Machining - sitting or standing?

Rik,

Have a look for the so-called "perching stools" used by old cripples like myself to relieve back strain.

They are quite high, keep your feet on the floor, and are usually angled forward, to give a 3-point ( 2feet and 1 a*se) support. Height adjustable,

My wife uses one whenever she is doing whatever it is women do at the kitchen sink. I use mine in the workshop.

Phil

I use a gas lift draughtsman stool I transfer from the wheelchair to it as I can still stand minimal tho. I have castor wheels which replaced the plastic type and the base is alloy not the plastic type. I can roll all round the workshop and out onto the driveway with some ease. I have clear vision of 90% of what ever I am doing. I do warn tho things can get hairy at times my most recent being a broken base LINK

Standing is my preference - its easier to avoid the storm of aluminium 'snow' generated by the CNC milling machine...and also to avoid the pieces of 1/4" milling cutter as the aluminium storm abruptly ceases - last night's little mis-adventure!

Simon

I made my lathe 'high' but kept a bit of pallet so that if I need to get on top of things (or a grandson comes) I can easily step up to the job.

SteveW

Now I'm fast approaching 70 my legs are giving up the ghost, however I stand up at my lathe/horizontal mill/bench drill but sit down for vertical mill mainly cus its on a low bench, I have a stool which I use for bench work drinking tea or scratching my head, when I done my apprenticeship the advice was when doing anything 1st rule is get comfortable

MICK

In the days of treadle lathes, it wasn't uncommon to have a rail (often brass) placed in front of the lathe so that the operator could lean on it while treadling, some others, ie. the Barns Velocipede lathe that had an iron seat attached to the lathe (sort of tractor seat style).

With my Varicose veins, I just limit my time standing, so production is down.

Ian S C

My Downham Jig borer is designed to sat at with everything to hand **LINK**

Always standing for me, gives me a headstart if I need to run away

Serious tip: Standing on two layers of decent carpet makes the standing easier. Also on a concrete floor in winter, it stops the cold striking through.

Steve