Do you sit or stand while torching?

[LifeGlass]

That's it...Do you prefer sitting or standing for the bulk of your work hours?

Or maybe 50/50.......Or just keep the torch at eye level?

[hwcglass]

stand a lot or hurt a lot.

your choice.

[nodice]

What he said. For me it's more like 90% stand, 10% sit. I sit when I do detail work, or need to get certain angles that I can't get while standing up straight.

[VED]

everytime i sit i end up dropping somthing in my lap and catch fire, so i stand most of the time

[bzglass]

Sit and stand, is the best way to go. Otherwize you just wear your body out.

[phab]

...ram wrote an essay a long time ago called stand and deliver. i dont see his essays on his website anymore but he felt standing was better for you too.
i think its better to stand, you can take a break and sit down. i try to stand on a mat so its not convenient to roll a chair onto it anyway. if i didnt have something comfortable to stand on id probably want to sit, concrete floors can make you tired and achy even if youre walking on it a lot.

[Shatner]

I sit and stand. Sit for fine detail work like inside out, etc. Stand for bigger stuff like tube pulls and melt downs.

My shop mate bought us some really bad ass thick 4'x4' rubber mats for use in industrial kitchens. He got them at a resteraunt supply store. While sitting I use a drafting chair. Saddle type, no back.

[phab]

...yes those mats are great. the rubber ones with the rings in them, theyre like hollow rings. cushy.

[Swampy]

I stand and have the torch pivot approximately level with the lower rib/base of sternum.

[Shatner]

...yes those mats are great. the rubber ones with the rings in them, theyre like hollow rings. cushy.

They sure are great! I was skeptical at first but was able to work a whole day standing and my back didn't hurt at all. It's on the thicker side, so I do need to raise my bench now.

[EarthTones]

I've always stood,but it's partially because of my high bench height,I've never found a chair/stool that was comfortably the right height. Anyways,that's what I've gotten used to,so I stand 100% of the time & now that I know RAM is all about standing I'll be doing it %120 of the time:D. Sometimes that shit gets to my back/neck/shoulders,so then I take a safety/stretch break:chilling:. I also stand 99% of the time when I take a piss too,but ocassionaly I'll sit down if I'm I'm really tired or drunk or if I wan't to brush my teeth or something,but I don't see a poll for that so whatever:puzzled:

[Emmett's Glass]

Stand with the torch at the right height so I don't have to bend to see the work well. I have a rubber mat, gotta love the smell when glass its it. Marbles never roll though.
E

[ALIEN!]

I sit, but when I build my new booth im gonna be sit/stand optional. Better on back that way.

[Dom]

I stand about 97% of the time. The only time I sit down is to do inside out work, or if Im really tired when doing prep. I got two chairs tho, one is a pleather office chair and a nice barstool.

[firefreak]

Sit and wear a leather apron. Too damn old and too many injuries to stand for that long.

[Know Ego]

I gotta admit, I prefer to take a seat when I'm in for the long haul. Although, my table does allow for both options. Depending on what procedure I'd be undertaking would define what position I'd assume.

Or maybe I'm just getting lazy.

[d-mitchell]

i have never sat down ever

[gotglass?]

i started out sitting.... have a nice drafting chair if i do. But now i mostly stand, i find i can reach things easier on the bench. Having hot glass in the lap really sucks... before i got the drafting chair i was using this old barber chair base. in the event of dropping something in my lap it was hard to push away.

[Icarus]

I sit a good majority of the time, but I've been standing more lately. I wish I had built my bench higher so standing was more convenient. For detail work I always sit, but when I'm just heating something or letting gravity do the shaping, I usually will stand if I think about it.

[slick]

I sit almost all the time. I only stand when working large pieces or doing awkward connections.

[Master Yoda]

More like 75% sitting, 10% standing and 15% dancing my ass off while i'm pulling out a gather:) seriously I dance my ass off when I can, I get to stiff otherwise, check out the underside of my bench

[faded]

i sit a lot. not much of a choice with all the screws in my knee. :bummed:

[The Lorax]

i sit about 98% of the time, maybe stand to leave the shop or finish a piece.

