Workshop Comfort

Sorry for the slightly off-topic thread. I'm interested to hear peoples' ideas on how to make working in their workshop easier on the body. Unfortunately I injured my back years ago in the Army and it has troubled me ever since. I'm getting treatment but the thing that makes it hurt the most is standing for long periods, particularly if I'm leaning forward slightly. This put a severe cramp in my project schedule!

I use a shop stool when I can and have used Oregon Aero inner soles in my safety boots. Does anyone else have any ideas on reducing the stress on their old bones?

Bryan

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Originally Posted by brinesharks

Sorry for the slightly off-topic thread. I'm interested to hear peoples' ideas on how to make working in their workshop easier on the body. Unfortunately I injured my back years ago in the Army and it has troubled me ever since. I'm getting treatment but the thing that makes it hurt the most is standing for long periods, particularly if I'm leaning forward slightly. This put a severe cramp in my project schedule!

I use a shop stool when I can and have used Oregon Aero inner soles in my safety boots. Does anyone else have any ideas on reducing the stress on their old bones?

Bryan

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I use interlocking floor pads around the work and in front of the workbench. There is a wide variety, and some that are cheap are not very good. I got some from HF at the chapter Christmas party, and they are marginal, but, since I have them, I use them, but would not purchase that brand.

Another factor for me is the height of the working surfaces: for comfort, I like mine higher than most.

A friend just gave me one of those adjustable height work stools, only he modified it by inserting a section of pipe between the rolling base and the height adjusting cylinder. That made it tall enough to use comfortably at the work bench. Caution, it is too tall to roll safely while seated on it.

Some tasks require getting down on the floor. I have several old 8' X 10' (approximate) rugs that I use there. It really does make a difference.

If one is designing a workshop, acoustics and lighting should also be considered as part of the comfort equation.


BJC

I don't know that I care about the acoustics of the shop, but the lighting is important. Also, if you are starting from scratch, painting the shop white makes everything brighter and easier to see.

I find people that are re-carpeting a house and get some used carpeting to roll out on the hangar floor. The small amount of padding and the insulation value vs a concrete floor help with the comfort of the shop. The down side is that it's hard to find little things that get dropped in the carpeting. Vacuum occasionally, and throw it out when it starts getting oily and nasty. More used carpeting is usually pretty easy get.

I keep a couple of molded plastic folding tables in my hangar. It takes a few seconds to get them out and they are real back savers when I need to sit down and work on something at a table top height.

I also keep a stack of resin chairs in the hangar. It gives all the gawkers that stop in to keep me from working a place to sit so they don't occupy my work stool.

I also keep a gas grill in the hangar/shop. I put on a couple of packages of brats to cook about the time I need some heavy lifting. Pilots always show up for a free lunch. They have to help with the heavy lifting before they get fed. Now there's a real back saver! :D

-Cub Builder

I feel your pain. Having broke my back 5 times and my neck once I understand where you are coming from. This was caused from a bone disease. It has come to the point I have a hard time sitting in any chair if I can not put weight on my arms to relief the pressure on my back. The only true relief comes from getting prone or laying down.

If anyone comes up with a way to work in our condition I would love to here it. I want to work in the shop so badly, but have come to understand I am lucky to do what I do. I hope it gets better for you and will say a prayer for you. Nothing worse then back pain.

Tony

I have a bad habit of bringing my eyes to my work, and in fabric work that means bending over too much. My back finally signaled me to stop. Now, I have a purpose built taller work bench (I,m 6'3"), adjustable saw horses, plenty of light, reading glasses, and a timer that signals me every hour to stand up and stretch backwards. An adjustable work stool helps me adjust to the best height and of course, hot coffee and donuts. Oh, and a rolled up towel in the small of my back when seated. Such is life...

Mark A.

Looks to be a whole clan of us. I was dis-abled 10yrs. ago and missed a really good pension by 5 yrs.although I do get a small one it has turned me into quite a miser. My back has been injured numerous times and now I'm reduced to about 20-30 minutes on my feet at a time and then at least 20min. of sitting to let the pain subside. My shop looks like a chair collection and a used table shop all at varied heights to accommodate different projects. My shop is an old quonset so lighting is anything from floor lamps,desk lamps anything to make it easy on the eyes. I managed to rig a cable to one of the roof ribs that can support about 1/2 ton, right now is just a com-a-long but soon to be electric with a remote, this will be really convenient. I have to watch myself the doctors say I'm lucky to be walking at all, I take medication for pain and also some lidocaine patches that I wear for 12 hours at a time and these work really good along with the meds. Some days I use a wheelchair but I have'nt grown dependent on it , pain dictates it's use. I'm 6'2" so Just about every thing I work on needs to be bent over which is the worst, r