# Shop Tricks for Disabilities



## MachineTom

I wanted to share some things that work for me in the shop. As a T-3 Quad. (place your right hand over your heart, T-3 is everything below you thumb is paralized) arm strenght is a real problem, with no abdominal control, moving or lifting require one hand to hold onto the chair, the other to do the work. 

The handle in the center of the door makes it much easier to close as the chair goes through.







This is a HF Hydraulic table, converted to hand pump






Being in a chair you need extra room to get around, this shelf unit rolls, and the shelves are on BB slides that move out so I can pick the chucks up with the lift.






The Tool Grinder is on a BBQ cart on wheels, just sping the cart to use each end of the grinder






The DP is on wheels as well

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A power drawbar for the Mill is the only way to go,






A VFD makes control of the Mill much easier, this is mounted on the saddle, just below the table






While I could reach the depth handwheels with my grabber, lowered and 2:1 ratio makes it nice


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## robwilk

love the mods Tom. looks like a very well equipped shop, what are you working on at the moment. ?

Rob.......


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## MachineTom

On the lathe a wall mount for a TV supports an old Bridgeport tool holder, the box on the wall is all lathe tools






Then swings out of the way






This lift is bolted to the back of the lathe, used to swing the chucks and work pieces for the lathe






Yeah the BB pillowblocks were overkill, but it sure spins nice






Heres a chuck with the lift bracket, the block and tackle is quick it needs to lift about 40 lbs is all 






To lift heavy stuff there is a 4K cherry picker, this is an invalid lift 300lbs at the hook, overhung +18" safe at 50lbs, battery powered






Thanks for looking, I hope someone can use these idea's for themselves.

Tom


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## d.bick

Tom

Its good to see you can still enjoy machining.
Ive done work for a charity in the U.K. called REMAP which call on engineers to modify or make items to help people with a disability. In their case history book many of the ways in which a problem was solved. Could indeed help some of the able bodied. 
Putting machine benches and the like on wheels can make life easier for many of us.
 Keep the photos coming
       All the best
        Dave Bick


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## krv3000

HI tom the work you have dun is brill keep bashing tin regards bob


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## MachineTom

Thanks for the + comments. I do all sorts of projects for myself mostly, gifts for family and friends. And some paying work as well. About 4 years ago I started a steam engine of my own design. Then other things took its place, so I ordered a casting kit from Coles, the Corliss, last week. This site came up yesterday, and here I am. Of course the first post I read was about Coles, which did not encourage me about them. I'll give them time to sent the castings, its been one week today. They told we the bedplate is out of stock, everthing else is in...time will tell.


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## Blogwitch

Tom,

I still have to call a friend when I need a large chuck changing, but a friend has given me a wheelchair lift out of a car, so I am looking to do the same sort of thing with that as you have done for lifting your chucks.

Keep up the good work.


Bogs


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## Shopguy

You are proof of what I've always maintained, disability is state of mind. Keep up the good work you are an inspiration to all. th_wav 
Ernie Johnson


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## one4stevo

Tom that is a great setup.
I am a t3 para and know exactly the challengers we face in a chair i just loved seeing how you set everything up. My setup is nowhere near as good as that, but i will steel some of your design specially the Hydraulic table, and the tv stand, brilliant 
I hope you are doing well and continuing to inspire others. we are prof that you can still do things even in a wheelchair after spinal cord injury.
  Take care


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## lazylathe

th_confused0052 :bow:

WOW!!!
Tom and all the other guys that machine with disabilities, you guys never cease to amaze me!!!
The ingenious aides that you come up with are so well thought out.

And then there is the work you produce with what seems to be the greatest of ease!
AMAZING!!!

Love seeing all the mods and your machines!!
That Monarch is quite a beast!!!

Andrew


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## HS93

I have a problem where I cannot lift my arms at all ,so my last two mills I have modded the Z way by fitting a stepper motor, at the moment I am using my RT controller but I have the circuit and the bits to build one to controle just the mill, I am also fitting a stepper to act as a Power feed soon, again I will make it so it can be used manually if needed.

