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potters stools

updated mon 24 jan 11

 

stan irvin on sat 5 aug 00


Veena,
I recently found a padded drummers stool at a garage sale. Needless to say
it was cheep but in good condition. It is well padded, very sturdy and has
an easy adjustment for height. It is the best thing I have ever used. I
have also seen them with backs in drum/ music stores. I would reccommend
that you first try throwing standing up but if you like a seated position,
these stools are excellent. If the stool won't go as low as you want it
to, just raise your wheel on some blocks of wood.

Stan Irvin

Veena Raghavan on sat 5 aug 00


Dear Clayarters,
My first appeal for advice, now that I am just starting, on a very
modest basis, to set up my first home studio in the walkout basement of my
house.
I have already booked my wheel, the Brent CXC and now need a stool.
I wonder if anyone would be kind enough to tell me their experiences, if
any, with the creative industries stools,ST1 and ST2. The first looks very
comfortable, but at a price, so I wanted to know how itr has worked for
anyone who owns one. I want to get something with a backrest, so this
seemed very good. Anyone used either of these for throwing? Thank you in
advance for your help.
All the best.
Veena

Veena Raghavan
75124.2520@compuserve.com

GURUSHAKTI@AOL.COM on sat 5 aug 00


Veena, I'm using a $34 padded, swivel chair on rollers that I purchased at
one of discount Office Supply store. It has adjustable height and it works
great! I love it's comfort and versatility and the price can't be beat!

Warm regards,
June

Autumn Downey on sat 5 aug 00


Hello Veena,

Yesterday a friend and I went to the monthly Gov't Warehouse sale here in
Yellowknife (a bargainhunter's paradise) and I acquired a "fleet" of 5
office chairs. That's what it felt like when I went to leave with them.
They are adjustable, have a backrest, no arms and are on casters. Might
have to get feet for them instead, but we'll see. The fabric covering is
worn but since I intend to cover them with some sort of washable upholstery
that doesn't matter.

These are for use at our Guild - so adjustability to all our different
shapes and sizes is important. Hard to say how well they'll last, but for
$5 ea...., it's not a big deal. Do you have access to some second hand
office furniture? Another stool that I have for my own use, originated in
a dentist's office. Very sturdy, adjustable and comfortable. It also had
casters, but I switched to feet.

Good luck!

Autumn Downey
Yellowknife, NWT

and 11:33 AM 2000-08-05 -0400, you wrote:
>Dear Clayarters,
> My first appeal for advice, now that I am just starting, on a very
>modest basis, to set up my first home studio in the walkout basement of my
>house.
> I have already booked my wheel, the Brent CXC and now need a stool.
>I wonder if anyone would be kind enough to tell me their experiences, if
>any, with the creative industries stools,ST1 and ST2. The first looks very
>comfortable, but at a price, so I wanted to know how itr has worked for
>anyone who owns one. I want to get something with a backrest, so this
>seemed very good. Anyone used either of these for throwing? Thank you in
>advance for your help.
> All the best.
>Veena
>
>Veena Raghavan
>75124.2520@compuserve.com
>
>___________________________________________________________________________
___
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
>

Diane G. Echlin on sat 5 aug 00


Before I started throwing standing up I used the St1. It's a great piece of
equipment, as it has 3 settings for tilt, and infinite height adjustability. It
stays where you place it on the floor and swivels smoothly. I lubed it once with
WD40. The idea behind this stool, i think, is to keep your legs and tush from
falling asleep during long periods of throwing.

Now it sits wherever it will be out of the way in my studio. I love to stand and
throw, and my back is happier, so come to think of it, I'd be happy to sell you
mine for $75 plus packing/shipping....Gets it out of my way! ;)
Diane in CT

Veena Raghavan wrote:

> Dear Clayarters,
> My first appeal for advice, now that I am just starting, on a very
> modest basis, to set up my first home studio in the walkout basement of my
> house.
> I have already booked my wheel, the Brent CXC and now need a stool.
> I wonder if anyone would be kind enough to tell me their experiences, if
> any, with the creative industries stools,ST1 and ST2. The first looks very
> comfortable, but at a price, so I wanted to know how itr has worked for
> anyone who owns one. I want to get something with a backrest, so this
> seemed very good. Anyone used either of these for throwing? Thank you in
> advance for your help.
> All the best.
> Veena
>
> Veena Raghavan
> 75124.2520@compuserve.com
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.

