I'm dithering over whether to buy a creation station thingy or not. Bit put off by the price but when my left hand starts to go wobbly after a few stringer beads think it seems like a good idea. Would anyone recommend them or should I just adjust the height I'm working at like Corinna does in 'Passing the flame'.
maggie :-\
Well I wouldn't be without mine and a certain Laura Sparling says the same ;)
Yep I second that I lurve it! Well worth the pennies!
Seems pricey I know but definitely worth it to avoid the old wobbly hand syndrome
:)
Jo
A cheaper option is a fire brick behind your torch, handy for resting your hand on and I have a graphite pad on mine so it doubles as somewhere to warm up murrini, have frit, stringers etc ready for the job in hand.
Quote from: Helen G on November 27, 2009, 07:17:13 PM
Well I wouldn't be without mine and a certain Laura Sparling says the same ;)
Quote from: jenniewren on November 27, 2009, 07:19:35 PM
Yep I second that I lurve it! Well worth the pennies!
I third that!
(even thinking of going to Halfords to get some bicycle hand grips!) I think what I really like is the ability to move the supports quickly and easily when needed - you wont believe what I'm getting up to after my lesson! ;D
However I do think it's very pricey for what it is (it's practically DOUBLED in price since I got mine - that CAN'T be right surely? read into that what you will)
I definitely wouldn't be without mine ;D
Quote from: Lloki on November 27, 2009, 08:01:55 PM
However I do think it's very pricey for what it is (it's practically DOUBLED in price since I got mine - that CAN'T be right surely? read into that what you will)
Yikes, just looked at the price & can't believe it costs that much now, I would still buy one though!!!
I think Martin said the price increase is to do with Dollar/Pound rates and stuff so maybe they will come back down at some point??
Wow they are dear now!
I wouldn't be without mine though. I never got on with the wrist-rests. The left one I removed and the right one just acts as another rod red.
But the elbow rests I find invaluable. That said, I could get that affect by just cuttin a work-top to the right shape really.
Emma
That's what I'm worried about, don't want to spend £100 on fancy elbow rest contraption. I already rest my elbows on the table!
Might try the fire brick option first. Failing that Christmas is coming up ;)
I use the elbow rests all the time, but I do find the wrist bits good if my hands get shaky!
I'm the opposite, I use the wrist rests but not the elbow rests.
They are pricey now aren't they, but I have to say it's the best bit of kit I've ever invested in, I use the elbow and wrist rests all the time. I had very bad shakes to the point that it would stop me beading for days, and I had a bad back too, since getting my creation station it's improved my posture, I have no probs now with wrists, hands or back.
I just couldn't be without it.
Love mine!
I'm completely the wrong shape for a creation station. Mine ended up being a boob rests rather than elbow rests - my elbows are waaaay further apart than that! I do miss the wrist rests though, and will eventually get round to making something as an alternative.
Er......what's a creation station?
You fix in on the table when lampworking; it provides support for your arms as you work. :)
Tuffnell's shows it on this page:
http://www.tuffnellglass.com/contents/en-uk/d28.html
Another cheaper option to use is to take two soft toilet rolls and cover them with kitchen foil. You can then rest arms or wrists on them as needed.
Aaaaargh I hadn't realised they had gone up in price so much. I'm sure there is a thread on here where someones OH had made one for them, so anything is possible. Do you know anyone handy ?
:)
Jo
Quote from: mizgeorge on November 28, 2009, 02:40:38 PM
I'm completely the wrong shape for a creation station. Mine ended up being a boob rests rather than elbow rests - my elbows are waaaay further apart than that! I do miss the wrist rests though, and will eventually get round to making something as an alternative.
Me too - I had a panic attack when I tried one at Towcester with visions of having to walk round the Flame Off with it attached to me!! They make me feel very claustrophobic - one day I am going to get around to making myself some suede pads with lentils in to rest my scaly elbows on!!!
Kazx
I use one of these,
http://www.gearlog.com/images/7766.jpg
I cut it (the pad not the keyboard!) in half and got two very well padded comfy elbow supports, although mine is just long and slim and made of gel. JTF were selling them off reduced from £10 to 99p a while ago but you can get them at stationers etc.
