[Jewelry making - Article 00228] - Re: [Orchid] Ergonomics

[Weiss Linda]

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Just a few suggestions:

    1. For any hammering processes that go on for more than 30 minutes -
    I wear gloves that have gell pads in the palms. You can get them at
    bicycling stores. I buy Pearl Izumi brand - they can be anywhere
    form $19 - $45 depending on where and when you buy them. The bonus
    is that your fingers are "free" so you still have tactile advantage. 

    2. Posture:  sit up straight or stand - both feet on the with ground
    weight evenly distributed  - have your stakes mounted at a height
    that will allow you to do your work with good posture and keep your
    elbow in and your arm coming down from your shoulder in the natural
    manner - hammering with a raised elbow or shoulder will contribute
    to neck and back pain. 

    3. Take frequent - every 30 -60 minutes - breaks - just 5 minutes
    for a walk & stretch does wonders for releasing the tension created
    by focus on hammering - especially planishing.  Stretch your hands -
    press them into the table, palm down, flex and rotate your wrists.
    Swing  & rotate your arms from the shoulder. 

    4. Take some yoga classes and learn about body mechanics- it will
    help you examine how you use your body in every thing you do.  I
    prefer Iyengar style yoga.  Shoulders down/sternum up. 

    5. If possible mount your stake holder or vises in a hardwood stump
    - the wood will absorb some of the impact the impact. 

    6. If you do not use the combination of steel hammer plus steel
    stake , you can reduce the impact -  Consider making some of your
    own hammers and stakes from  hardwood or HDMW- a plastic that will
    absorb the impact and not transmit it up your arm ( if you ever see
    old bowling pins at the flea market - they are made from super hard
    maple and can be shaped into great mallet or stakes). 

    7.  If you are not intending to do a lot of filing/snading  and
    mirror polish the finished piece, and you have good control over hwo
    you move the metal - consider raising with a thinner gauge metal. 

    8.  And - hopefully you will not be horrified at this last
    suggestion - but you can expedite the forming of a vessel by
    starting it off with a spun blank (you can even work with the
    spinner to design your own chucks)  or use a deep draw Bonny Doon
    press.  This is much like a potter would do - throwing a symmetrical
    peice on the wheel and then altering is very common  in the ceramic
    arts. 

    I have been making raised vessels  - albeit not constantly  or
    continuously -  since 1970.  I alternate with many other projects &
    techniques: wax carving, casting, fabricating, sketching, drawing;
    polishing - and teaching 3 or 4 days a week.    When I do work on a
    vessel - though I can be at it for hours on end - day after day -
    and honestly it can be done without pain and injury. In fact I get
    more back and neck stress from hours of wax carving - probably due
    to the head bent over posture everyone has been discussing here on
    Orchid. 

Hope this helps;
Linda Weiss
www.lindaweiss.com

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