[Icarus]

More like 75% sitting, 10% standing and 15% dancing my ass off while i'm pulling out a gather:) seriously I dance my ass off when I can, I get to stiff otherwise, check out the underside of my bench
I don't know, but that lighter down there makes me laugh.

Rep points for lightening my day (I'm on my one of two helpline shifts of the week, and I'm getting some of the dumbest fuckin calls I've ever heard {and belive me, I've heard some dumb fuckin calls}).

[Greymatter Glass]

not 50/50... I stand more than sit, but I just got a stool for the first time in years, so I'm using it more.

[Master Yoda]

Werd, thanks icky. It's the only way I know how to show perspective in a photo. Somewhere I got pics of my newborns with lighters next to them for size reference:)

[smutboy420]

I tend to stand as it makes me not get as tired or my back hurting. I also have move freedom of movement.

My girl friend on the other hand is the complete opposite and tends to sit. For all the same reasons that I stand up.

When standing. them rubber mats DO make a huge difference after standing all day.

[Icarus]

Werd, thanks icky. It's the only way I know how to show perspective in a photo. Somewhere I got pics of my newborns with lighters next to them for size reference:)


Oh, that totally makes sense now.

[Skye Perry]

I always stand.I like to move around alot and somtimes I get up on a sinderblock like a stair stepper to get above my torch when i am working huge peices .Sitting just never really worked for me because of the angles I need to hold things in the flame somtimes .

[byron3]

I stand most of the time but sit to melt in color and such. I have a bar chair and thought it was the ideal height. I was beginning to wonder, but see that both Dom and Greymatter had the same thought. Keeps me up high enough that I don't have to worry about the family jewels getting too cozy with anything hotter than body temp. Maybe some one should start a poll to see how many blowers have had hot glass in their lap.

[BlueLilyStudio]

I sit to do most things because it keeps me steady...but I have to stand to heat a big tube pull or heat a really big item because it keeps me from catching fire. So its probably 70% sitting 30% standing.

[Conchis]

I both sit and stand, but it's not really even, I end up standing most of the time. I have a high stool that I sit at, and my bench is a rolling mechanic's tool tray and it's just the right height to stand behind. I started off without one of those mats and when I got one, it was a world of difference. (also someone suggested Merrell shoes and man, they made a difference as well).

[murf]

I stand, but find that my body is in this weird twisted position from constantly using my right hand as a stead rest as my left hand spins. I know its going to take a toll on my body. I have rollers and a stead rest, but cant seem to get the results needed in glass flow as i do using my hand

[Andy P]

50/50 here. I stand when I'm cranking the torch because I feel like I have better control over a bigger glob of glass while I'm standing because I can get my shoulders into it. While I'm sitting my elbows rest on my table which I find great for detailed work. I'm constantly sliding my chair under me and back out from under me, it almost feels instictual now.

[Johan]

I recline...

[Jones Art Glass]

I usually sit for beadmaking, but I stand for pretty much everything else. so 50/50.

[nafglass]

I used to stand more than sit but I'd say I sit 80% now. I tried standing the other day when I was making beads and it felt awkward. I only stand up when working something big. I have a bar stool that I pull in and out as needed. A chair with a back gets in my way.

[RamblezMarblez]

I always stand. I gotz my rubber mat with holes in it at Lowes Home Improvement near the welcome mats. Worth the buy. Sometimes I grab the pillard above me to keep pressure off my back cause I'm always moving and standing in different positions.

[Johan]

I love my cheap $20 office chair that rolls like butter. I can roll all over the place real fast.

[The Lorax]

^ i want a chair that rolls but my bench is too high. So i ripped the chair off the wheels it was on and strapped it onto a stool. It works, but wheeling around would be so helpful.

[Suz]

Thats interesting that more people say stand... I always used to get the impression people thought I was crazy for standing while I torched. Ive only started sitting recently, but I have to perch on a high stool, as Dh built my workbench for when I used to stand.

[Master Yoda]

Rolling is the bomb, I have a 10 x 10 basement cinder block room and roll everywhere, RG, I recline as well in my office chair:)

[bc]

I levitate, much better on the back. An no, I wont show you how!

[MUPH]

I love my cheap $20 office chair that rolls like butter. I can roll all over the place real fast.

Where did you find such a cheap office chair?

