Was: Bench dimensions
The trickiest part for me was finding the right chair with the largest range of height adjustments--that didn't cost a million bucks.
Where did you find the “perfect chair”. I am still looking…
Thanks,
April
Where can I find a decent chair to use with my bench microscope? Mine
is just too low and the phone book I have to sit on makes parts of my
anatomy numb.
Doc
try “office Depot” or other business related items supply store. my
chair is like a ‘rolls-royce’…it has lumbar support, arm rests that
slide forward and outwards, back height and with high shoulder
supports as well as 5 w+heels…but with no brakes!!! it wasn’t cheap,
though it cost me only $300.00…it has a great cushion for the tuschy
part of my body…
gerry
I’m interested in the perfect bench chair as well!
My husband and I are both looking. At the moment there are…6 or 7
chairs and several non-chair items used for perching ourselves at
’the perfect height’ for our work. 
Kim
If you have a local Sam’s Club Wholesale check it out. My chair has
height, tilt, and back angle adjustment as well as arm rest that go
up and down. Good cushion and shock absorption when I drop my butt
in it… also have wheels. I have two of them. One for the bench and
one for the computer desk. They cost me about $85.00 each. Seem to
last well, one of them is 3 years old and the other is 3 months old.
I usually plan on replacing my chairs every 3 to 5 years as they
start to wear or loose cushion in the seat.
Frank Goss
I found my perfect chair at Staples. It is soft leather, high back
and does have arms but it is roomy and I don’t bump my arms on the
arms of the chair only when I want to lean back (oh yes it also has
massage and warm units) it goes up or down at the push of a bar. It
was on sale at 89.00 I bought it a couple of years ago and have
never regretted it.
I use three criteria to determine how much I will spend on something
for the shop.
- frequency of use
- length of service
- impact on quality
A bench chair fits all three categories. Don’t go for a budget
chair. When my current chair needs replacing (this year most likely)
I’ll be replacing it with a Herman Miller chair, probably the Aeron.
I’ve already scoped them out at the Healthy Back store.
Larry
Has anyone tried these seats called saddle stools Dentists and
hairdressers use them and they adjust to a greater height than
typing chairs. I want to try one before I buy and am still looking.
Prices range in the UK from UKP30.00 up to UKP400. They look a bit
strange but are supposed to be good for posture. You see them on
E-Bay, and the expensive ones are made by a Company called Bambach.
regards Tim Blades.
Has anyone tried these seats called saddle stools
If those are the weird chairs with no backs that one rests ones
knees on, don’t buy one! They are VERY uncomfortable!
If money is no object 
Relax The Back Stores have the best
If you get an office depot chair, as I did, I bought a special
cushion for the butt from Relax the back. Its great. Stopped all pain
down my legs, about $75.
This week bought for about $60 a back support cushion, They lay or
strap onto any chair
Go visit their site.
David
David Geller
JewelerProfit
www.JewelerProfit.com
In the few years prior to giving up the world of corporate telecom
for full time creation of jewelry, I purchased my own office chair,
a Balans kneeling chair. When I left, I took it with me; and when my
studio was completed a couple years ago, I placed it there. It’s on
casters and has a pnuematic lift for adjusting the height, so it
works well for me whether I’m at my lower laptop/computer desk or my
higher work spaces. I’ve sat it in comfortably to knot pearls, cut
and pierce metal, solder, string beads and play for hours with PMC
and Polymer clay with no back discomfort whatsoever. I no longer have
the receipt, but it was over $300. The web site I found at the time
had versions with and without a back support. I purchased the one
with the back support, but have never felt the need to attach it.
From Wikipedia:
"Kneeling chairs were invented in Norway in the 1970s, starting
with Hans Christian Mengshoel's experiments on sitting devices
with support under the shins. Furniture designers Peter Opsvik,
Oddvin Rykken, and Svein Gusrud each developed chairs based on
this principle. These designs took as their starting point the
strain placed on the spine by conventional right-angled chairs.
Kneeling chairs open up the angle between the thigh and the
torso, making it easier to retain the natural curvature of the
spine.This posture changes the stress distribution of the human
body in comparison with the sitting position of an ordinary
chair. Because the angle of the hip joint is between that of
sitting and standing, it allows the spine to be in a more
"neutral," or middle-of-range, position. Because the knees are
lower than the pelvis, the normal curve is restored to the lower
spine, which reduces stress to the lower lumbar vertebrae."