Susan Kosko on sat 5 aug 00


veena -

i have the ST1 and i love it. i've had back trouble and find that i have more
mobility in my legs so i can change position easily and still be comfortable, which
i couldn't do at my former teacher's studio on her plastic school lunchroom type
chairs. my only problem with it is that it doesn't go down low enough for my short
legs (i have a 28 inch inseam), so i've had to put my shimpo up on cinder blocks. i
sit with my butt lower than the wheel head so i don't have to hunch my back as
much. when i was on vacation last year, i loaned it to my teacher and she didn't
like it (although she didn't dislike it either - i think she felt it wasn't so
wonderful that she'd spend the money on it) but one of her students did.

hope this helps!

susan kosko
new durham, nh, usa
where we've had two sunny days in a row

L. P. Skeen on sun 6 aug 00


Veena,

I don't like those stools; they look comfortable, but are too small for
anyone over 125lbs. Of course, they would fit YOU very well, but the
angles are kind of awkward.. I like the one that is plain, flat, made of
metal w/ a masonite seat. Can add a cushion if necessary, but it's just the
perfect height in relation to the wheel. :) My two cents...........
----- Original Message -----
From: Veena Raghavan <75124.2520@COMPUSERVE.COM>
To:
Sent: Saturday, August 05, 2000 11:33 AM
Subject: potters stools


> Dear Clayarters,
> My first appeal for advice, now that I am just starting, on a very
> modest basis, to set up my first home studio in the walkout basement of my
> house.
> I have already booked my wheel, the Brent CXC and now need a
stool.
> I wonder if anyone would be kind enough to tell me their experiences, if
> any, with the creative industries stools,ST1 and ST2. The first looks very
> comfortable, but at a price, so I wanted to know how itr has worked for
> anyone who owns one. I want to get something with a backrest, so this
> seemed very good. Anyone used either of these for throwing? Thank you in
> advance for your help.
> All the best.
> Veena
>
> Veena Raghavan
> 75124.2520@compuserve.com
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>

Marvpots@AOL.COM on sun 6 aug 00


Hi Veena:
Longtime since we communicated.
I found a device which is essentially a large bycycle type seat, mounted on a
tubular steel three-legged stand, with wheels, and is very light weight.
This enables me to adjust the seat height to my comfort and to move the
seating around easily while either still seated or standing. I really did
not find a back on such a seating device useful.
At the wheel, I work a good part of the time standing, and this kind of seat
works very well for me. (I have my wheel mounted on a stand about 14 inches
off the floor.)
I cannot tell you where I found it but probably in one of the zillion
catalogues we all receive and mostly discard.
Good hunting.

All the best.

Marvin Flowerman (marvpots@aol.com)

Lee Love on sun 6 aug 00


I really like throwing platforms. I think you have the best posture on
them and the most support. You sit on a square cushion called a zabuton.

Like I've said before, I can spend all day throwing at the
workshop and not have any discomfort. Throwing on a stool at home was
different. Also, at home I threw on a Shimpo Gold. Here, I kick the
Korean kick wheel with both feet (I pull with a bare left foot and kick with
a bare right foot.) I think the periodic exercise helps keep you loose.
On an electric wheel, if you are not careful, your body becomes a piece of a
machine.

--
Lee Love
Nanai , Mashiko-machi ,Tochigi-ken 321-4106 JAPAN Ikiru@kami.com
Voice Mail and Faxes (a USA number): (303) 256-0374
Help E.T. Phone Earth: http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/

Mary Ella Yamashita on mon 7 aug 00


Veena,

I bought one of these stools thinking it was just what I needed. Guess
what, I still had bad posture after I started using it! Even when I tried
not to, I still hunched over the wheel. Thanks to clayart, I read about
elevating your wheel. I have a Creative Industries wheel which I now keep
on three upturned cinder blocks (I had to shim one to keep it from
rocking). I still have to pay attention to my posture (stretching helps,
too), but this arrangement seems to work better for me. To lessen the
strain on my feet, I also bought a recycled rubber grid mat that is about
3/4" thick. I think it is more tiring to stand than to sit, but my back is
greatful for the change.

Rather than wedging myself against the wall, I use my splash pan as an
anchor when centering and steady my elbow against my hip when making pulls.
There are times when I miss having my legs to brace with, but I don't
usually work with more than 3 lbs of clay at a time anyway.

One other thing about the Creative Industries stool. It has an aluminum
pin to use to adjust the angle of the seat. This pin broke within less
than a year of my purchasing it. My husband made a replacement pin out of
wood, but he was singularly unimpressed with the materials from which the
stool was constructed. Also, I never leaned against the back support when
I was in the process of throwing.

