A tool I have yet to see...

[Reed Gray]

Having to buckle down to some tedious sanding of bowls for a show next weekend, I was pondering.... I already sit on a engineer/mechanical drawer's chair to sand. It does put me a bit farther away from the wood. I can't count the times I have thought about a padded rest for my arms to help hold the sanding drill, even when I was standing. Pads on a roller? Then it hit me, we seriously need an articulated arm with some sort of universal joint on the end to hold/support the sanding drills. Two arms, no banjo.....

robo hippy

[charlie knighton]

can you take one of those tv wall mounts and modify it??????

[David E Keller]

You might check into chairs used in operating rooms... They make rolling models with an arm rest that swivels in or out of the way. ENT and facial surgeons use them at times.

[Michael Mills]

How about….a small platform with the smallest length slides you can find/make (maybe 1’ long?). A post goes into the banjo and is held at height with a stop collar (allowing it to rotate). The top of the platform slides front to back or lengthwise depending on orientation, with padding on the top section.
Or……since you mentioned roller.
Turn a larger diameter “paint roller” (maybe 4”?) and pad it with you choice. The “handle” would go into the banjo and swivel if you wish. Rest your arm, or rest the drill itself.

[Nathan Hawkes]

What about using some sort of rope & pulley counterweight system, like they put body casts "in traction" on surgical recovery units in the hospital. You know; like the cartoons where Jerry the mouse cuts Tom the cat's rope and his leg falls, causing excruciating pain? This might limit mobility too much or get tangled in the cords; when I'm sanding, I have three drills with different grits going; the cords can get really annoying!

[Steve Kubien]

How about one of those portable neck/shoulder massage chairs? Put wheels on it and you are rockin'

[Dave Noon]

Something like this?

http://www.pneumatictoolsonline.com/DesoutterTools/HTML/MAIN%20MENU%20PAGES/Desoutter-Tool%20Balancers.htm

Dave

[Brian Weaver]

Not sure if this is even close but I picked up a couple of these for work and have been trying to figure out a way to use one for turning. (I was thinking for lights) They are built heck for stout and I can't believe they are as inexpensive as they are.

http://www.amazon.com/Dual-Monitor-Stand-clamp-monitors/dp/B002R9HQLI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1309613445&sr=1-1

[mike holden]

Talk about reinventing the wheel! The British made chairs like this for watching rat fights back in the 1700's. Think the polite term is a "library" chair - wink, wink, nod, nod.
Mike

200099200100

The book is "English Chairs" published by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

[Dennis Simmons]

You can tie helium balloons on your arms :D:D

[Reed Gray]

Dave, those look cool. Possible, but they look like they are supposed to work vertically, would need a universal joint on the end. Hmmmmm....... have to keep the thinking cap on.

robo hippy

[Dane Fuller]

You might check into chairs used in operating rooms... They make rolling models with an arm rest that swivels in or out of the way. ENT and facial surgeons use them at times.

This.
When I was in the Navy, we used them in the electronics shop when we had some really tedious soldering to do. If there are any surplus stores in your area, you might get lucky.

Something like this. http://www.advantagemedical.info/chair.htm

[Dick Strauss]

Reed,
What you want is to mount a tripod with a good ball head used for photography upside down! The tripod stem would allow for up/down movement if left loose, while the ball head+sander would allow for swiveling of the sander. You could leave the tripod legs loose and change the approach angle if needed. You could even rig up a counter-weight to compensate for part of the sander/ballhead/tripod stem weight (but not all weight otherwise you have to apply more downward force). This setup might be ideal for bowls!