Swing out stool

[MysterG]

Got start by saying I have no idea if this will get used or not, but making one was an itch I wanted to scratch.
All scrap bits I had lying around. The main pivot pin and tube part is cut out from an old step exercise machine.

It's mounted to my metal bench which is a 5ish mm angle frame which is bolted to the floor. Yes I will have to remove my shelf if I want to keep my kneecaps.

Any suggestions as to any weak points that could be improved upon welcome. I have no desire to hit the floor with my ****.
Just need to make a seat for it now.

 

[MCKDAVID]

brilliant bits of kit, especially if you're doing a lot of repeat tig. Made mine a while back, used regularly... yours is fancy , mine was using bits I had lying around... The seat is from a lawn tractor with that had no foam left. Not worth making, try your local garden equipment repairer, if he's anything like me, I'll bet he has a good few lying round with ripped covers. If you don't get any joy, I've a few here, but probably the postage etc would kill it, but if you're stuck just shout.

 

[northwest]

I will be making something similar. I realised this could work well for me after I saw @James1979 one. I have the 30mm heavy wall square section, the pivot and even a tractor seat. But I am going to double pivot it. I think it will work better with two hinges, one on the leg as you have it and another in the middle. I am also going to use (at least I hope I am) an ACME leadscrew as the column for the seat, just need to make the nut.

 

[MysterG]

I will be making something similar. I realised this could work well for me after I saw @James1979 one. I have the 30mm heavy wall square section, the pivot and even a tractor seat. But I am going to double pivot it. I think it will work better with two hinges, one on the leg as you have it and another in the middle. I am also going to use (at least I hope I am) an ACME leadscrew as the column for the seat, just need to make the nut.

A double pivot did cross my mind as I have a second pivot from the step machine, but I settled for a single for simplicity.
I hunted high and low for some reasonably priced ACME thread/nuts or something I could rob it from, but in the end I have some M20 threaded rod and nuts arriving this week. Not as nice to look at but will hopefully do the job.

brilliant bits of kit, especially if you're doing a lot of repeat tig. Made mine a while back, used regularly... yours is fancy , mine was using bits I had lying around... The seat is from a lawn tractor with that had no foam left. Not worth making, try your local garden equipment repairer, if he's anything like me, I'll bet he has a good few lying round with ripped covers. If you don't get any joy, I've a few here, but probably the postage etc would kill it, but if you're stuck just shout.

Not sure my effort qualifies and 'fancy' . Like the seat, I quite fancy something with a low back, but it will have to fit under the bench. I shall investigate lawn mower seats.

 

[Agroshield]

Maybe consider making the pivots lockable with an over-centre clamp (like on a bike seatpost). That might be useful if you need to apply some force to something on the bench.

 

[northwest]

but it will have to fit under the bench.

In my workshop this is just not possible. I will just have to pull the seat out of it's socket and store it (where I have no idea) when not in use. It is why a double jointed affair makes even more sense to me.

 

[James1979]

In my workshop this is just not possible. I will just have to pull the seat out of it's socket and store it

hang on the wall?

shame it can’t be dual purpose somehow

 

[northwest]

hang on the wall?

shame it can’t be dual purpose somehow

I was looking for enough space on a wall, any wall, to hang an adjustable the other week! I will gain a little bit though when I get shot of the old PC and routout controllers for the the CNC as the new kit is ready. Next week maybe, I hope.

One of these days I am going to do a 360 degree panoramic of the place and you will see what I mean.

 

[merryman]

When I was at engineering college we were asked to design some welding stools to be made and used by the trainee welders. I designed one that swung out from the bench, but the seat pan was on a sprung single leg, so it stayed put once your weight was on it. and didn't need as strong a bracket on the bench. Tutor was keener on some of the other student's designs but, years later, I had to go back to the college and found they were using my design in the welding shop.

 

[MCKDAVID]

Maybe consider making the pivots lockable with an over-centre clamp (like on a bike seatpost). That might be useful if you need to apply some force to something on the bench.

I'd disagree, the advantage of this is flexibility. After having mine operational for a while now it's mostly used for smaller parts, that you move around, and being able to move from side to side on the seat makes that easy. if I needed force then I'd most probably be standing anyway. Keep things simple..

 

[DAPPH]

hang on the wall?

shame it can’t be dual purpose somehow

My workshop seat is one of three heavy duty four legged aluminium shower stools with about 22inch of thick walled extension tubes on each leg . It's great when TIG welding things for it gives me just the right height to sit at the welding bench most of the time
There is a nice round thick strong warm plastic seat top to sit on . Being portable it's used not only in the mancupboard but in the log cabin office at the work benches , in the glasshouse at the five hostess trolley benches & by the top of the bin bag locker which is 1200 high .

Being adjustable makes it even more useful for all manner of things as I have an artificial left knee , a busted shoulder joint and a couple of areas of damage in my spine.

 

[selectedgrub]

Yes
I have a four legged one from an old psychiatric hospital.

 

[Wallace]

Yes
I have a four legged one from an old psychiatric hospital.

Does it drive you mad?

 

[northwest]

Does it drive you mad?

Absolutely Five Star. You are the winner by a country mile so far.

 

[Arc Tourist]

.........................
Not sure my effort qualifies and 'fancy' . Like the seat, I quite fancy something with a low back, but it will have to fit under the bench. I shall investigate lawn mower seats.

With its rounded edges, a frying pan with the handle removed and turned upside down could be repurposed for a seat.

Redneck engineering.

 

[MysterG]

With its rounded edges, a frying pan with the handle removed and turned upside down could be repurposed for a seat.

Redneck engineering.

Damn! Threw one away earlier this year, just could not think what it might come in handy for

 

[Arc Tourist]

Damn! Threw one away earlier this year, just could not think what it might come in handy for

And you wouldn't have to worry about sparks setting it ablaze, unless of course you pop riveted a padded cover on it.

 

[pawsnizzy]

With its rounded edges, a frying pan with the handle removed and turned upside down could be repurposed for a seat.

Redneck engineering.

That's a Viz Top Tip

 

[Screwdriver]

A double pivot did cross my mind as I have a second pivot from the step machine, but I settled for a single for simplicity.
I hunted high and low for some reasonably priced ACME thread/nuts or something I could rob it from, but in the end I have some M20 threaded rod and nuts arriving this week. Not as nice to look at but will hopefully do the job.

I raided a few scaff props (base jacks) from a skip that would be perfect for such a task. Also, even if you buy them, they are cheap as chips.

 

[MysterG]

I raided a few scaff props (base jacks) from a skip that would be perfect for such a task. Also, even if you buy them, they are cheap as chips.

My first thought after reading your post