My experience, for what it's worth...

Mary Ella Yamashita
ps--I do like my CI wheel!

>From: "L. P. Skeen"
>
>Veena,
>
>I don't like those stools; they look comfortable, but are too small for
>anyone over 125lbs. Of course, they would fit YOU very well, but the
>angles are kind of awkward.. I like the one that is plain, flat, made of
>metal w/ a masonite seat. Can add a cushion if necessary, but it's just the
>perfect height in relation to the wheel. :) My two cents...........
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Veena Raghavan <75124.2520@COMPUSERVE.COM>
>To:
>Sent: Saturday, August 05, 2000 11:33 AM
>Subject: potters stools
>
>
>> Dear Clayarters,
>> My first appeal for advice, now that I am just starting, on a very
>> modest basis, to set up my first home studio in the walkout basement of my
>> house.
>> I have already booked my wheel, the Brent CXC and now need a
>stool.
>> I wonder if anyone would be kind enough to tell me their experiences, if
>> any, with the creative industries stools,ST1 and ST2. The first looks very
>> comfortable, but at a price, so I wanted to know how itr has worked for
>> anyone who owns one. I want to get something with a backrest, so this
>> seemed very good. Anyone used either of these for throwing? Thank you in
>> advance for your help.
>> All the best.
>> Veena
>>
>> Veena Raghavan
>> 75124.2520@compuse

David Dahlquist on wed 10 apr 02


Yeah I remember these I sat on one for about a year, at an office. For =
wheel work it puts you too far away from the wheel head. BUT, inspired =
by that design I made something up. I bought a real nice Creative Ind. =
Chair. The seat part of the chair adjust to tilt forward raising the =
back side of the seat. I put an extra whole in the adjustment lock so I =
could tilt it even more. This puts the weight off your back and more on =
your legs, but its very difficult to throw in this position so I then =
attached 3/4" pipes with pipe insulation coming off the sides of my =
shimpo. If you have a tripod wheel set up you might be able to run a =
brace between the back two legs. So I set up my chair to tilt way =
forward, putting most of my body weight on my theighs (not on my back) =
and then rest my knees on the pipe insulation wraped galvi pipe. I used =
what they call floor flanges to attach 12" pipe nipples to the shimpo =
style wheel body (housing). I drilled wholes threw the housing so I =
could attach the floor flange, and then just threaded the nipples in. I =
Also tried clamping (using 3/4" PIPE clamps)on 6" lengths of 1"x6" =
boards with garden knee pad laminated to it. That was actually a litle =
more comfortable. But by the time I set that up my back got a lot better =
and I stopped using it. I always throw with a good back brace on. And =
that seems to keep the low back pain in check.
Dave
Wilsonville, OR.

Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2002 09:56:34 -0400
From: Valerie Hawkins
Subject: Re: Potters stools-- will any of them help that hunched over
posture?

Does anyone remember those weird looking ergonomic office chairs? Kind =
of
an armless stool with a wide padded seat that was higher in the back =
than
the front.

Used to see them once in a while back in the 80's.

I wonder if they'd be a comfy potting chair?

Valerie
Charlotte

Michele Williams on thu 11 apr 02


Y'know, folks, the more I think about it, the more I think it might be worth
it to try out a milking stool. My grandfather had a one-legged milking
stool that he used for over 40 years of milking chores, and at the end of
his life when cancer gave him tremendous backaches, he said he wished he
still had that old stool.

One leg, but it forces you to balance by using your two legs and the one
leg. You can move around (carefully) and your back muscles get stronger
because you support your weight. You can put weight in front of you, I
know, because Granddaddy had Madonna (named before he got her, because that
doesn't come close to the names he called her) who used to sidle a bit
sideways toward him as he milked, trying to convince him he was done
already. Still sitting on that stool, he'd headbutt into her ribs and swat
her huge thigh at the same time, and change her mind about which direction
she was travelling.

You could have it built with a cushion seat if you like, the one leg is
adjustable if you want to have a lathe-turned variety of legs cut to
different lengths. I'd suggest a mousepad or sheet of textured vinyl where
the leg meets the floor to prevent slipping when it's wet.

And I'd leave the cows outside.

Michele Williams

Mudcat on mon 15 apr 02


A few years ago I picked up a 'computer' chair at a yard sale, and it
eliminated that 'stiff, can't straighten up' feeling after a few hours at
the wheel--best $5 bucks ever spent! It puts you in a kneeling position,
but keeps your back straight. The only complaint is, maybe, that it is
fairly low to the wheel (not recommended for taller people), and you have to
kneel on the one knee since you have to use the other leg to control the
pedal.