Peter

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/user/onehs93#p/a/u/0/2dx-p5kvB78[/ame]


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## MachineTom

THanks for the comments. I'll do an update, but right now I'm just finishing a project, and the shop is a mess. 

Stevo, nice to hear someone else is making chips as a t-3. It is surely one of the more uncommon pursuits for folks at our injury level. What sort of projects are you working on.

Peter, do you have any mobility in your arms? When I was first injured before surgery, the doc's said I had not hand/arm control and were going to place a screw in my spine which would completely sever that cord. My wife aruged that I did have control, to prove her point, she had me write something to show them. So under heavy drugs, upside down, with my off hand I wrote the word "Tubes" which at that point in my life is all I could think about. As a result the surgeon changed the location for the screw and I can type this today, and the spinal surgeon who did the work, uses the procedure he came up with so that others will have the potential to use their hands and arms as I do. 

Nice control set for the Z. What other projects have you done.


Tom


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## Blogwitch

Tom,

I know Peter as a personal friend, and I can fully attest to what he is doing, and done, with controllers and stepper motors could help you no end.

Almost every axis movement on machinery can be controlled in this way to very accurate tolerances by using steppers, especially if used in conjunction with a DRO. 

I am lucky, I've only yet had to convert my rotary table to stepper control, but it can do it to 100th of a degree accuracy just by button pushing, or even better if programmed, plenty good enough for me.

This is a little long, but it shows only the basics it can do.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1ifPuImERA[/ame]

Keep at it, and don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't do it.

John


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## kvom

I also have a 10ee lathe, but I can't imagine trying to use it from a normal wheelchair. Are you able to sit high/close enough to see the tool and work? The shop setup is really well done.


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## mgbrv8

MachineTom  said:
			
		

> On the lathe a wall mount for a TV supports an old Bridgeport tool holder, the box on the wall is all lathe tools
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then swings out of the way
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This lift is bolted to the back of the lathe, used to swing the chucks and work pieces for the lathe
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah the BB pillowblocks were overkill, but it sure spins nice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Heres a chuck with the lift bracket, the block and tackle is quick it needs to lift about 40 lbs is all
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To lift heavy stuff there is a 4K cherry picker, this is an invalid lift 300lbs at the hook, overhung +18" safe at 50lbs, battery powered
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for looking, I hope someone can use these idea's for themselves.
> 
> Tom




I spy a Monarch lathe with electric lead screw reverse 

Dave


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## MachineTom

Kvom, The Monarch is a 10EE, I just removed the access door in the center of the base, my feet fit just fine into that opening. Most times the chair is at an angle to the base, facing the tailstock when turning, and facing the headstock when drilling, my eye level is with the top of the head stock. THere is no way to get my head right over the work, I have different magnifiers that I use when needed. It has made me a much better at using stops, DI and now the DRO, rather than looking at the work to just take a bit off. 

The most important tool for me in the shop is an electric WC, Thanks to ebay I have two, one for the shop and one for the house. It provids the ability to have a hand to lift and carry, while the other works the chair, the other important thing, it adds is ballast, To lean over and lift 20# without the chair flipping over, as happened in my manual chair. 

Dave, Yes, an ELSR, it was dead when I bought it, added a VFD 5hp Black Max, I love this thing.


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## KenErickson

MachineTom said:


> While I could reach the depth handwheels with my grabber, lowered and 2:1 ratio makes it nice



Some great mods!  I have a Harig Super 612 SG and while I sit pretty high in my chair the depth handwheel is at a max height for me.  I may use your idea and do the same, thanks for sharing.


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## MachineTom

It was a fairly simple thing to make, a double bearing spindle for the hand wheel, cut a keyway for the wheel and sprocket, on the upper wheel, I made the nut which holds the handwheel on, a new nut with a shaft extension to carry the upper sprocket, and also bolted the sprocket to the hand wheeel web so it did not unscrew.

Source was QTC in long islend NY for sprockets and belts. Handwheel from MSC


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## wm460

WOW!! I am most impressed with your mods to your machinery in your shed.  You are living proof that a disability is state of mind.


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## Herbiev

A lot of great ideas there not just for the disabled members but making life and storage ideas for any workshop easier. A great post indeed


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## Gywindon

I love the ideas.  Thanks for posting them.