I highly recommend it!!!!!
XX
Quote from: Helen G on November 28, 2009, 09:27:45 AM
I think Martin said the price increase is to do with Dollar/Pound rates and stuff so maybe they will come back down at some point??
Hmmm, that may account for around a 20% difference, but almost 50%?
Hello Bev/Pegasus. What's JTF, please? :)
I'm with Pat on the foiled toilet roll front and they'd look quite festive for the Christmas season.
Never bothered with the Creation Station but then again I don't have shaky hands but I do know that people who have them think they're great. The only time I used one I thought it was flimsy as the arm rests started to flop down mid-bead which was annoying.
Really and truly - you could make one. They're not that complicated - I think the cost of the neoprene might have an impact on the price and you don't need neoprene covers - it smells funny when hot glass falls on it anyway.
Obviously I'm not advocating that someone sets themselves up to copy the Creation station but it's really just a pair of adjustable armrests. Cut a little bay into your table so that you can rest your elbows on the table (like a jewellery table) and Bob's your lobster.
Yep, I am firmly in the "elbows on table" camp. Just dont bare your elbows unless you enjoy little bits of glass getting stuck in skin. Good to use padding and of course cutting bay in bench handy. If Bob is indeed your Lobster then Charlie must be your crab !!!!!!!!!
Ian
Charlie's your aunt albeit a rather strange one ;)
Aren't all aunts strange?!
I have a Creation station. I do have a natural shake to I find the arm rests very useful, but I don't actually rest my arms on the spongy bits of the arm rests but lower down on the metal. I use the elbow rest too, but I have little bean bags on mine.
Also if you are going to get it set up in a more perminate manner it is recommended that you screw it to the table top. I don't mine is attached using g clamps.
I agree with the others that you could proably make something that does a very similar job rather then spend that much money on it. then there's more money to spend on glass!
Quote from: Margram on November 30, 2009, 09:48:50 AM
Hello Bev/Pegasus. What's JTF, please? :)
Hi Marg, JTF is a wholesalers, here's the link http://www.jtf-wholesale.co.uk/
XX
Bev - thanks for this suggestion - it may be quicker and easier than the lentil suede bags I am clearly never going to get round to (after 2 and a half years!)
Kazx
For about £68 at today's exchange rate, you can get them direct from the US. That includes postage but not VAT/Customs. I wonder if that's worth it?
http://www.austinbluemoon.com/catalog.php?item=2 (http://www.austinbluemoon.com/catalog.php?item=2)
Hello Maggie
I've done this on the advice from Corina's book (which I'm a big fan of):
(http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee34/SallyB_photo/photo.jpg)
I raised my torch up after I read Corina's advice and realised that my elbows weren't resting on anything which was making the bead forming harder than it needed to be. I rest my elbows on the worktop and pull my chair right under so I'm really close to the torch.
To raise my torch I've used a sophisticated blend of bits of decking that were laying down the side of our house and two children's annuals to give it that extra bit of height I needed. The HotHead is then attached to a thing Martin sells for about £20 (a bit of aluminium) and has a big long heavy tile over the top of it that I rest my hands against and put the hot rods and what not on.
I hope this might help you a little and maybe give you a cheaper alternative to the Creation Station.
Kind regards
Sally
Thanks Bev, for the link. I'm going to look out for one of those gel things, too.
I've just remembered - I lowered the angle of my nortel minor yesterday. It was at 45 degrees, now it's
about 35 degrees or lower and I don't have to hold my hands so high. Is somebody going to tell me that
it's unsafe now :-\ :)
Thanks for all your suggestions everyone. DH is going to make me a new bench this weekend so I'm going for the cut out elbow rests to start with and I'm sure I can rig something up for a left hand rest when needed with some hinges and metal rod. Will try and post photos of our invention when finished (if I ever figure out how to post photos). Why can't everything in life be more simple?
Maggie x
Making one is such a good idea - am really impressed by your station Sally! I used a station at Laua Sparling's and decided I needed something to steady the hands so my OH's Dad is in the middle of making one for me for Christmas; I couldn't believe the cost when I investigated it - I told OH's Dad and he laughed at the price. There's always a way round these things :)