----- Original Message -----
From: "David Dahlquist"
To:
Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2002 1:09 AM
Subject: Potters Stools


Yeah I remember these I sat on one for about a year, at an office. For wheel
work it puts you too far away from the wheel head. BUT, inspired by that
design I made something up. I bought a real nice Creative Ind. Chair. The
seat part of the chair adjust to tilt forward raising the back side of the
seat. I put an extra whole in the adjustment lock so I could tilt it even
more. This puts the weight off your back and more on your legs, but its very
difficult to throw in this position so I then attached 3/4" pipes with pipe
insulation coming off the sides of my shimpo. If you have a tripod wheel set
up you might be able to run a brace between the back two legs. So I set up
my chair to tilt way forward, putting most of my body weight on my theighs
(not on my back) and then rest my knees on the pipe insulation wraped galvi
pipe. I used what they call floor flanges to attach 12" pipe nipples to the
shimpo style wheel body (housing). I drilled wholes threw the housing so I
could attach the floor flange, and then just threaded the nipples in. I Also
tried clamping (using 3/4" PIPE clamps)on 6" lengths of 1"x6" boards with
garden knee pad laminated to it. That was actually a litle more comfortable.
But by the time I set that up my back got a lot better and I stopped using
it. I always throw with a good back brace on. And that seems to keep the low
back pain in check.
Dave
Wilsonville, OR.

Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2002 09:56:34 -0400
From: Valerie Hawkins
Subject: Re: Potters stools-- will any of them help that hunched over
posture?

Does anyone remember those weird looking ergonomic office chairs? Kind of
an armless stool with a wide padded seat that was higher in the back than
the front.

Used to see them once in a while back in the 80's.

I wonder if they'd be a comfy potting chair?

Valerie
Charlotte

____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org

You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/

Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.

Rimas VisGirda on sat 22 jan 11


I use an upside-down 5 gallon plastic pail with a round bat on the seat for=
throwing on my Shimpo. It's a few inches lower than the wheel head, which =
I like. A 6 gallon bucket is about 17.5 inches tall. If you take the bail h=
andles off of the buckets they would conveniently stack and take up less sp=
ace when not in use. Sometimes stacked buckets are hard to get apart becaus=
e of the suction seal from bucket to bucket; if you are using the buckets a=
s stools, drill a few holes in the bottom of the buckets. I have see the pl=
astic buckets sold for holding tools and come with a padded lid for sitting=
on...
Regards, -Rimas

Lee on sat 22 jan 11


On Sat, Jan 22, 2011 at 9:35 AM, Rimas VisGirda wrote:
> I use an upside-down 5 gallon plastic pail with a round bat on the seat f=
=3D
or throwing on my
>Shimpo. It's a few inches lower than the wheel head, which I like.

Rimas, If I throw scrunched up like that for any time at all, I get
leg cramps. My approach is not to lower the stool, but to elevate
the wheel.

My Korean and shimpo are in a throwing platform now. The
wheel heads are just low enough, so that a plywood square can be put
over the hole, to make a big table to work on.

But before this, I raised the shimpo with cement blocks,
milk or wooden crates. I then use a bar stool. Wooden ones are
great because you can easily shorten the legs if you need to. When I
throw with the bar stool, my feet are on the ground, so it is very
similar to standing. But when I center, I put my feet on the crate
and that gives stability.

Leach wheels have you pretty much sitting in the saddle
in a similar posture. I've mostly been throwing on the Leach wheel.


--
=3DA0Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/

=3DA0"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D9=
7that is, =3D
"The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue

Rita or Robert Shaw on sat 22 jan 11


I made my stool with a 24" disc from a disc harrow (farm implement). A pl=
=3D
astic=3D20
boat seat and pneumatic adjustable seat pedestal with base (bayonet type)=
=3D
.=3D20
Comfortable, stabile and relatively inexpensive. I can get the pedestal i=
=3D
n a=3D20
variety of sizes that just plug into the base so I can go from sitting lo=
=3D
w to=3D20
standing quickly and fairly easily.

Dana Om Pottery on sun 23 jan 11


I have a wooden stool i bought years ago at AC Moore. It was bar stool heig=
ht
and i cut the legs to where i wanted them. Very sturdy and has taken a beat=
ing
with no ill effects.

dana

\