Studio chair?

**silver70** · 29-07-2014, 04:25 PM

Hello,

Just wondering what chairs you all have at your bench? What is best? With arms? Without arms? Back rests etc.

Thanks.

**Dennis** · 29-07-2014, 04:46 PM

I have an upholstered office chair from Staples, formerly Office World, which is height adjustable. No arms, as they would get in the way when reaching for things to the side and probably when moving forward.

With time the telescopic pillar does not hold its pressure which has to be restored by letting it right down and up again. A regular chore I can well do without. Oiling the pillar all over does seem to help. However the price of these chairs has escalated so much since I bought mine, maybe twenty years ago, that I put up with the inconvenience rather than replace it.

You certainly need to try before you buy, as they vary in comfort. Dennis.

**art925** · 29-07-2014, 05:07 PM

I have an ergonomic mesh chair that was custom made for me. The company are local; they came to my workshop and made all the measurements. I have my seat tilted slightly forward and lumbar support. I believe the seat was made shorter for my little legs. Being mesh and moulded plastic it is perfect for cleaning and removing all traces of metal. I have a very nice office chair from the same company. I broke my back many moons ago so a good chair is important for me.

**Aurarius** · 29-07-2014, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by silver70

Hello,

Just wondering what chairs you all have at your bench? What is best? With arms? Without arms? Back rests etc.

Thanks.

This is the very question I was going to ask a while back. There's a huge range on offer of the sort of chair Dennis refers to. One thing to check for is the minimum and maximum seat height; it's an important factor in the chair's overall useability. This one is about the best in the business, but the supplier currently has none in stock.

**Goldsmith** · 29-07-2014, 05:40 PM

I spent my first 7 years at the bench sitting on a three legged wooden stool with a half round seat, the seat sections were originally made from the bench cut outs. My stool was a bit short for me as an apprentice so I nailed three wooden cotton reels to the legs. As soon as I became workshop foreman, I fitted out the workshop with second hand office chairs, with no arms. In my current home workshop I still use old office chairs, I also have an old draughtsman's seat, which is much higher and great when I am working on tools held in my large vice. Check out the second hand office furniture warehouses, they are always getting new stock of chairs from closing businesses. I still have my original stool stored away.

James

**ssssue** · 29-07-2014, 05:40 PM

I'm using a saddle stool with castors. It's comfy to sit on and good for the back apparently. It also moves easily so I can get to all the bits I drop in the floor!

**silver70** · 29-07-2014, 05:46 PM

Cool thanks for your advice - it looks like no arm rests are a must! And James - your stool story is cool! I bet you keep it forever. Thanks.

**Aurarius** · 29-07-2014, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Goldsmith

I spent my first 7 years at the bench sitting on a three legged wooden stool with a half round seat, the seat sections were originally made from the bench cut outs. James

I think wooden stools were the norm in many kinds of industries at one time. I've got three oak stools that came to me from a tailoring business that ceased trading about 60 years ago. At 540mm high they're a bit high for piercing and setting work, but they have four legs and are very stable and very comfortable. I'm alternating at the moment between the stools and an old dining-room chair, whose seat height is 440mm. I'd prefer a single chair that could do both jobs.
Mark.