
They are the orange type with a harder foam in a flaring vessel shape with
a
piece like a shoelace string tip inside to help with insertion. Some
other
types cut out a little more noise, perhaps too much.

It's time to retire that Altair, Chuck! And upgrade from the bow lathe
while you're at it. Or did you finally get that Stealth Mode installed on
your lathe? bg

Yeah, I have some computers like that too. But as long as they're all
running, I leave 'em alone. What's a little smoke and parts of the
harddrive flying all over the place once in awhile.


- Andrew


"Chuck" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 17:35:43 -0500, "AHilton"
wrote:


In general, it really depends on the lathe. Some squeal and run loud and
some are as soft as a computer running.

Hmph, my computer is louder than my lathe.


--
Chuck *#:^)

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 17:35:43 -0500, "AHilton"
wrote:


In general, it really depends on the lathe. Some squeal and run loud and
some are as soft as a computer running.

Hmph, my computer is louder than my lathe.


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


September 11, 2001 - Never Forget


-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 12:02:47 -0500, "AHilton"
wrote:

It's time to retire that Altair, Chuck! And upgrade from the bow lathe
while you're at it. Or did you finally get that Stealth Mode installed on
your lathe? bg

It's a Sinclair...you know the ones they used to give out at the gas
stations with the dinosaur on the sign.

I wish either one of them was louder than my neighbor, who obviously
used WAAAAY too many drugs in his youth (?) and who also has an
electric guitar and karaoke machine and thinks he can sing. It sounds
more like he's torturing large animals...
--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply.


September 11, 2001 - Never Forget


-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

Hey, cool! I want one of those computers.

Is that the same guy with a loading shoot going up to his garage door?


- Andrew



"Chuck" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 12:02:47 -0500, "AHilton"
wrote:

It's time to retire that Altair, Chuck! And upgrade from the bow lathe
while you're at it. Or did you finally get that Stealth Mode installed
on
your lathe? bg

It's a Sinclair...you know the ones they used to give out at the gas
stations with the dinosaur on the sign.

I wish either one of them was louder than my neighbor, who obviously
used WAAAAY too many drugs in his youth (?) and who also has an
electric guitar and karaoke machine and thinks he can sing. It sounds
more like he's torturing large animals...
--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply.

Sitting position might not be a real problem. I have an acquaintance that
was injured in an accident several years ago and turning has become an
excellent artistic outlet for him. He had to build his own stand to adjust
bed height to his chair.

Most of the noise from my JET 1442 comes from the cutting, not the machine.
In fact the machine is so quiet I can barely hear it when unloaded. Cutting
noise depends on material, speed, etc. but still not excessive. The downer
with a machine like the 1442 might be the thickness of the bed. Pretty
large to get legs under.


"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?

"Anonymous" wrote in message
newsan.2004.07.19.01.55.23.793947@notarealserver .com...
On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 12:02:47 -0500, AHilton wrote:

Yeah, I have some computers like that too. But as long as they're all
running, I leave 'em alone. What's a little smoke and parts of the
harddrive flying all over the place once in awhile.

Keep in mind that computers run on smoke and it is bad form to let the
smoke out of the box.

g Stop revealing the secrets! They (as opposed to "them") will really
realize that it IS all just smoke and mirrors.

And programmers run on caffeine and Baywatch re-runs (Knightrider on
holidays ... Mmmmmm Hasselhoff). It's also bad form to let them out of the
box too. Don't make direct eye contact with them .. not that they'd actually
do anything about it, but still ...

- 0100 00010110 11100110 01000111 00100110 01010111 0111