[FredLight]

One thing I've learned is to ditch the chair entirely for some sessions.

If you ever go to a collab at another shop, you'll probably need to stand, so don't become dependent on the chair or the elbow rest.

Oh, and I definitely sit when I need to place dots for combs.

[yinzer]

i sit, but only because i got outvoted on the most recent bench design. i prefer to stand unless im doing detail and need to be rather close and more steady. i have found since we finished the new bench, that sitting makes me feel way less productive and pretty much kills my motivation. plus it just feels much better on my back to stand, even though i do have the pimp office chair. ive always had good posture, bu trying to torch and sit full time, i find myself slumping way too much. lately ive been propping my torch up on bricks so i can stand more.

[Robert Mickelsen]

I see I am a bit late coming to this thread. Shane still gives me grief over the title of that essay I wrote over 20 years ago. "Stand and Deliver" indeed...

When I started out, everyone sat and so did I. I had terrible back issues and I was only 25. Then I watched a furnace glass blower work and envied his mobility. So I tried it and discovered that the back pain went away and that it did not take me long to get used to not having my elbows on the table for stability.

My theory is this: When you sit and work, your arms and the work are supported by your back muscles. You get tired quickly and resort to bracing the weight of your arms and the work by putting your elbows on the bench. This limits your mobility and does not entirely solve the weight distribution problem. When you stand with your bench and torch at the correct height (about navel high), your elbows end up being nearer to your center of mass and the weight of your arms and the work falls naturally on your hips. This is a weight distribution scenario better suited to bipeds like us. The only caveat is that wear and tear on your legs and feet is increased. Rubber mats help a lot. Moving around helps too. I still take little "hikes" while I work, turning and walking around in a small circle while waiting for something to cool or stabilize.

But everyone has to decide what works best for them. I encourage people to try standing if they have not done so before, but if you are more comfortable sitting, then by all means sit.

I have never been able to adequately explain what "deliver" means.

[lucidvisions]

^^^^^^^ Nuf sed ^^^^^^^

Josh

[Mac Maestro]

Shane still gives me grief over the title of that essay I wrote over 20 years ago. "Stand and Deliver" indeed...

Stand and deliver is classic Kama Sutra. Don't click this. (http://www.pimpinismy.biz/education.htm)

[Snurf]

Maestro that link rocks!! mmm Reverse stand and deliver

[CripSkillz]

Yess very good link,

and I can see how siting all day sucks, I do put a lot of weight on my elbows, and can feel it in my shoulders and back.. and i cant work full time either or Ill be hurtin I have to take beraks, at least every 2 hrs..

and I could see standing givin ya a lot more room to work probably cooler tooo

and thats just a recline break.. but I do always have a place to sit. hehe

[naughty pirate wench]

Crip - do you have cushiony pads on your bench for your elbows? Might make a difference to all those nerves in your elbows...I can't work without mine.

peace,
c

[CripSkillz]

Nope straight metal.. hahah but im actually on forearms most the time elbow occasionally, if im on elbows im really close to the torch so thats usually small stuff or detail, cuz this torch is hot as foook, so thats the part that sucks is my face is always within 1 - 2 ft of the flame n o matter what, which isnt that bad xcept for the radiant heat.. thats what really kills my motivation..

and I usually try to just do one handed for most of the steps i can get away with it and hold my arm out there and hold my self up with the other arm... so i can get back away from that big melter downer..

thats my main problem if im not leaning on something or holding on to something i will just fall over ..

[naughty pirate wench]

my face is always within 1 - 2 ft of the flame n o matter what, which isnt that bad xcept for the radiant heat.. thats what really kills my motivation..

yikes...would a blast shield help?


and I usually try to just do one handed for most of the steps i can get away with it and hold my arm out there and hold my self up with the other arm... so i can get back away from that big melter downer..

you completely amaze me. (wish there was a smilie for "awe")


if im not leaning on something or holding on to something i will just fall over ..

would a drafting chair on wheels help or hinder? if you could get something on wheels, that maybe adjusts to really low and really tall, would that help?

peace,
c

[CripSkillz]

heheh Im always on wheels, any chair i cant move with my arms is bad news LOL i have fallen off many heheh. i dont move from my tits down..

