Why a forum on disabilities?

[Garywv]

Well , this is a first for me , a link for disability ? added to a machining forum..I think thats neat , also
this is my first post here on this forum , I found the link here from Mach 3 forum from stevehuck making
a V-8 engine. I have been hobby machining for about 10 years now and built a CNC router the end of last year and
do some work in the Yacht area making dashboards and welding aluminum for boats for the last few years now working for a captain
and neighbor..
But sorry for the long off topic post so far , the reason I posted here is because I boke my back and am a T10 para since 1980
and not a lot of people in wheelchairs do a lot of machine work thatI have found around . I usually dont just jump out and say hey look I am in a wheelchair. I just take a little longer to get a job done but I usually get it done.
Good to find a group with an open mind and even acknowledge that someone with a disability can even do this kind of work..
Thanks
Gary

 

[Metal Mickey]

Welcome Gary, there is always a way..if you are prepared to look. Look forward to seeing some of your work and any tips you have re your workshop.

Mike

 

[GailInNM]

Gary,
Welcome to HMEM.
As you know having a disability does not mean that we can not do something. But we may have to work a little bit harder and smarter and do things in a different way. Textbook solutions do not always apply.

If you have the capabilities for photos, I would appreciate any photos of your shop so that others may see what you have done to be able to continue your hobbies. There are a number of people on this forum with mobility issues and any help that we can provide each other just maks it easier for all of us to enjoy our hobby activities.

Also photos of your projects would be appreciated. As you have probably notices everyone here loves photos.

Gail in NM

 

[bearcar1]

Hello there Gary and welcome. I am glad that you have decided to join us here. I too would live to see any photos of your shop or tales of how you were able to overcome and adapt your disability in making chips. Your engine sounds very interesting, please tell us more and do not be a stranger.

BC1
Jim

 

[Garywv]

Thanks for the great welcome here guys,
I have built most of my machinery to be the right height for me to get under like the router. And my Shoptask bridgemill I cut the legs down to be able to set it up without a ramp, I had built a ramp on the backside of the mill so I could raise and lower the mill by hand but that got to be a big pain to do, actually a fell off the ramp and got wedged in between the ramp and mill so I had to call the fire dept to get me out and back into my chair.So I built a 24 volt motor with a power wheelchair gearbox to raise and lower the mill head , that works great now.
Here are a few pictures of my machines and I think a few build pics of the CNC router I built..

 

[Garywv]

And here are a few pictures of the last project I did for my nephews boat that I sent up to him in VA.
Also a few other projects if I find them while posting pictures..
And you guys are right just find a way to make something work , it can be done.I get kind of amazed at when someone comes over and looks around and will keep asking "so YOU made that" looking at me then I have to explain every part I cut out or welded up..
Oh and just to add the last photo of the sign for my boat was still wet and the milky photo was the wet polyurethane It cam out better when dry . But it was a test so its gone now because it was MDF and sucks up water like crazy..

 

[SAM in LA]

Gary,

Welcome. wEc1

I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work. th_wwp

I have worked with several boy's in Boy Scouting that have various mental and/or physical disabilities. I have found it very rewarding to see them advance through the Scouting program. Sometimes it is difficult for me to figure out how to extract the information out of them. The boys do not get a free ride and are expected to work just as hard as the "Normal" boys for there badges. I expect them to do the best that they can possibly do. I can use your work as an example of what a man can do, no matter what cards you are dealt in life.

Regards,

SAM

 

[Garywv]

Thanks Guys , as always I will try to help out when I can ,, Any info neeed just post it or PM it to me.
I have been looking around on this site to see what type of engine I want to start with . I do have a few steam kits that I bought years ago and never even started them . I have a Stuart steam boiler and a steam engine up on the shelf somewhere around this mess in the garage but steam didnt really catch my intrest as much as these small engines I have found being built around this site. It is amazing what you guys are building on here.One problem I have is when I get rigged up for a project for myself I end up having to throw it aside as soon as a project comes in that pays money, so it seems I never geet started, But I know that is just an excuse I need to just start it and go..
I do want to try out my router with really light cuts on aluminum after I get some aluminum cutting router bits,then if it cuts good I want to make a 4th axis rotary table to help with some of the milling for blocks or heads and stuff. I have the rotary table looking at me now saying just put a servo on me and get started..
Maybe this site will kick me in the butt to get going..I hope.
Gary

 

[Maryak]

Gary,

Welcome to our forum. wEc1

Please excuse my ignorance but what does T10 paraplegic mean. ???

Best Regards
Bob

 

[Metal Mickey]

You are certainly an inspiration and whilst my own disability does restrict me I just cannot see how I could easily go around in my electric buggy and work in my workshop! Just thinking of how you overcome your restrictions is inspirational so well done in a non patronising way!

I take my hat off to you and have given myself a mental )((*&)_ing for whinging inside my head. Well done.

