I am teaching woodworking/cabinetry and millwork at our local community college and have a wheelchair bound student who’s motivated.
I’ve found the Able Workshop (http://www.ableworkshop.com/index.html) and am looking for more help/information/inspiration. I think the most useful thing would be photos that illustrate a tangible solution to a problem. That would convey the idea and make it clearer what modifications would have to be made to suite local conditions.
Any help would be appreciated.
Replies
The thing that I have encountered in accommodating a disability is that every individual has different needs, limitations, and capabilities and every place has its own set of barriers. It is easier to address specific issues than to give blanket advice. Often, one person's accommodation is another's obstacle. What are the issues your student facing in your classroom and shop? What barriers are in the way?
I agree, there has to be case-specific improvisation, but I wanted to beat the bushes to make sure I wasn't overlooking some worthwhile blanket solutions that might be out there.
F'rinstance:
-A way to handle bulky items like longer brds (I've been setting the lumber on a table where Matt can sort through them and by just pivoting them, transfer them to the radial arm saw).
-Has someone some up with something better than a full face shield to make up for how vunerable a chair bound worker is when using a tablesaw set at conventional height?
-Any quick locking tricks for the chair itself. There's the constant conflict between needing to be very agiley (real word?) mobile, then, in the next movement, to be fixed in one spot to manipulate workpieces...
-Anything like a cart that will make moving relatively small items (hand-held power tools, machined workpieces, etc) more convenient.
-Platforms are great to elevate users to lathes and table saws but get in everyone elses way. I'd like something more flexible...I know, it's Dean Kamen's iBot, but we can't afford one...
I realize that the most practical solution is in choosing a focus that'll allow the workplace to be set up more specifically. Especially if income potential is being considered. The obvious ones are lathework, as at Able Workshop, or carving but Matt, my current student, is intent of making furniture. He's fairly realistic, but once someone has gotten the sheet of plywood on the panel saw for him, he pretty much takes over. He cuts, joints and glues up his own panels weaving his way through our shop labyrinth. His frustration tolerance must be amazing...so, for the overall shop access that he needs, and since I'm limited mainly in space, I need to find as many ways I can to accomodate his initiative...
What a challenge this must be for you!
I've been following your discussion and it would seem to me that a big factor would be the height of the individual with respect to the work/machine. I'm assuming that there are others that utilize the shop as well.
It's relatively easy to get work surfaces to a comfortable height for a given user but to get the user to different comfortable working heights in a woodshop would lead me to think that might be part of your solution.
Provide a mechanism that would allow the user to adjust him/her self to a comfortable working height for the work at hand instead of the other way around. Does that make any sense?
I know a guy who lost both legs. He was determined to be self sufficient and devised a system of pulleys and attached seats such that he could do everything he needed to do in his home! The seats could be moved via tracks in the ceilings, from one to the other all around the house. Seats were made from recycled charis. He could even climb the stairs to his second floor bedroom!
Now that's determination!
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 6/6/2007 7:44 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres
Edited 6/6/2007 7:57 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres
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