Working height?

[cliffrod]

i used Jim's P21 (?) at the RR last week, paid attention to demonstrations, etc. what I did not do was take a rough measurement of the working height of the tooling. In my mind, my new machine (sitting under a tent on a slope on the back lawn...) was about the same height. While it's safely on the crane being moved, I would like to add casters like Jim has on his and possibly some risers to raise the machine. Jim said he was told casters would not work, but he's had them on his Pullmax for a while and all seems to be fine.

50 1/2" working height on my English Wheel is very comfortable for me. Current original work height on this Gairu is approx 36". Should I go as high as my wheel (approx 14" taller with 5" or 6" casters plus appropriate riser blocks) or keep it a little lower for better metal handling? What approx working height do others here prefer on their jiggly machine?

[neilb]

cliff my jiggly working height is 95cm 37.4 in the old system and my wheel working height is 120cm just over 47 inches, I'm 6ft and my jiggly could do with coming up slightly as it's at my hip

[cliffrod]

cliff my jiggly working height is 95cm 37.4 in the old system and my wheel working height is 120cm just over 47 inches, I'm 6ft and my jiggly could do with coming up slightly as it's at my hip

Very cool- thanks, Neil.

[Chazza]

.... Should I go as high as my wheel (approx 14" taller with 5" or 6" casters plus appropriate riser blocks) or keep it a little lower for better metal handling? What approx working height do others here prefer on their jiggly machine?

Ergonomics can be tricky because the correct answer is what suits your body.

My trade was as a fitter and the first thing we did, was make parts by hand at a bench with a vice. The best height for a vice, is the distance from the point of your elbow to the floor, when standing up straight with your hand on your shoulder.

Using this rule-of-thumb I have designed most of my benches and portable tools, to be used at somewhere near this height. Where this is impossible, I use a stool to get closer to an appropriate height.

Variables that matter are;
1. What the task is.
2. How your body handles the position; for example bending at the waist is really bad for my back.
3. The mass of the load you are expecting to work with.

Cheers Charlie

[cliffrod]

Ergonomics can be tricky because the correct answer is what suits your body.

My trade was as a fitter and the first thing we did, was make parts by hand at a bench with a vice. The best height for a vice, is the distance from the point of your elbow to the floor, when standing up straight with your hand on your shoulder.

Using this rule-of-thumb I have designed most of my benches and portable tools, to be used at somewhere near this height. Where this is impossible, I use a stool to get closer to an appropriate height.

Variables that matter are;
1. What the task is.
2. How your body handles the position; for example bending at the waist is really bad for my back.
3. The mass of the load you are expecting to work with.

Cheers Charlie

Good advice, Charlie- thank you. The challenge with setting up this machine is zero experience with anything like this machine and future safe handling of the 3k+ lb machine (away from my big crane) if I want to change it. So I trying to get a good plan together so I can install appropriate casters/risers while my friend's knuckle boom truck is here to lift & move it. Easy to do that stuff when it's up in the air.

the obvious solution is to install a big crane in that building as well, but not doing that now..

[dennis]

Hi Cliffy
I checked my jiggly Machine today for you and it is 1050 mm it seems to be a good working height.
Regards Dennis

[cliffrod]

Thanks, Dennis.

I finally had time (and much cooler weather) yesterday to begin assembling the dolly for my jiggly machine. Two pieces of 6 foot long 12" wide channel (1/4" thick, sidewall is 3" tall) separated by 4 pieces of 3" channel were welded together. I will plane oak lumber to install in channel to support the machine and weld nests to receive 1/2" threaded rod to attach machine to dolly through existing holes in the machine feet. 8" kingpinless casters (approx 9 1/2" overall height). will be welded to the flat bottom so I can move it around easily.

Eventually, the 2 remaining pieces of 12" channel are planned to be cut into four equal pieces, ends beveled slightly and drilled so I bolt pieces of plate steel (probably 1/4") to each pair. These will assembled on each end around the wheels so once placed the machine can raised slightly to rest on solid legs instead of on the wheels.

the total height of this dolly will be about 13", raising my working height from 36" up to approx 49"-50" & very close to the 50 1/2" working height of my English Wheel.

[cliffrod]

I hate sandblasting..

but I've made good progress on the cart or dolly for my big jiggly machine in the last few days. Finished all welding yesterday including equally spaced holes with captured nuts on each end plate for attaching a handle. Spent this afternoon outside with the pressure pot & 4 bags of black beauty, the cheap steel looked a lot better. Some handy paint on the shelf got it looking better. One more coat tomorrow and I'll pull it back inside. Still need to do the wood pads to put in the channels for the machine to sit upon when it all bolts together. Overall measurements are 72" long X 30" wide by 9 1/2" tall as is.



Anxious to get my machine inside and set up. It's been a severe drought here so the last two months of being under a tent hasn't been detrimental to the machine. Time flies.

[norson]

I would be very careful with those casters. The tipping point is now 6? inches inboard of where it was and the center of gravity is now much higher. these things are famous for tipping over.

[cliffrod]

I would be very careful with those casters. The tipping point is now 6? inches inboard of where it was and the center of gravity is now much higher. these things are famous for tipping over.

Thanks for your concern. The cart is oversized, with the casters centered under the studs that fix the machine to cart via original holes in feet. That should keep all safe and ok while rolling. Other machines I've seen with wheels had the wheels attached in the same location.

I also have feet to install to raise machine off the casters once in place in the shop to extend the weight bearing footprint both longer and wider. Been thinking about that lift & the heavy nose, so will probably make a significant support to place under the motor end for that lift if & when I get that far.