Torching for the disabled.

**Ben 'Spice' Crowley** · 10-19-2009, 06:45 AM

Long post so bear with me. My soon to be Bro-in-Law is handi-capable. He can stand but prefers to sit, has the use of one arm, and has very little to no endurance.

He watches me torch pretty regularly, he seems to be very at ease when watching the process and always wheels around to give a helping hand. He holds puntis and hot rods and helps me pull really long stringers, he does some of my spinning work on larger tubing (with the uses of rollers).

For a few months now I have been trying to find a way to let him go at it. He loves the concept and really gets the flow. I've taught him a few things he can do with a stationery vessel, and sometimes I give him things to blow out into balls, but I can't figure out where to go with it next. He loves the FLAME. he digs the glass but we can't solve the issue of how to torch with the use of one hand and limited mobility at the standard axis' for lamping.

Any suggestions or pics of handi-capable setups would help alot.

Side note. for a while I felt like I was pushing a rock on this one, he ddn't seem interested. Then one day I let him pop the holes on a spoon and he held the piece while I added a marble and now he's OBSESSED.

**CDot** · 10-19-2009, 07:29 AM

this is just a crazy idea, but what if you rigged a stationary drill to a pedal or something that he could use his foot to control the spinning. i think that would at least help him be able to do outside work..

i dunno i might need to put the pipe down..

**Meerkat** · 10-19-2009, 12:02 PM

Thats actually a pretty clever idea, especially if the foot pedal could control the speed and was very sensitive, and maybe even a switch he could kick with his shoe to reverse the direction.

**AWhiskeyDrunk** · 10-19-2009, 12:45 PM

hey that drill idea is pretty good...I'm thinking...lots of frit... easy way to add in some color...

ok...I'm thinking stainless steel punties... stationary on the desk... like drill a hole or attach a clip of some sort....to hold a punty in place...near maybe under the torch (so it stays warm) but removable so he can pull it out and drop it in the water bucket...

just thinking....

**Ben 'Spice' Crowley** · 10-19-2009, 01:45 PM

I was thinking along the same lines, need some help finding a foot pedal for such actions though, have had little luck in the time between my posts.

He can add Color by the stick when we duo it, he's got a good steady push/pull with a standard size stick of NS. What I also boggle on is a quick one handed way to switch tools or whatnot, like a Sci-glass ring stand type thingy

**Big Jay** · 10-19-2009, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by Sativa crowley

I was thinking along the same lines, need some help finding a foot pedal for such actions though

maybe try to find a cheap used sewing machine with a foot pedal. It won't reverseable but it should work. I'd try to set it up as motorized bench roller which ABR I think has one that you should be able to look at for concept. You could set it up as a belt drive that actually loops over the blow tube since he won't be able to apply pressure to the blow tube when spinning it.

**Big Jay** · 10-19-2009, 01:53 PM

back on the belt drive issue just use a spring tensioner like one thats found on a belt drive of the car. Loose enough that he can slide the blow tube in and out easy enough but tight enough to not slip on the blow tube.

**cc_bob** · 10-19-2009, 04:55 PM

Is he set on making large things like pipes?

If not you could probably mount something like this on a flexible arm.

**Ben 'Spice' Crowley** · 10-19-2009, 06:41 PM

He just likes melting glass, he isnt to keen on pipes because he can't currently see them all the way through

**menty666** · 10-19-2009, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by cc_bob

Is he set on making large things like pipes?

If not you could probably mount something like this on a flexible arm.

I was going to suggest trying to bench mount an EMS to do beads and stuff.

Check this out too, it came up last year.

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh....php?p=2123370

**Kool** · 10-19-2009, 09:21 PM

I'm going to move this thread into the main room so maybe more people will see it and give you some ideas.

**weberglass** · 10-19-2009, 10:09 PM

I don't have any contact info but Bradley Tubbs is an experienced glass artist. He has learned to work with one arm for the most part. He is missing half of one of his arms from the elbow down. I dont have a lot if info but I do know it has been a process that he has improved on over the years with some specialized equipment to help him spin the glass. You might google him and send him an email letting him know your situation and ask if he might share some of his experience to help out. Good luck!!

**Islandglass Man** · 10-20-2009, 03:51 AM

This is expensive but with a lathe he could do just about anything you can do.

A bench lathe set at the hight of his chair will allow him to turn shape and seal items. I have taught a guy in a wheel chair and with some special tools he was able to hold a job blowing lab equipment.

You might be able to put some other equipment together for him but it might not be as safe as the right lathe set up.

Bear

**metalbone** · 10-20-2009, 08:29 AM

If you go the drill and foot pedal route, you might put a dimmer switch or potentiometer in line with the main drill power to reduce the top RPMs to a more manageable rotation.

You should also be thinking of safety...i'd hate to hear about a piece of hot glass dropping and rolling onto your friends lap or rolling onto the floor out of his reach while a fire is starting...

**Ben 'Spice' Crowley** · 03-21-2010, 05:16 AM

Returning to old threads I let die on my end. This idea worked out really well, alot of success so far for my buddy.

Unfortunatley he lives in Connecticut now so he doesn't get down very often to work

We ended up using a system of wood blocks and a drill with a pull clamp
(the wood bricks act as a second hand (obviously not a spinning one)
(The drill utilized a pull clamp, Ace hardware, you pull it it tightens and has a release latch)

**Lub** · 03-21-2010, 12:58 PM

good luck man, rock on. everybody deserves to learn if the passion exists

**bombheadster** · 03-22-2010, 06:49 AM

Very cool. I'm in amherst, MA, at Hampshire College, maybe not far from your bro? I know Hartford is an hour away tops. Anyway, I work in my school's shop where we also do a lot of adaptive design and assistive technology. If your bro-in-law is interested in visiting, blowing some glass and maybe working on some specialized equipment, I'd be really into that. Basically, I'm blowing glass in the corner of an assistive technology development center, equipped with full metal and plastics fabrication equipment, and it would be sweet if your bro wants to come by and jam a little. Just throwing it out there.