As for the blast shield it might help but I tryed a makshift one and it really just got in my way.. would have to get used to it ,,

once i get me a mirage Ill be good, I got to try one and its night n day diference on the heat issue..

it didnt get everything on my bench inclucing my bench hot.. hehhe at least not all my tool glass any thing i pick up after bout 10 min of fat flame..

I think i drank bout a half flat of waters last night and sweat em all out in 3hrs and all i got was 2 broken pieces, well one went back together but sill looks like shit..

[metalbone]

hey Crip, do yo keep a swatch of leather or something on your lap that you can use to protech yourself or quickly flip off a piece of hot glass in case of an emergency ?

[CripSkillz]

AHHAH you know this, I have a frax fiber apron,, works good for a bout 10 seconds then you better have the glass off ya heheh..

heres one that missed the apron and stuck to my leg the other day, melted my shorts right to me.. it happened bout a week ago, just happen to be wearing the shorts right now hehehe..

http://cripskillz.com/pics/gldg/6735.jpg

[metalbone]

damn...

[CripSkillz]

heheh its all good i didnt feel it..

[JANKYglass]

we need to make you a bungy seat from the rafters.kinda like a jumbo johnny jumper.or something like they used on crazylegs in "dont be a menace to society while drinking your juice in the hood" in his dream/dance scenerio.

[Pilgrim]

I kneel when I work ...yes Kneel in an ergonomically correct position....

[CripSkillz]

What corner you workin on Pilgrim :D

[naughty pirate wench]

I like to pole dance when I work at the torch. :evilLaugh

[JANKYglass]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hooter17/437913966/

[Tommyboi]

I sit until i get hit with some hot glass and then i dance :)

[Pilgrim]

What corner you workin on Pilgrim :D


The Right corner...of course...:D

[CripSkillz]

ok didnt know if you knew what you were doin or not hehehe.. I guess you do .. :)

[LifeGlass]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hooter17/437913966/

Dude that would be the shit, on wheels you could roll/hop all around the shop, man, WTF we need those for adults!:bouncy::chilling:

[NUBBLET]

I do a good mix of both hell I kneel sometimes . some angles need different posures

[Boss]

i stand on a mat for spine comfort! if you sit and need to stand, a stone block works good to c clamp your torch to for more height if your bench is too low.... now you guys need to talk less and work more...ha ha

[Tylerdurdin]

My bench doesnt really allow me to stand, my head touches my ceiling lol. Soon im moving to a new spot in the basement and ill be able to do both.

[Uriel]

Crip man you are an inspiration to those of us non disabled folks, what you have to deal with on a daily basis is more than most could cope with, Thats without the fact you ARE a consumate glassblower!
+rep for the inspiration not to get down!

[Lub]

hella pimp crip you rock

[steak351]

i sit

[brettodie]

stand on nice mats with excellent shoes. my torch is mounted on a car scissor jack.about a foot away from my bench so i can walk around it as i work rather then jacking my shoulders up even worse.

[hashmasta-kut]

i need to get a scissor jack too. i want to have the option to sit or stand, i have a good mat, but my torch is way too low to stand.

[jacky geurts 67]

I do both, I like standing because it gives me more freedom of movement, but when I do detail work I sit down so I can suport my arms/hands and do not tremble as much. for sitting i use a barber stool, it keeps your back straight.

Jacky

[Dazza]

Used to sit most of the time. Got the scar to prove it. Hot glass sticks real good to leg hair! Maybe the ladies are on to something... LOL

[blueflame glass worxs]

i sit most of the time im to old to stand and the 7-3:30 was a standing job so i sit and enjoy my work ,it really isn't work.

[rockstar glassworks]

I sit to do most of my work. Production stuff, pendants and so on. I find that standing is one more thing I have to think about while working. Plus all that inside point work just doesn't work for me while I'm standing.

Now if I'm assembling a goblet, or something else thats large, or say melting a marble...then I'll stand.

So small sit...big stand.

[Jeffs Pieces]

ah this question, I sit 100% and that is the reason I got into glass. I got in a bad wreck awile back that left me disabled. I got faced with having to find a job without the use of my leg....and I found it

[wisco lala]

I sit a good majority of the time, but I've been standing more lately. I wish I had built my bench higher so standing was more convenient. For detail work I always sit, but when I'm just heating something or letting gravity do the shaping, I usually will stand if I think about it.
__________________


Put a large brick/block under your torch. I have mine clamped to a cement block. Should bring it up enough.

