[Irishman]

I'm beginning to suffer an occupational hazard due to poor ergonomics. My back and hamstrings are aching due to bending over my carving bench. I need something designed or purchased that will allow me to be more upright while carving out my logs. I hope to soon start on blocks of wood to do bust and other carvings. I expect if carvers been at this longer than me figured out what works for them. Any inventions or designs to share would be appreciated.
Patrick

[Colin_Partridge]

Irishman,
I know the feeling what I have is one of those directors chairs and a mechanics stool that adjusts up and down. I was explained this by my physical therapist that when you bend over for long periods it opens up the vertebra and allows fluid to flow into them. When you straighten the inflated discs cause you all that pain. It is hard when you do large carvings not to bend over them. What I also do is straddle them so that I am sitting on the carving. Just a few things that might help.
Colin

[squbrigg]

I've seen clamps made from "bar clamps" that hold the work, and the bar clamp is mounted on the front of your bench.

(Sh*t....how to explain what I mean)

Mount a bar clamp vertically on your bench at a height that enables you to work on the piece while standing or sitting, facing it. Don't ask me how to rig it, cause other than clamping the bar in a vice, I'm not sure how I'd do that,... but you get the general idea.

Good luck with it, and I'm glad you are catching the problem early , before it really becomes more serious. Trust me, carving with a bad back or neck is a real challenge.

Bob

[dutchmanmk3]

My Checkering Bench doubles as one of my carving benches. It's roughy 48" long W/ a seat to one end and a 6X6 Verticle post centered in front of the other that runs from the floor to about shoulder height on the top of the post sits a Veritas carvers vice and the top of the plate slides in T-track from one end to the other. I have complete travel for 810* end over and angled for pieces up to 52" in length, or I can switch to a mounting plate or jewelers vice depending on need.

I hadn't seen one newer than 50 years old when I built this one from a combination of two 18th century designs. I'll have to post pics when I figure out how ??? But I have seen different designs reflected in Monty Kennedy's Gunstock Checkering books. I could never figure out why carvers would hunch over a bench ? I can sit straight up and rotate the piece any direction I like, even upside down.

[decoycarve]

I made my bench from an old dental chair. I was looking for an old barbar chair and came across this instead. I posted it before in this thread.
The Shop (decoycarves roughout machine)
Some times when we get back from the lumer yard with the big timbers we use one of my motorcycle lifts to raise them up to cut them. Harbor freight has them. If one of there stores is in your area get on thier mailing list and they send out discount coupons. They are usally $59 but when one of the 20% off coupons come it drops the price a little more. I now have two. I have two bad knees and cant stoop or kneel without pain anymore and thes have been life savers They put the little Hydraulic stools on sale too. I built another motorcycle lift that I Know would lift logs You are welcome to the drawings if you have room fro something like this.
Goody

[Irishman]

Colin - the height differences with the two benches I use wouldn't allow me to saddle the logs but I see your point about taking the stress off the spine.
Bob - The bar clamps may help me rig up something. I'll have to check to see what they have at our local hardware store.
Dutchman - Please post a pic if you can - excuse my ignorance, but I don't know what a checkering bench is. What you described seems to be what I'm looking for.
I looked at the pivoting arm that Jeff Phares uses in his book on carving the human face. It just doesn't look sturdy enough for the weight of my wooden logs.
Thanks for your ideas.
Patrick

[dutchmanmk3]

What is the average size and weight of the piece you will be carving ?

What is the maximum size and weight you will be carving ?

A Long cradle will allow you to rotate the piece freely, but depending on the length it can be hard to find a strong enough vice or joint to accomodate the strain from the leverage of a long cradle. Even the Veritas has it limitations. Over 20 or 30 lbs. you may need to go to a large pattern makers vice, and go to a steel cradle (Similar to long bar clamp with rotating tail stocks) ?

[Kenny_S]

I suffer from back and leg problems if I carve for long periods. I have the nack of sitting with my feet and legs behind me sort of speaking and after a couple of hours, it is hard to get the legs to move. Hmmm, maybe some IRISH wiskey would help?
Nah, then I would be proned for sure.

[squbrigg]

Whist lad.....Jamiesons and carving! Don't mix them, have one or three after you carve, I find that as my intake increases, so do the stab wounds! But, Jamiesons is a great way to celebrate a successful carving and tends or ease the pain of the excessive bending as well!!!

Bob

[Tom H]

Don't know how much help this is, but I spend most all of day in the wood shop, standing up and working while leaning over. My back and legs were beginning to bother me too. I started taking breaks, and changed the height of some work surfaces. Didn't help much. My doctor finally told me to start exercising. That's not what I wanted to hear. But I started to walk. Now I walk about 45 min. each day; after streching. It helped a whole lot. I take small carvings with me and sand them too. Just something that worked for me. Tom H