One handed wood turning

[Jim sweeney]

Due to a stroke I can only use one hand and am looking for ideas to help I have bought the vermec deep hollowing set up and can do rough bowls , I wish I could adapt it for closer work but I might have to have chisel inserts specially made and make some kind of a strapped on chisel holder , any tips welcome thanks. Jim

[smiife]

Hi jim, I have no tips , I am sorry to hear of your stroke , tough break,
I have the vermec hollower , great tool and i am sure you could adapt
It somehow, let us know how you go , I sure everyone would like to know
All the best.......

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

My Dad had a stroke a coupla decades ago and one of the tools he came up with was one of those strap on crutches... chopped and modified into a one-handed oland tool.

I heartily recommend that you DO NOT do anything like this... I cringed at every catch he made, waiting for the big one. Fortunately, he gave turning away before he broke his arm. (This wasn't common sense prevailing, it was due to subsequent mini-strokes. God, that man was one stubborn @#$%$!! :rolleyes:)

One other method he used was a tool-rest made for metal spinning, with vertical pegs fitting into holes in the tool-rest. I tried to use it and it just felt wrong but he managed it with quite some success. I think his overall results were better after the stroke than before... but he'd only been turning for a year or so before the stroke so it's hard to say.

Modifiying the Vermec rig sounds like a safer version of the same thing, but I can see where you'll have to be creative in using one for all 'types' of turning.

I think the key is practise, practise, practise and finding the right techniques - for you - while maintaining safe usage.

Not an easy task and I wish you well with it.