Stool for sewing at

[tomsmith85717]

Ok I cant figure out where to put this topic as it isnt a sewing machine question per se, but it totally is.

 

I need to find a stool /chair for sewing at. I have a cobra class 26 on their pedestal stand. I was using a craptacular IKEA stool with a piano stool like adjustability, but the damn thing just cant handle daily use. I have bounced between the stand to sew and stool to sew but I just added a foot pedal to the sewing machine to control reverse (because it seemed easier than growing a third arm) so unless I can master the whole hovering by yogic mental powers alone I need a better stool. Any suggestions?

[R8R]

This is what I use, since I already had it from my drum kit -

 

https://store.dwdrums.com/p/hvy-duty-dw-throne-w-motorcycle-seat-top

 

If it will survive multiple national tours being tossed around inside cases and my 220 lbs sitting on it for hours, sewing is no prob.

[tomsmith85717]

Tall does it go? I am going to need one that is about 30"+- off the  ground.

[Uwe]

My favorite place to shop for high quality chairs and stools is my local University of Michigan property disposition (https://www.facebook.com/umpropertydisposition/).  They often have high-end lab and medical stools and chairs that cost several hundred dollars new, for under $30.

My favorite tall $25 chair from that place is this one:

You can convert most rolling tall office chairs to sliders, to keep the chair from moving  while you sew:

 

As for items available for purchase new, Amazon is great resource, examples:

 

 

[Hockeymender]

Uwe,

Thanks for the tip regarding the U of M property sales. Didn’t know that was there. Will make a point to make a trip out there to see what’s available  

 

[tomsmith85717]

How many out there use the back on the stool? Every time I try to sew with a chair with a back I find that I am leaning forward enough that I am not even putting any weight on the back section. I cant tell if this is good or bad posture. I will see if the university near me is selling any stools. Definitely a good tip.

[Uwe]

The back on a sewing chair is useful to lean back and admire your handiwork, or to lean back and let out a primal scream, depending on how things are going. 

[Colt W Knight]

I wish I could grab some good used lab chairs from my school. They don't send them to surplus unless they are broken here. 

 

[garypl]

I tried to sew sitting on a stool, but I cannot control the speed consistently unless I am standing up.  Seems like when I am sitting I try to feather the pedal and I end up pressing too hard and it takes off!

Gary

[Hockeymender]

4 hours ago, Uwe said:

The back on a sewing chair is useful to lean back and admire your handiwork, or to lean back and let out a primal scream, depending on how things are going. 

Know all about the leaning back and screaming part........

[Constabulary]

2 hours ago, garypl said:

I tried to sew sitting on a stool, but I cannot control the speed consistently unless I am standing up.  Seems like when I am sitting I try to feather the pedal and I end up pressing too hard and it takes off!

Gary

Guess you need a speed reducer then

[Uwe]

I made another trip to UofM today. There it was - a perfect tall BioFit task/shop/sewing chair, no wheels, like new, $20. Now it's here, next to my blue chair.

 

Edited March 12, 2018 by Uwe

[garypl]

8 hours ago, Constabulary said:

Guess you need a speed reducer then

I do use a speed reducer - but I sew very slowly to begin with and I don’t want to overrun my stitching path when I am sneaking up at the end of a run.

Gary

[Uwe]

45 minutes ago, garypl said:

I do use a speed reducer - but I sew very slowly to begin with and I don’t want to overrun my stitching path when I am sneaking up at the end of a run.

Gary

Guess you need a thumb wheel controller then   [sorry, way off topic, but I couldn't resist]

 

Edited March 13, 2018 by Uwe

[R8R]

1 hour ago, Uwe said:

Guess you need a thumb wheel controller then   [sorry, way off topic, but I couldn't resist]

 

HOW. WHERE.

[leathersmyth]

I have stools that were made by singer. Big heavy cast iron with a screw part and a wooden top so you can adjust up as high as you need. Kind of like a piano stool...

[Uwe]

This is a Singer stool we collectively fawned over some time ago:

[Uwe]

47 minutes ago, R8R said:

HOW. WHERE.

The original post with more details:

 

[tomsmith85717]

2 hours ago, Uwe said:

This is a Singer stool we collectively fawned over some time ago:

I have not forgotten about that I am just not holding my breath until i find one i could afford.

[garypl]

16 hours ago, tomsmith85717 said:

 

21 hours ago, garypl said:

I do use a speed reducer - but I sew very slowly to begin with and I don’t want to overrun my stitching path when I am sneaking up at the end of a run.

Gary

Guess you need a thumb wheel controller then   [sorry, way off topic, but I couldn't resist]

 

Now that look’s handy!

[leathersmyth]

Yup, Those r what my stools look like.....   Work Great!   

[Joon1911]

On 3/12/2018 at 0:21 PM, garypl said:

I tried to sew sitting on a stool, but I cannot control the speed consistently unless I am standing up.  Seems like when I am sitting I try to feather the pedal and I end up pressing too hard and it takes off!

Gary

I put the foot ring of the stool at a good height for my heel to rest on and just use my toes to feather the pedal.  I find this reduces the times my machine runs away on me to next to zip.

[Matt S]

10 hours ago, Joon1911 said:

I put the foot ring of the stool at a good height for my heel to rest on and just use my toes to feather the pedal.  I find this reduces the times my machine runs away on me to next to zip.

I take advantage of the size of the "go" pedal and put the ball of my left foot at the bottom left and the ball of my right foot at the top right. I press the pedal only with my right foot -- the weight of my left keeps the pedal under very careful control. It also helps that I learned to drive on a series of vehicles with dodgy clutches ;-)

[tomsmith85717]

 I went to the university surplus place and got a stool it isnt perfect its too short,  it was made in 1997 (doesnt look a day over 10 though) its built like a tank had to have cost them like $600 new... but at $25 USD I will gladly try to mod it into a great stool, I will also swing by that place on the semi regular as they have some cool and weird shit at garage sale prices.  Honestly if you needed a cheap sturdy work bench they  had old lab tables and ridiculous desks for like $20