I always stand.

[Campy]

I stand almost 100% of the time...

[gongshow]

I stand must of the time but have a seat when the back is hurting

[LunacyMountain]

At my teachers shop his table is tall enough so that I stand on a fat mat and I never sit down. My table is a lot lower and if I stand while working a shift I probably won't be working a shift the next day haha....I have some back issues from when I worked at wal-mart years ago, they don't give a fuck about your back, just getting the job done....haha but really I don't care as long as you have a nice mat to stand on or the proper chair to sit in.....

[ALIEN!]

I stand while I work, except when Im shitting.

[B-Rye-oNeR]

I usually stand, unless i'm doing onnies, or beads. check this out though http://health.yahoo.net/experts/menshealth/most-dangerous-thing-youll-do-all-day

[Action Glass]

i have never sat down ever

Definitely shows in your work.....Brah

[Headdi Retti's Glass Art Studio]

I stand as long as I can maybe acouple hours at most, at a time, got some thick pads to stand on which helps. I have a number of Stainless Steel screws, plate, & staple in left knee Old Air Force injury. So I can only Stand for so long. Then its in the kiln and safety break , If I cant stop then I have fashioned a Ku thick padded triangular Drummers chair that I have built a stand on large rollers that it sits on, this way I can take pressure off leg while still maintaining a (mostly) upright position, and the pneumatic's are nice, but I stand as much as possible..=)

[JBob]

stand almost 100% of the time.

[Sketchball]

I've sat ever since I've started working (8 months?). Seeing this makes me want to change that. Being 6'5", there is not a lot of middle ground between sitting and standing.

I've been making a lot more marbles and small stuff than anything else as well. When I get into making more hollow/pipes I'm sure I'll have to switch it up. But I'll grab a cinder block, throw it under my torch tonight and see how it goes.

[Julian]

It depends what type of work I'm doing. If it's small detail work, like certain types of beads or pendants, usually I feel like I have the best control when sitting. When working on larger hollow pieces or paperweights, definitely standing feels a lot freer and more comfortable.

[Lyle Lanley]

i stand all the time on thick rubber mats. i am 6'4 so i built my table taller, it works great only down side i can't find a chair that will fit my table. everything is too short. really sucks.. next time or when i have time i will be adjusting my tables height so i can do both

[B-Rye-oNeR]

have you tired one of those drafting chairs,? they are adjustable and go pretty tall. That's what I use. Or maybe a bar chair.
Also standing mats are great, just got one, my ankles were getting really swollen and sore, I think alot of it was from using a foot pedal soo much and kinda shifting my weight back and fourth so often. Standing mat, and drafting chair highly recommended.

[LifeGlass]

drafting chair and table is titties! got lucky and scored a set off CL for cheap! great for a movable adjustable bench!

[senz1]

sit unless im workin something larger..

[nadabunny]

I do a combo but mostly sit. I love using a stool, a chair with a back is not that useful since I'm leaning forward most of the time! If I get a footpedal next, I'll probably get a mat. I use one in the kitchen and it's soooooo nice!

[full_kiln]

sitting for scientific, standing for anything else

[Bro-crispy]

Going to throw another shout out for the Extreme Standing Mats (http://www.softknees.com/extreme.html). I've had mine for 6 months or so now and could never go back. It really makes that much of a difference. The thing feels like a waterbed. Well, a sturdy waterbed . . . :)

I have the 3'x2' size. Personally I wouldn't want anything smaller, it's nice to be able to shift your feet while you're working and not have to worry about stepping/falling off of it (It's 1" tall).

Since I got it I've been standing 100% of the time, which is a change. I'd actually like to go back to sitting for part of the day, I think it would def. be healthier. Even with the mat, after standing for 8+ hours I definitely feel stress in my back and legs.

I also have some adjustable arm rests that I bought from Kristian a while back. Looking forward to setting those up again, and really working on my body mechanics. I tend to ignore my body while I work and it's been costing me big time. Time to wake up . . .

