This page will be used for organizing my ideas and research in the process of building an anvil for seated metalworking.
My immediate goal will be developing a project proposal to be able to use the metal 3D printer in the MET lab to build this thing. I am planning to attend the May 9th meeting of the Assistive Technology Club at the Lacey makerspace to connect with other folks passionate about this topic and to learn more about/get more experience with best practices.
Problem:
Metalworking and in particular forging is, in the Western tradition, an entirely standing craft. This enables movement between the forge (heat source) and anvil (primary work station) as well as various other tools (post vise, quench bucket, finishing station, grinder). While many of these workstations can be built to a size that a wheelchair user could access, the traditional design of a western anvil is difficult and potentially unsafe to use while seated. The problem this creates is in two parts: one, you must be able to stand in order to effectively transition between tools in a shared shop where standing locomotion is the default, and two, you must be able to stand for long periods of time to work effectively at all.
The concept of Universal Design refers to designing tools and spaces so that they are functional for the largest number of potential users without barriers or special assistance/intervention/adaptation. This concept is vital in a society where all people will, at some times, experience some level of disability. However the level of true disability someone *experiences* is as much a function of our environment as it is of our bodies. A huge percentage of the population has vision problems, but the accessibility of glasses, contact lenses, and corrective surgery in modern times makes this disability essentially invisible to many. Most would not consider it a disability despite needing a prosthetic device to even manage basic daily tasks like driving, reading, or cooking. Similarly, it is not considered a disability for a baby to be unable to walk–but in order for that person to be mobile, they require a mobility device piloted by another human. If that human user lacks the physical strength to use an on-body carrier, then they will face similar restrictions to a wheelchair user as they try to navigate streets, sidewalks, stores, and vehicles with a stroller or carriage. Essentially, solving a problem through engineering (glasses, strollers, ramps) can’t give someone back their sight or make them able to walk, but it makes those physical problems into non-barriers.
I have had the privilege only once of working in a metalworking space designed around access, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The woman operating it, Alice, had lost her ability to stand or walk in a car crash in middle age. She decided to take up metal fabrication, but quickly realized there was no such thing as an accessible space for her, so she built one for herself. There were few existing solutions, so she had to make her own solutions. All the equipment was on wheels, and all seating was low, rolling stools. The fabrication stations, constructed herself, were made for a seated working position. Even though she regained some mobility, rebuilding muscle endurance is a long process, and everything she had done to make her workspace accessible as a wheelchair user was also very important as someone in recovery with a physical disability. This space was also, as someone 5’3″, the most safe and accessible shop I have worked in over my 21 years as a metalworker. The principle of Universal Design holds true, in that creating a space that was accessible for disabled users also creates broader access for more able-bodied people.
The typical shop space, with workstations designed to use standing, is exclusionary towards people of different heights, ages, and mobility levels. Not only is that an injustice to those individuals, but it is a loss to us as a society, when workers, artists, and inventors are not able to contribute to our collective wealth of culture, technology, and community. No one should be excluded from finding community around a craft they love, excluded from work in which they thrive, or excluded from the pleasure of creation with their bodies because they have gotten a little older or more tired or because their body shape is too different from the average.
As-is, forging is a craft that requires careful attention to ergonomics. Incorrect positioning and tool usage can easily cause injuries. Classrooms typically have anvils set at numerous heights to accommodate students of different starting heights. My hypothesis is that a seated workstation could reduce or eliminate the need for height-adjusted anvils, replacing them with adjustable seating if needed, and allow more users to forge more safely, and for longer. This project is named for the Roman god Vulcan, Greek god Hephaestus, the smith of gods and heroes, and a disabled man who built his own mobility aids–metal automatons who helped him walk, pumped the bellows of his forge, and served as guardians. I think there is a beautiful symmetry in attempting to return this craft to a more accessible working modality. I also have viewed metalworking stations in other countries through video content that demonstrates the modern Western mode of standing metalworking is the exception, not the rule. I hope to research more of these methods to draw design inspiration from the tried-and-true ergonomic setups of various craftspeople.
Parameters:
A successful design will allow any seated person, particularly using a wheelchair,
Design restrictions:
Goals:
Research Topics:
- Ergonomics
- Seated metalworking in var. (non-western) cultural traditions
- Universal Design
- Paralympian Design
- Disabled artists in current practice
Research
Ferrous metallurgy – Wikipedia
Timeline of materials technology – Wikipedia–according to this, it seems that the oldest known ferric metallurgy and steel production was in India, which might be a good research zone
Archaeometallurgy in Global Perspective: Methods and Syntheses | Springer Nature Link–consult with library to see if we have institutional access to texts
Gene Kemper 