Back problems when casting

[1Shirt]

Old age and back problems probably go hand in hand. My chiropractor tells me if I would quit lifting 50lb. boxes of clay, and sitting hunched over a potters wheel when throwing clay would help. Not going to quit, so no pain-no gain or something like that. I do wear a lifting back support when I lift clay or throw clay, or cast boolits. Years ago I could cast a thousand boolits with a 2 banger in one session--no more however. Seems like that changed when I past the 60 mark. Seemed like about an hour of casting at a time was about all the back would take at that time.

Then, a few years back I started going to my grand daughters swim meets and sitting on bleachers with no back support. Noticed a few people had those fold up seats on the bleachers, the kind that are padded cloth w/adjustable straps on the sides, and they sort of conform to the back when you sit on the bottom. So I bought one, and with adjustment I had back support.

I cast sitting down, on a straight back chair, and since the seat helped me when sitting on bleachers, tried it in the chair when casting. Made a world of difference. I found one of the things that even has a kind of small padding high on the back in a goodwill store that helps to keep you sitting straight.

Using one of these things has helped me, and I have been using one now for about 5 years. Have two of them and use one when I am reloading as well. Both casting and reloading when seated requires reaching, l and these seats might help some others on this forum who have similar back problems.
1Shirt!:idea:

[DLCTEX]

I also cast sitting, but I have done ok just using a bar stool so far.

[tomme boy]

I can only go about 45 min. before I have to stop. And I am only 41. Going to have to have surgery before to long.

[dale2242]

I also cast sitting.
My shop has a concrete floor and gets to my 71 YO back.
I sit on a chair with a back. I couldn`t cast long standing up.
Too many years on heavy equipment , I guess....dale

[LUBEDUDE]

Sitting is my enemy! I must stand since I have 3 blown Lumbars.

[Taylor]

I have had back problems since 29 July 1981 @ 1500 hrs.I built my casting table so that it keeps me in a good upright standing position.I still have a stool for rest though.

[Boyscout]

I've thought about going the stool route. My plywood on saw horses set is just a little too low for me. Question for 1Shirt: how does pottery clay work for bullet trap media to test expansion?

[Lloyd Smale]

same for me. 5 back surgerys and the worse thing i can do is cast sitting. Its unconfortable standing but unbearable sitting.
Sitting is my enemy! I must stand since I have 3 blown Lumbars.

[Ithaca Gunner]

No back problems to speak of, but sometimes I do get knotted up between the shoulders if I cast too long. I know it's time to stop then.

[dg31872]

I stand casting, but sit when I weld at a welding table. I bought a cheap leather apron (Harbor Freight?) to protect my legs from welding splatter. Might consider the same for leg protection when casting?

[Ed Barrett]

After my back surgery, 12 years ago, I redesigned my loading bench so I could do everything standing. After about 6 years I was in good enough shape to do most things sitting again. I have a stool with a pneumatic adjustment, I've found if I adjust the height a little every half hour I can cast or load all day.

[rr2241tx]

Sitting or standing, I get the relative height of my gear correct and control the reach to my pot so that I'm not holding my arms out straight in front of me all day. About three of the thick fatigue mats stacked on the concrete floor keeps my feet and knees from limiting my casting time. When I win the lottery I'm getting a Magma rig with a motor.

[1Shirt]

BOYSCOUT: Moist potters clay is an excellent media for testing bullet expansion. However there are variables as all moist clay is not created equal regarding moisture content. It is reasonable and reuseable if you know how to kneed it and compress it back into a useable form and keep it moist. Moist clay is sold in 25 pound bags/2 bags to a 50 pound box. In round numbers 50 pounds cubed out is about a 10-11" cube. The cheapest clay will run between 25-30 cents a pound.
If you are going to shoot into it, would recommend a minimum of 50 pounds. 50 pounds would probably be adequate for most non mag hand gun rounds shot at say 25 or so yards, and for small cal cast rifle rounds. Due to distance of projectile travel however, would suggest that you would need 100 lbs giving you a distance of about 20" or so which would probably be adequate for mag hand gun projectiles at 25-50 yds, and would probably be good for cast rifle bullets at 50-100 yds. If interested in using clay, let me know, and I will advise a source in/near Indianapolis, and on proceedures for wedging clay for reuse. It is a somewhat messy process, but it will give you a good idea of bullet proformance.
1Shirt!

[firefly1957]

My last casting session went well then i got terrible back spasms i cast sitting down with pot low as a safety precaution in case something goes terribly wrong the lead can not fall far so less splash. The next day spasms were still bad turns out i must not have checked the chair for spiders and one bit me under the shoulder blade it is almost cleared up but just another thing to check for when i set up to cast. I did not see it but i have an unusual number of heavy bodied black ones in the pole barn this year.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

bad back here too but need to stand when i cast