What do you stand on while turning?

[Donny Lawson]

Here lately after about an hour or so turning my back and side is killing me. My floor is concrete and I know that has alot to do with it. Does anyone else have this problem and what do you stand on?? I'm working on making some mats out of carpet padding to put in front of the lathe to hopefully help relieve some of the pain. I finished a bowl last night and my back was screaming before I was done.

[Jon McElwain]

I've got some thick rubber mats that I got from a playground construction project. They really help with the fatigue. Also, it is easy to slouch over the lathe while turning, so it is good to have the spindle at about elbow height. Ellsworth is a big proponent of stretching before, during, and after working on the lathe. I have a bar in the shop that I hang from or do a few pull-ups now and again to help stretch out my arms, sides and back. A little stretching really goes a long way. I think the carpet will help a lot, but taking good care of your body will help too. That, or you need to take a couple weeks of work to turn and get in shape!!

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use a mat my son got me from Williams Sanoma. I think they are closed cell matts but they do work well. Of course about 6" of chips on the floor work well to. I have my lathe spindle height about 2" higher than my elbow height. I don't have to bend over and that helps.

[phil harold]

I have 2 layers of these,

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/pr...384&navAction=

[John Beaver]

I stand on my feet... (sorry, had to say it)

[Lee Koepke]

i stand on two layers of the cheapy HF floor mats. I also jacked up my lathe so its above my elbows. I created a nasty pinched nerve / degenerative disk issue with a combination of concrete floor, leaning too far over, and sitting incorrectly at my computer ... scary time when you realize that if you mess up your back/neck--woodworking is all but history!!! Take care of it now, create good habits before you damage yourself.

[Thom Sturgill]

I'm a shorty so I have a wood platform (2x4s with 1x6 on top) for my 1642 with mats similar to the ones Phil linked to. I got mine at Harbor Freight.
image_14950.jpg

[Roger Chandler]

I stand on a piece of anti-fatique mat, purchased from Lowes home improvement stores. They have it on rolls, and sell it by the foot. It is about 30" or more wide, and I used a small piece to make a jam chuck to place bowl rims against to turn off the bottoms, before I got my cole jaws, and now my vacuum chuck. It works pretty well for helping the old legs and back!

[Ian Upwood]

I find standing with one foot on a house brick or something that size for half hour then reversing feet really eases back pressure.

[Jim Burr]

Being 5' 9" and having a 4' high bench I use a "mat" of 2x4's 3' wide and 5' long set on the edge, framed in with a 1/8" gap in between the beams. Rubber restaurant mat on that for my old feet and I'm kinda happy.

[Hayes Rutherford]

I have a pair of Asolo hiking boots that have space age shock absorbing material so it doesn't matter what kind of floor I stand on. Try standing on a few inches of shavings, should be readily available.

[Wally Dickerman]

My 90 year old body needs all of the TLC it can get. I have commercial grade 1/2 inch thick mats made for workers standing at a machine for my lathe, my work bench and my bandsaw.

It is very important to have your lathe at the correct height for comfortable turning. Spindle at elbow height is find if what you do is spindle turning. If you do bowl turning it should be 2 or 3 inches or even more, above elbow height. I do my HF turning at the end of my outboard bed. I want the spindle height to be where I can stand comfortably, without bending at all while I'm handling the hollowing tools.

[Jon McElwain]

You could always get one of these...

1236SD.jpg

[David E Keller]

You also might try throwing some gel inserts into your turning shoes. I stand on a hard floor all day at work, so I've played around with a lot of different shoes... I find that Danskos are the most comfortable for my feet... YMMV.

[Sparky Paessler]

I use a horse stall mat which is rubber and about 3/4 thick from Tractor Supply.