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Bearfoot Art Ultimate Hand Stabilizers Info Page
The New Bearfoot Art Ultimate Hand Stabilizers are more versatile than ever. The old design had a swivel top screwed into the pedestal. This new design uses these two components you see here below for the top portion. This strong magnet is screwed into the top of the pedestal which is cut at an angle. The magnet holds the top plate which is the support for your hand. The combination of the pivoting angled anchorage and the adjustable top plate, provide for an ergonomic support for your hands that is both comfortable and effective. Instead of merely pivoting, the new design allows the top plate to be put in many more positions or even be removed and replaced quickly and easily.
Retrofit
For those of you who already have hand Stabilizers- How about an upgrade?
With this magnet and a top plate upgrade package you can replace your top plate with this design. See bottom of page for more details.
So... the top of the post will have a magnet like this one on it instead of the aluminum plate.
The top plates will come to you with either black or silver color adhesive on top to make a smooth, clean surface to rest your hand on. Color depends on availability. Sorry no color requests. They measure 2" by 5 1/2" with a 2" 1/2 round cut on each end. Hand Stabilizers are meant to be mounted magnetically close to your torch. The bottom magnet is rated for 65 pounds of pressure and the top is rated for 25 pounds of pressure. These will definitely stay in place for you, but with the right leverage, can be moved when desired. These are not meant to support your whole upper body weight. These are what they say they are. Hand Stabilizers, not Hand/Body rests. These are meant to steady your hands close to the flame to give you ultimate precision and control.
One of the many benefits of this tool is that your hand is placed on the surface with the pad of the side of your hand resting on the top plate. As if you were writing with a pen on a table. The padded part of your hand is able to take the pressure without cutting off your circulation, making them very ergonomically correct. You are not resting on your wrists or carpal tunnel areas.
With the angled pedestal top and the moveable top plate, you can create endless cominations of hand positions to help you find your most comfortable position and working height. The pedestals come in three heights but each can support your hand at a large range of heights. The three sizes are Small (4 1/2" from bottom of base magnet to top of top magnet), Medium (5 3/4"), and Large (7 1/4"). Scott uses a Nortel Minor Burner and he uses a Small on his left side and a Medium on his right side. He uses two different heights because he likes to have his glass application hand higher than the mandrel hand so he can make the most of gravity and surface tension.
The picture below shows the top plate in an elevated position to provide taller support.
Shown here is a smaller version of a base plate that we are selling for those of you who do not have a magnetic work surface and who don't want to get a custom cut of steel from your local metal shop/hardware store. Scott uses a 18" x 24" cut of steel mounted to his work surface. About 1/16" thick. His is screwed down to his work surface with four screws. (Get Steel, not Stainless Steel. Stainless is not magnetic). You could also use epoxy to attach the steel or base plate to your surface. We are selling 3" x 6" bare metal (steel) plates that you can use at the bases of your Hand Stabilizers. Photo below has black adhesive on top and is smaller, it is just to give you an idea. These base plates are bare metal as I mentioned earlier.
Scott suggests that you use hot glue to mount the base plate once you establish where you want it to be. With a stick of hot glue (get high temp) you will apply a layer of glue to the back of the plate and glue it to the surface. The easy way to do this is with the plate being preheated in the kiln -don't walk away this is a quick in and out heating. The heated plate will melt the gluestick as you run it accross the surface. It will also keep it hot long enough for you to place it. Careful! It's hot! Take precautions to not get this in contact with your skin. If the glue smokes, wait a bit and test again. You want to melt it not smoke it. When the plate is in place just let it cool or you can speed up the process with an ice cube to cool it and a towel to soak up the melt water. Once cool, the glue won't get hot again unless you are trying to heat it to remove it.
FOR THOSE THAT HAVE THE OLDER VERSION (SWIVEL TOPS), IF YOU WOULD LIKE, YOU CAN RETROFIT YOUR HAND STABILIZERS TO THIS NEW DESIGN. INSTRUCTIONS BELOW.
Peel off sticky paper to reveal screw. Unscrew screw and save it. Remove aluminun plate. Screw on magnet with that same screw you removed. Attach new magnetic top plate. You're all set!
The same screw can be used.
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