This site has multiple versions in a range of prices… I’d suggest
choosing one that is on casters and has the pnuematic lift. Anything
less will still be comfortable, but may cause a lot of cursing.
I bought a Bambach saddle chair about 7 years ago. The chair did
help my back but I found it made me numb in a rather delicate place.
After I gave up on it one of my employees found it to be great but
another found like I did that it caused some discomfort with hours of
use. So try one before buying one as they are quite expensive.
James Binnion
@James_Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts
360-756-6550
I have one, and I like it a lot. Comfort-wise, it feels just like
sitting on an English-style pony saddle.
I like it because it has no arms to get in my way, and I can move my
legs around to sit however I want–knees bent, legs straight, side
saddle. I’m not locked into one position in the chair all day. I’ve
got short legs, and most of the chairs and stools I tried didn’t have
adjustable foot support rings, so my legs dangled and went to sleep
when the chairs were raised up for my taller bench. When I’m seated
on
the saddle chair, it doesn’t cut off the circulation to my legs, and
I can reach the foot support ring, which is also height-adjustable.
As for the improved posture from sitting in this type of chair? I’m
not so sure about that. But maybe I just slouch all the time…
And I did get mine on ebay. I think I paid around $125 with
shipping, which was less than Staples (US office supply store chain)
was asking for the exact same chair (which had to be special
ordered, with an extra fee for delivery to my house).
Kathy Johnson
Feathered Gems Jewelry
http://www.fgemz.com
I spend 10-14 hours a day at the bench, almost every day (and
night). I fought the good fight for years, looking for a good chair.
The fight has been over for a while, now.
Aeron Miller.
$750 at Sam’s Club and worth every cent.
And I gotta say that I am SOOOOO happy to hear that my friend and
great guide through the years, David Geller, is on the mend!!
Go, David!
Wayne, he’s tough
I have been using the Herman Miller Aeron Chair for about ten years
now and find it to be the best. Here is a link:
This chair has it all. It’s not cheap but, IMHO, well worth the
price.
Joel Schwalb
www.schwalbstudio.com
I spend 10-14 hours a day at the bench, almost every day (and night). I fought the good fight for years, looking for a good chair. The fight has been over for a while, now. Aeron by Herman Miller.
I will second this as probably the most comfortable chair on the
planet. Ergonomic design, bullet proof construction. I have one of
these chairs for doing computer work and I have never tired at the
computer, even working 16 hour days on end, mind you Ive had this
chair for about 14 years. The price is steep, but look on ebay from
time to time youll find deals. The only thing I would be concerned
about is using this for any sort of soldering/torch operation, the
webbing is a plastic material and any accidents could melt thru.
Ill eventually get a couple more for bench chairs as I am 100%
satisifed with the construction, design, and support this chair
offers. Not to mention, this chair is available in three frame sizes.
P@
Has anyone tried these seats called saddle stools Dentists and hairdressers use them and they adjust to a greater height than typing chairs.
I have one of the ‘saddle’ chairs an I like it, though I dont spend
the hours at the bench that many Ganoksters do. It’s very light, so
I can quickly swivel around to grab something I need (perhaps from a
shelf behind me). It’s quite easy on the keester too.
Todd Welti
Living Color Opal and Intarsia
A professional drummers seat or I also saw a great seat, much like a
drummers stool at a Paul Mitchell Pro salon. perfect.
A few people have recommended this chair.
Don’t the arms get in the way? They look quite high.
They seem to retail for around 700-800 UKP here in the UK, although
I found quite a few on ebay. Good quality used ones range from about
270-300 and someone has a couple of brand new ones which he sells
for around 350 UKP so they’re out there for people who can’t afford
full retail price on a brand new one.
It looks as though you’re better off trying one out in a showroom
first though, as they come in different sizes.
Helen
UK
I don’t spend much time in the studio sitting down at the bench, but
when I do I have a chair that sits low and does not have rollers. I
can’t file or saw very well on a chair with rollers… when I work
very energetically the chair does a counter-revolution on each
movement. Quite annoying when filing fast.
2c
Bri
Brian Adam
Auckland NEW ZEALAND
www.adam.co.nz