Mike

 

[Garywv]

Gary,

Welcome to our forum. wEc1

Please excuse my ignorance but what does T10 paraplegic mean. ???

Best Regards
Bob

Thanks for the welcomes here and a T10 is where
I broke my 10th thoractic vertibrae and it cut my spinal cord at that level so I have no fealing or movement from my waist down is all.
Its just what the description of a spinal injury like a C5 would be Cervical 5th vertibrae break on the spine..
Gary

 

[Garywv]

You are certainly an inspiration and whilst my own disability does restrict me I just cannot see how I could easily go around in my electric buggy and work in my workshop! Just thinking of how you overcome your restrictions is inspirational so well done in a non patronising way!

I take my hat off to you and have given myself a mental )((*&)_ing for whinging inside my head. Well done.

Mike

Hey Mike,
I use both a manual wheelcahir and a power chair, and i is way more difficult with a power chair to get around but it also has advantages like when in my power chair I dont have to keep locking my brakes so I dont roll away from the mill and also my power chair has a powered lift seat on it which raises about another 9 inches so that helps reaching things a little higher , but over all I use the manual chair ,it is a whole lot quicker for me to get around in..But if you post a few of the pproblems you have getting around with a scooter or power chair I am sure there will be lots of suggestions that can be made to get you more comfortable with working in your shop.I have built small ramps for my machines and even used it to get on my lawn mower as well so double purpose ramp. Just kind of big to haul around the shop though.
Gary

 

[Maryak]

Gary,

Thanks for the explanation of T10. :bow:

Best Regards
Bob

 

[MachineTom]

Found this site yesterday, and was surprised to find a forum on disabilities. I am ten years in a chair, T-3 quad. Arms and fingers just lack strenght and some areas of feeling. Retired 2 years ago when I sold my business. The deal with the bride was I get a workshop added to the house for my hobby, metal work etc. The avatar is a shot of the shop, theres more not shown. I'll add a post of some of the things added to make life easier when your in a chair.

Funny, I've used this signature for many years online, on this forum it Really means something more.

 

[Blogwitch]

I've never posted on this topic, mainly because I don't class myself worthy enough. There are people with more problems than I have.

Machining is a great leveller, and I think that if you can find a way to use a machine, you can easily keep up with the best of them.

Actually, now I am classed as 40+% disabled, what that means I have no idea, but over the last 7 or 8 years things have hit me like a bombshell. But because of that not being all at once, I managed to get things organised for the first one, then as each bit has hit, I just sorted that problem out as it occurred.

Hi level stools with casters on the legs work wonders for me getting about the shop, so that is the legs sorted, and power feeds on everything that can have them takes care of the arm problems. Morphine and a tens unit takes care of the rest. But even so, a couple of hours in the shop is about enough, whereas three years ago, I was in there day and night. So now I only go into the shop to carry out the machining stage, and all my rough sketches and planned sequences get done in the house, where I am a lot more comfortable.

When Stew gets back from his holiday, my lathe will be raised another 3" to get it to perfect height for me on my stool. I do sometimes have to call another friend to come down and change large chucks for me, but that isn't too often. Just getting tooling mounted where it is within easy reach from where you are working makes a major contribution, and I still move bits and pieces around if things just aren't quite right.

So all you gents with a lot worse problems than mine, I really admire you for having a go, and with a lot of thought and a bit of ingenuity, you can do just as well as the rest of us.

Never give up, like I nearly did not so long ago, the rewards are still there, no matter how badly off you are.

Bogs

 

[Cedge]

Bogs
I've watched you adapt to each new insult, not always gracefully, but with raw determination to overcome the obstacles. No hero worship in saying that you've managed admirably. I've had to battle a few small health things this year, none of which have been debilitating, but they sure took a lot of the joy out of my shop time.

I quit wondering what the limitations of the hobby were when someone pointed me to an article about a blind machinist who still makes marvelous things. If that is possible to overcome, almost anything is.

Steve

 

[GailInNM]

Tom,
I am about a week late in welcoming you to HMEM, but it does not make my welcome any less sincere.

I have read all your posts. Thanks for the workshop hints that make it possible for you to continue on with your hobbies. They help many more than you might expect. Many of our members have problems with lifting and moving machine tooling around. Your solutions are very elegant.

We all do what we have to to continue to enjoy our leisure time any you are proof of that. Some things may slow us down, but they don't stop us.

Gail in NM

 

[deere_x475guy]

Hi Tom and welcome to the forum.

 

[compspecial]

This is a wonderful forum, and reminds us that not everyone enjoys good physical health. But in all cases I've read it seems peoples minds are sharpened even more.
Its an inspiration to read the ingenious ways people have found to make the seemingly impossible possible,and best of all its made many folks with health problems known to each other
great idea.

 

[robcas631]

Thank you for creating this forum. It means a lot!