[AdamCotter]

I mount my torch on a piece of drum hardware so it's free standing and i can jank it up to stand or down to sit. it's independent from the bench that way too so you can have it blasting into space and use it like an offhand blower uses a furnace.

you will burn your dick off if you sit all the time.

[BombDiggity]

I'm 50/50. However, my old lady preferres that I stand otherwise she gets a wicked pain in the neck.

:pimp:

[AdamCotter]

Whatever you do do not use a cloth cover seat, if you try to brush off dust/filimant strands, it will hold it and cit the shit out of you and also send splinters into your but.

[AdamCotter]

ah this question, I sit 100% and that is the reason I got into glass. I got in a bad wreck awile back that left me disabled. I got faced with having to find a job without the use of my leg....and I found it

That is killer! Not that your leg is messed up of course.

[AdamCotter]

A plain old adjustable office chair works good if you sit mostly, and are about 50 bucks. If you mostly stand, a bar stool works good because you are basically at the same height as as standing.

[NC_Icehouse]

I only sit during prep work...standing allows for a better angle on your piece while in the torch. High, low, left, right etc...

[EFS]

I sit at the bench and the lathe pretty much 100 percent of the time. Only time i can think of when i stand is vac stacking on the lathe.

[ramanglass544]

I sit with the table as close to my chest as possible, and find that the table and torch protect my body from radiant heat while working larger bubbles +50mm, as well as giving me elbow rests when Im feeling tired.
as long as I maintain proper posture I have a full range of motion, and I only have to go into a semi fetal position for detail work.

edit: month old thread... oops

[hashmasta-kut]

i dont know if you ever considered it but once i did i had to do it, is extending a small section out towards you maybe around 9"x9", in the front middle of your table where you mount your torch and putting your torch over your lap a bit, and you wont have to reach as far forward. its been great for me.

[brettodie]

^^^^ mine sticks out a bit furthur then that around a foot. that way i can walk around it,rather then using my shoulders to direct the flame into my piece the way i want it to. i also have my torch mounted on a old set of scissor jacks and adjust the height every time i work, so im not repeatedly working in the same position.
i only stand have for years, sitting ruined my neck. working to big of pieces free hand ruined my shoulder. now i have to pay alot more attention to the ergonomics of my work space and how i do things,or i pay for it.

[hashmasta-kut]

i actually sit but have a drafting chair, so instead of adjusting the torch i adjust my seat height pretty often for different things. and my torch is out a good foot too, 14 inches i think maybe. when i stood for a bit, i got bad shoulder problems in just two days. i spent the better part of a decade runining my body chopping boards at a mill, so maybe because i was standing doing that, it doesnt work so well for me now.

[brettodie]

i tried every type of chair possible during the years i sat. i find working with the torch much more vertical, helps with shoulder pain alot for me.i work over my torch face much more then in front of it. anything really that brings the torch closer to your chest. standing is different. real good shoes and floor mats are important. posture also. plus i can wonder around and move a bit more then sitting and my ass doesnt fall asleep. :)

[Newt]

I used to sit all the time up till about 2 and a half years ago...started standing while I worked and found I could move around and control awkward pieces easier.

[Dan Kooper]

I sit at my home studio and stand at the shops studio..

[LunacyMountain]

I do like this guy http://www.talkglass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44528 and just sit on my toilet

[eyeseeglass]

I switch between standing (8O%) and sitting (20%). I also have a cushy mat for my posture while standing, it's nice to have but if I drop a marble there's plastic shot all over it because of the stupid mat. My next set up will be much better. Concrete floors fo sho

[SpitfireMurphy]

Sit....but I put a cloth on my lap to prevent burning from falling hot glass....and yes, that cloth has a few burn marks on it...hahaha

And the chair is leather, so not easily burned...

[Bo Diddles]

The smaller I'm working, the more likely I am to sit.
That being said, I stand about 97% of the time.

[d3rk]

My bench and torch height are at a perfect median between sitting and standing and the drum stool gets me to the perfect height. I sit mostly: stand when my ass takes a nap.

[Hefe]

both

[Chile Ortega]

Stand

[richsantaclaus]

STAND!!!!!!!

Got a funny for ya all (not funny at the time though).

