Sit down grinding?

Just sit down like how you plan to grind, hold a blank and move it like you would grinding.
That should give you a good hight that should work for you.
(Same with workbenches etc)
 
i sit while grinding, the center of my tool arm is 22 1/2" from the floor. my knees are 21 1/2" from the floor. i rest my wrists on my knees so the belt does not pull the blade downward. my chair is 16" from the floor. it feels more comfortable if your butt is lower than your knees. i would go 1 inch taller than your knees to start with, and adjust from there.
 
I have started to train myself to sit and grind. My legs get so fatigued after standing at the grinder for a couple hours. I have a canvas apron that keeps the steel dust and water off my clothes. I have really been enjoying it. I find I can grind more accurately for longer periods now.
 
I prefer to grind while sitting in a tall stool. My grinder/buffer table is actually an 8'x4' heavy duty pallet rack so the deck height is adjustable. It's set high so I can grind while either sitting in a counter height stool or standing. I nearly always sit. I figure the less movement I have to control...the more precise I can be on my grinds. Bonus is I don't get as fatigued. Downside is the stool can get in your way when you're getting up to change belts or attachments.
 
There are no safety concerns for me, the way I grind sitting down. I have a water bucket directly under the bottom wheel of my platen attachment. My KMG sits on a old military chest that’s around 18-19” tall. When I have the platen attachment on, the tool rest sits at a perfect height.

The BEST thing about grinding sitting down is that you can rest both of your elbows on your knees. Couple that with a swiveling office chair and you have a VERY stable grinding setup. When grinding free hand, and especially with knives with blades under 5”, all I have to do to move the blade across the belt is push with my toes to rotate myself in the chair. Everything else stays locked into position.

I come from a shooting background. I shot rifles since I was 4-5yrs old and shot competitively(highpower/service rifle, USPSA, IPSC, IDPA, 3-gun, tactical long range, etc.) in my 20’s. What I drilled into my head during that time was creating, and maintaining stable shooting positions. The biomechanics involved aren’t rocket science, but they aren’t necessarily obvious either. You want as many “anchor points” as possible, in any position. That means knees to elbows, and sandbags under knees, when sitting(if it was legal in the shooting match). Without trailing on anymore, I applied the same strategy to grinding.

Lastly, one option you could use is a hydraulic lift table. I did this for a while, but had to use the table for something else(moving a surface grinder out of the back of a truck), and haven’t put it back yet. You can raise and lower your grinder to whatever height you desire.

Whatever you decide, I recommend you at least try grinding sitting down, with a swivel chair. I bet you will like it. Good luck.
 
Like Lance, I often grind on a tall and sturdy stool. I hook my feet on the legs or the rail and have full control and legerage on the blade. I will switch from standing to seated to rest my legs ... especially when the floor and shop are cold in the winter.
The tall stool places my arms at the same height as when I am standing.
I didn't have to on the last stool, but I cut the legs from a bar chair down on the current one. The bar chair is much heavier and sturdier than a tall stool. The padded seat is also nice on my tush.
 
What do you all use for dust collection sitting? Seems it will be more of a challenge for me. I use a spark bong and a dust devil after that, between the vac.
Being so low, seems like a bong will be more difficult unless I go with a stool instead of chair. But that is doable.
Thinking about it a bit more, I could just get a tall stool and leave my setup high. Maybe install some highway bars / foot pegs. ...could even use half an old harley frame I guess. Grinding in style!
 
Brock Cutlery said:
What do you all use for dust collection sitting? Seems it will be more of a challenge for me. I use a spark bong and a dust devil after that, between the vac.
Being so low, seems like a bong will be more difficult unless I go with a stool instead of chair. But that is doable.
Thinking about it a bit more, I could just get a tall stool and leave my setup high. Maybe install some highway bars / foot pegs. ...could even use half an old harley frame I guess. Grinding in style!
Click to expand...

Using a stool kind of defeats the purpose for me. Part of the benefit of sitting is so that I can use a swivel chair, resting my elbows on my knees, and easily pull the blade across the belt by pushing with my feet. Super simple to do while in a swivel chair.

As far as dust collection, I just sit a five gallon bucket full of water underneath the platen attachment. When using my Wuertz surface grinder attachment I just move the bucket and put a piece of sheet metal against the military chest that I grind on. That way the sparks will just hit it and the concrete floor. My grinding room is sealed off btw. I’m able to wait for any dust(that doesn’t go in the bucket) to settle and then sweep it up. Oh and I use a good respirator too.
 
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Brock Cutlery said:
What do you all use for dust collection sitting? Seems it will be more of a challenge for me. I use a spark bong and a dust devil after that, between the vac.
Being so low, seems like a bong will be more difficult unless I go with a stool instead of chair. But that is doable.
Thinking about it a bit more, I could just get a tall stool and leave my setup high. Maybe install some highway bars / foot pegs. ...could even use half an old harley frame I guess. Grinding in style!
Click to expand...
Fir me, I feel wearing a good Respirator & protecting my eyes & ears is more important... I use to go through all kinds of hassle with a Vac collector system, hoses etc. I found that sweeping out later still wearing my Respirator works for the bigger stuff and a air filter to clean out the fine particles that I leave running for a couple of hours after I’m done grinding....you can make an air filter with a box, some angle iron and a filter....
 
If you can find one, get a chair that both rotates and has a ring around the base of the chair, for you to put your feet on. It makes getting in and out of the chair much easier and your body will be more relaxed so you can grind longer. I've ground blades sitting down for twenty years.
Enjoy the process, Fred
 
In the wood shop I have a dentist's stool/chair ( for the dentist., not the patient). It can be locked to stop spinning, is height adjustable, and has a large foot ring. I use it when cutting up lots of blocks and such on the bandsaw, and drilling out a batch of pen blanks.
 
My son had an antique dental patient chair in his living room. It was the most popular chair for watching TV movies. The round ceramic tray off the arm was perfect for bowls of snacks and beer. You could bring it back to any tilt angle and the foot rest was adjustable. It had a nice padded neck/head support. He found it in an old office building and restored it himself.
 
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