So That's What Kick-Back Is!

Actually, there's a whole pile a problems. The biggest being is the combination of not having height and being able to lean forward at the same time. No matter how many adaptations one makes, it's not possible to accommodate all contingencies at the same time.

My contractor's tablesaw which I sold to a friend really cheaply (but get to go over and use) was easy to adjust height-wise. I just cut 5" off each of the metal feet. That helps some, but not all that much. When I get around to having my own workshop and buying a cabinet saw, you can't just cut off some base without making extensive alterations. As well as I mentioned, the problem with sitting down and using a tablesaw are not just lack of height, but that you can't lean over things when sitting, unless it's waist high. That means a tablesaw top would have to be about 30" high, not very workable.

My partial solution is to use an adjustable height roller table (16" W x 60" L) as outfeed which I can push around as needed to accommodate my using a wheelchair. Same for infeed except that it's a single roller stand. Regular flat tables at least for infeed, aren't workable because they get in the way of the wheelchair and getting close to your work. Aside from a height challenge, one of the biggest problems when working from a wheelchair is that your feet, leg rests and often your castor wheels prevent you from getting close to things. Even an able-bodied person sitting when working can place their feet in lots of places to get them out of the way. That's extremely difficult for someone in a wheelchair.

Other solutions that could help the situation are a raised floor. However, that would preclude the use of a mobile stand for a saw. It also means raising the entire basement floor. Having a network of raised and non-raised sections of floor would necessitate ramps in a variety of areas making it dangerous for getting around. A wheelchair can easily tip with as little as a 2" sudden height change in the floor. In 1987 while holding about 20 pounds of exercise weights on my lap, I let my wheelchair roll down an 8" long ramp with a 2" height change. The sudden slowdown at the bottom of the ramp caused the chair to tip forwards and I broke both legs as they folded underneath me and the chair. I thought I knew about pain up until that point.

I've talked about the height of stationary tools here before and it's something that I've struggled with and considered long and hard. I think I'd have to say that the biggest thing one needs when working from a wheelchair is space. Space to move around and not bump into things, space to make changes around a stationary tool so it's easier to use and still not have those changes you've made affect the working space needed around other tools. My wishlist of the perfect workshop would be as many stationary tools as possible arranged around me against the wall whenever possible, all of them at approximately 30" height and interspaced with work benches and tables also at 30" height.

The only tools in the centre of the shop would be the tools where you need to pass your work though something, such as a tablesaw, planer, drum sander, ect. I'm sure I could think of more problems I've experience and what I do to solve them, but there's just too many for me to remember them all at this point. If you want to email me privately and ask questions, but I'm fine with that.

Dave

I'm wondering if a heavy leather shop apron might not offer some measure of added safety when it comes to kickbacks in the torso? I generally don't wear one and am careful to stay clear, but obviously there's still the danger of getting whacked.

Thoughts?

-kiwanda

I've read all the responses. Good teaching.

Upscale, I can only imagine the difficulties you face. I do NOT want to try to feed a table saw from a chair of any description.

Thanks guys, I hope a few other readers learned a bit from the thread. Maybe it'll save someone who's not wearing a cup from a really uncomfortable experience.

Regards.

Tom

BTW - the bruise is a truly glorious purple now, just starting green at the edges! And the daughter's little gift is coming along after a re-cut or two. Flame maple sides, cherry bottom and lid. Once done, I'll post pics. Maybe of bruise too, so some can enjoy a pantless 128 pounder. Oh, I'll keep it clean - a thong for modesty. Ain't that a scary thought! :~

Any padding would add safety to some degree, but I think it would be more important to find a way to not be in the line of fire in the first place. I made myself a heavy denim smock that covers almost all of me from the neck down including most of my wheelchair, purpose being to minimize the dust that would normally cover me like a blanket. Added a chest pouch to carry the occasional device like a tape measure or small square and it has protected me from the occasional flying debris. Gets damned hot though. Had a comment once from someone seeing me wearing it that I looked like a midget wearing one of those big hoop skirts from the 1850's.

Use a Leather apron. Wear a face mask when cutting small parts. Don't=20 touch until the saw stops spinning.

I do.

Glad it only hurt...

--=20 Will R. Jewel Boxes and Wood Art

I find that preetty much all of my shop mishaps are the result of losing my focus.

I know what to do and I know how to do it ... but I do it differently anyways.

Bill