On my last vacation, I participated in Thursday Open Torch Night at Playing With Fire in Maine. Their studio is where all people have to sit in rolling chairs (thank God they rolled!!!!! Got a 1 1/4" marble going and all of a sudden the punty broke. The marble hit the edge of a rod, smacked into a marver and promptly fell into my lap right between my legs! I shoved back as quickly as I could hitting the wooden stairs behind me, falling to the left side with the chair, marble and pants hit the floor - and no the marble didn't fall out - yet! I toppled out of the chair and at that point the marble became unstuck from my pants in the crotch area. It hit one of the chair's rollers and bounced against the lower step. I had 5 burn places in those pants, one all the way through to the skin - ouch! I have the marble now - I call it the "crotch rocket marble!"

[somewhere]

STAND!!!!!!!

Got a funny for ya all (not funny at the time though).

On my last vacation, I participated in Thursday Open Torch Night at Playing With Fire in Maine. Their studio is where all people have to sit in rolling chairs (thank God they rolled!!!!! Got a 1 1/4" marble going and all of a sudden the punty broke. The marble hit the edge of a rod, smacked into a marver and promptly fell into my lap right between my legs! I shoved back as quickly as I could hitting the wooden stairs behind me, falling to the left side with the chair, marble and pants hit the floor - and no the marble didn't fall out - yet! I toppled out of the chair and at that point the marble became unstuck from my pants in the crotch area. It hit one of the chair's rollers and bounced against the lower step. I had 5 burn places in those pants, one all the way through to the skin - ouch! I have the marble now - I call it the "crotch rocket marble!"

Sounds like synthetics if the glass stuck to your pants. Lesson for everyone natural fibers glass will not stick to cotton.

[richsantaclaus]

Costco short Jeans - I threw them away - they were new ones too!

Thanks for the note about natural fibers!

[istandalone24/7]

if i'm laying down color or stringer work, i sit so i can steady my hands better. melting in, or any other thing for that matter i'm standing. i've always got music blaring and i just can't sit still with rocknroll on the radio.

[Dan Kooper]

I sit on the toilet backwards with my torch mounted on the tank. Perfect workspace. I think I need to upgrade my ventilation though, and not because of the gases from my torch.....

[Logan]

I stand 100% these days. I like the flow of standing and working with a foot pedal. Rubber kitchen mats and vibram shoes are also great.

[3-H]

Sitting is the way to go.

[LooseSeal Baller]

both as long as your posture is good. if i slouch my back hurts. the bench i work on is basically set up for sitting ( on the short side). stand when i'm doing a stack

[LowTideGlass]

I'm 6'6 and always have a hard time finding a comfortable position. My current bench is not nearly high enough either. I have my torch up on two cinderblocks, but I think that it still needs to be higher.

I stand 95% of the time. Sit on a tall stool if I am doing intricate work or something.

Just ordered one of these. Hoping that it will make it a little easier to find the ideal torch height.

44676

http://www.amazon.com/American-Educational-Stainless-Laboratory-Scissor/dp/B008EM9Z66/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356817051&sr=8-1&keywords=laboratory+jacks

[PyroChixRock]

I sit on the toilet backwards with my torch mounted on the tank. Perfect workspace. I think I need to upgrade my ventilation though, and not because of the gases from my torch.....

:rollin

That is a cool jack stand. I'm going to have to try one of those! Sometimes there is not enough room for me under my mirage when it's mounted on the bench.

[Dan Kooper]

That's just a scissor jack. Like the ones in trunks of cars. Make one. I'm sure your local junkyard has 100s of adjustable torch stands.

[khan]

Nope its not a scissor jack. That is a Lab Jack. Check them out on ebay....many many for sale.
But it does work on the same principle as a scissor jack.
Thats what i used for my roller stand... works pretty good.

Khan

[khan]

Yes... by all means i do sit or stand while torching...!!

hah
Khan

[Dan Kooper]

Most junkyards will sell you a scissor jack for 5$. They have brand new never use ones most the time. I knew that one wAsnt a scissor jack. Just same concept and would do the same thing. That is all.