John


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## Rays

Tom great mods all round.

Although a wheely not an accident but  Neuro muscular problem. I can while using a bench to lean on but only for short periods. Its through this I climb onto a modified draughtmans  stool I put 100mm wheels on the ali base and I push the wheelchair out of the small workshop and then I can wiggle/move around all my machines. Mostly woodworking and as the stool is a gas lift I have to set the height first then climb onto it.


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## aarggh

My kids stir me for being short, so I think I'd need a step ladder to climb on that chair Ray, and I'm pretty sure I'd also immediately fall off!

Hmmm, motorised chair, there's a thought! On a more serious note, the fortitude of some you guys really do make me feel bad when I whinge about trivial things, quite amazing and admirable how you just don't let things hold you back.

cheers mate, Ian


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## Franklin

Hi Tom

I am just starting with my home machine shop.  

I am inspired by how organised, clean and versatile your adaptation seem to make it.  I have been working with people with disabillities and modifications and adaptations to equipment in vanuatu.

Thanks for the inspiration 

Frank


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## Edke6bnl

Great shop and you fellow are something else.


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## Alec Ryals

MachineTom said:


> On the lathe a wall mount for a TV supports an old Bridgeport tool holder, the box on the wall is all lathe tools
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then swings out of the way
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This lift is bolted to the back of the lathe, used to swing the chucks and work pieces for the lathe
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah the BB pillowblocks were overkill, but it sure spins nice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Heres a chuck with the lift bracket, the block and tackle is quick it needs to lift about 40 lbs is all
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To lift heavy stuff there is a 4K cherry picker, this is an invalid lift 300lbs at the hook, overhung +18" safe at 50lbs, battery powered
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for looking, I hope someone can use these idea's for themselves.
> 
> Tom


 


   Wow this Shop is Great ! I'm in a wheel chair for 25 years now and have got back into machining the last 6 years hence i had my own business and bought a rebuilt a South Bend 10 & 9 inch lathes a shaper and a small Clausing mill with a Bridgeport M-head mounted on it all work great, I build steam and gas engines etc Keep Up Th Great Work
Thank You
Alec Ryals


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## MachineTom

Yeah, fifteen years last august for me. It seems this last year my age has caught up to my condition. But I will keep fighting until I lose, whenever that is.

Thanks for the kind comments regarding the shop. It much messier than the photos show, more equipment as well.

Tom


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## MachineTom

I have added more wonderful tools to burden my kids with when I am gone. As well as use while still here.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




View of the shop




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The shelves used to be stocked with a decade worth of business records, all gone now. There are 4 roll out shelves currently, with enough slides for half dozen more.








The lift for the lathe lines up with the shelve for the chucks. The wood tool box was made by my Dad  60 years, I was 6 at the time, special.


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## DJP

Perfect. Don't change a thing. My shop is similar and I would feel comfortable in your shop. Best of all, it's a Grandpa's shop where we can share skills, safety and creativity with our grandchildren. It's where they can develop the confidence to 'fix' anything.  Congrats and thanks for sharing.


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## packrat

MachineTom I like that lathe of yours can you tell us what make it is..


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## MachineTom

That is a Monarch 10EE. That originally had a Tube drive, BIG vacuum tubes made DC current to drive monster 5hp motor. I replaced with a 5hp motor VFD drive.
The lathe will swing 12", but rated as a 10", rather stout 3200lbs.

Love It.
First photo shows the Surface Grinder, as well as a Myford Cylindrical grinder.


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## Neil Lickfold

Because I have a fusion at C3C4 in the neck, I have limited movement in my neck. I was using mirrors often to see things. Now a cell phone is quite useful to look at the compound slide radial graduations or looking in a bore or looking at the dial indicator on a mill when used in mirror mode. 
Another tool that is useful is a bore scope . It has a camera on a stick and is useful as I can no longer move my head around to look at things like I used to.


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## stackerjack

One thing I find useful, when using my battery operated drill. In order to keep the hole perpendicular, I have fitted a small spirit level to the top of the drill. As I'm drilling the hole, I look down from above, which gives me correct left/right angle and the spirit level tells me the correct up/down angle.
Jack


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