Turning while sitting?

[Tom Hendrickson]

I'm about to move my mini lathe to a new location in the shop. About all I do with this lathe is cabinet/drawer pulls and smaller spindles. The tools I use are normal sized tools, no "midi" or "micro" tools.

I would like to sit on a piano bench while I use this lathe. But I've never tried turning while sitting. Is it reasonable? Or will my movements be too restricted?

Thanks. Tom.

[alex carey]

there are sit down lathes, as long as the lathe is at the right height it should be fine.

[Allen Neighbors]

I sit down a lot now, at both of my lathes. With my mini (VL100), I sit on a screw-shaft stool, sort of like an old style piano stool. My mini sits on a rolling stand, so I don't have to move the stool, I can move the lathe, if I need to change positions.
At my large lathe, I sit on a stool that has two fixed casters and two swiveling casters. I have to change positions quite a bit, and I wish I had all four casters that swiveled. (When I need to turn offside, I just walk around there and stand while turning.)
I don't think I could get by with turning while sitting on just a bench, without casters.
PS: Your casters need to be at least 4" dia, so they'll roll over the shavings.
I neglected to tell you that I have a 24" box fan that sits at the opposite side of my large lathe, used to keep the motor cool during summer months, and it keeps the shavings mostly blown away from where my stool sits. But the casters still have to roll over some shavings. In the winter, they roll over a lot of shavings.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Tom - Welcome to the Creek!

I would think that Allen's suggestion of either a swivel chair or a stool on casters would work well because - even sitting - you have to be able to move your body around the turning when making some of the cuts. The fact that you do mostly smaller turnings may make this a non-issue but is still something worth considering.

[Thom Sturgill]

One of our club members turns from a wheel chair and the latest issue of American Woodturner has an article about a local chapter working with wounded veterans at least one of whom used the OneWay sit down lathe from a chair.

[Tom Wilson66]

Because of back problems, I can not stand for any length of time, so I use a drafting stool at the lathe. It can be sit higher than a task or office chair, and will roll around pretty well, if the shavings aren't too deep. My mini lathe is also set low on a rolling stand, and can be moved around to help with positioning. All in all, beats not being able to turn.:D

[Bernie Weishapl]

Welcome Tom to SMC. A friend of mine here in town can't stand because of his back. He uses a stool that he shortened with 4" wheel and does just fine.

[Peter Hay in Aus]

Tom,

All my pen turning using a VL 100 is on a sit down to bench not cause I have too but choose to. I sit relaxed on a draughtsmans swivel chair and really enjoy turning this way. To this end I run the drive belt out the back of the head stock so under the bench is free from belts and encumbrances. When this pic was taken I was remodelling and had shoved some stuff under the bench. Unlike others my bench I made from heavy steel with a 1 1/2 inch laminated top I like solid.
The lens compressed the view but is roomy. My workshop is about 25 metres by 5 metres wide, pic one section of it.
I have other lathes and a great variety of equipment and find sitting at my Vicmarc Vl100 a real pleasure.
Have fun I do.

Regards Peter.