[TheGGirl]

I sit while I work-10 yrs. now- and always have. I spent the first few years always crossing one leg over the other and developed painful sciatic-like hip-leg pain. Don't cross your legs!!!!!!!! Also, I always wear 100% cotton- super big dj pants and an oversized hoody - baggy burning cotton is alot easier to remove than melting-stick-to-you synthetics! *WIPING WITH COTTON HOODY SLEEVE REMOVES KILN DUST FROM HOT GLASS PERFECTLY* only kiln hot though, hotter and you will burn your shirt!

[CheeseNip]

I do about a 80/20 stand/sit. I stand for just about everything except for stringer work (implosions, ISO, etc.) and finishing work (marbles, carbs etc.). i usually stand to do my mouthpieces too. i normally do 10-20 pieces at a time, for example, shape 10, decorate 10, then do all the mouthpieces, so if i don't stand for mouthpieces I just end up getting up and down every 30-45 seconds. I used to sit for everything, but one day I tried standing, and ever since i got used to it I just can't work sitting down anymore. Seems like i can't shape things as cleanly if I'm sitting down anymore.

[olddog]

I have a bad knee so I sit most of the time.

[truedef]

Depends, sometimes I like dancing to my music while I melt. Boom chika wow wowwww

[Organik]

Mostly sitting because of my current setup but when the tribe comes on I stand up and dance!

[hammer]

That's a lab jack. I got an 8 * 8 from Chemglass to use as a torch stand. They had a buy one get one free last month.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TCsGlassworks]

I use to 50/50 sit, stand. now after knee surgery its almost 90 sit 10 stand.

[twisteddman]

The bench that I sit at is at a level designed for sitting but i used a rotory saw and sawsall to cut out the section at the front below my torch and then attached a steel pipe T to the inside 2 x 4 and slid a 2 foot section of pipe into it and attached it to the bottom of the section I cut out and attached my torch back to that. I drilled a hole in the T and threaded it so I could put in a bolt to lock it in place. sso know when I sit it looks like a normal bench , but when I want to stand or need more room blow the torch I just loosen the locking bolt and raise it to the desired height and then relock it. works excellent and cost about $15 since i already owned the required tools

64801
64802
64803

[PyroChixRock]

that's pretty cool :)

[PhantomGlassGuy808]

I have a disability with painful nerve damage in my feet and hands, I can't stand for more than five minutes.
The heat feels sooooo good on my hands, luckily I can still work glass.

[Paul-C]

i learned standing and cant get comfortable sitting

[VinE]

I tend to stand when I'm doing large or heavy projects. Its comfortable to sit when doing smaller things but I have a disability that doesn't allow that anymore. Back in 2003 I used to sit most of the time , after watching hamm and Marcel work i realized sitting limited my work while standing didn't. Standing is a good practice that strengthens your core. Sitting sucks for posture and a bunch of other reasons. Don't sit.

[Yeef]

i sit til my ass hurts then i take a walk for a few. i can't stand while working with my back injury, i'd be couched after 6hrs. =(

[Nomad]

I sit wile I work. I have a comfortable office chair.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Yeef]

once i get this studio put together i'll have a nice chair. right now i'm working on an old barstool that was cut down as a keyboard throne.. it's not nice after an hour or so. lol.

work on the studio or blow glass? i have no willpower =p

[Nomad]

I got a $50-$100 chair from Staples. Bar stools hurt my back. Plus chair has wheels.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Yeef]

they had laZboy office chairs on sale for $99 at staples a couple of months ago and i picked one up for the computer room, such a badass chair. it's going to be too low for my new bench though.

i'm sort of looking for a nice graphic design chair, one of those tall rubberized deals with wheels and a foot rest. i've found it helps my back a whole lot to have lots of footrests.

incidentally, i'm building the bench tall so i can stand while i'm working if i want to, at least until the ass pain subsides. ass pain. ASS PAIN!!1

[khan]

Why yes.... yes i do..

:)

[Nomad]

Try a craftsman by Sears.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nomad]

Or even better... a drafting stool...
http://www.sears.com/boss-office-products-black-caressoft-drafting-stools-with/p-SPM6316071703?prdNo=22&blockNo=22&blockType=G22

[Yeef]

that's basically what i'm looking for, except the ones i've seen don't have big pads and stuff, they're just rubberized ??? with a nice ass-pad and no arms. i tend to rest my elbow on my knee for detail work and armrests are kind of useless.