Wheelchair farkling begins…
Nov. 27th, 2021 12:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elizillaFirst was sticker removal. I removed the warning sticker talking about FCC radio interference, and the sticker reminding me to RTFM. I have read the manual and I can’t change the ambient radio wave level. I kept the sticker reminding me to turn the power off while getting in and out, at least for now, since that is a very real thing I have been forgetting. Most importantly I removed the decals that say “Junior” because WTF is that? I don’t want to be asked to explain whether there is a senior since I have no idea. Fortunately they peeled easily.
Next, removal of the headrest. My head doesn’t touch this headrest, it just makes the seat bulkier when folded down to carry in the car. And removal of seat belt. It’s a chair, not a go-cart. These can go to the garage attic - I would just throw them away except that if I eventually sell or donate the chair the next owner may want them.
Then the tools came out. Checked out all the adjustment points. Moved the armrests in to their closest position. Even though I am heavier than I have been in years, this is not too tight, and I need all the narrow I can get for maneuvering around. Tweaked the armrest height, and confirmed the seat is in its highest position and the back cannot be moved back.
The control pod sticks out of the front of the armrest. It can mount on the left or right but regardless of which side it is on, it is in the way. When the chair turns it swings wide and hits things, and when you want to pull up close to something it hits things. I took the armrest it mounts on, off, so I can examine it. This is my first big farkling target, must invent something better! I could simply take the controller off and hold it in my lap like a game controller, but I think I would drop it frequently. I might put several Velcro pads here and there, and stick it to different spots depending on what I am trying to do. Or maybe RAM has something useful, I will check.
The other thing that hits early and often is the footrest. This footrest is rigid and folds down from a center hinge. When my feet are on it, the seat feels too low. One of the other chairs I looked at, had a footrest that was basically just a dangling, narrow swing. It did not get in the way and it let the users feet sit closer to the floor. Not as ergonomic, but way more convenient for a long legged person who can actually move their legs. I think I would be better off with that, I could just put my feet on the floor except when the chair is moving. But how to do it? Thinking. (I did not buy the chair with the trapeze footrest because it was terrible in every other way. But I did like that footrest!)
Also on my list are cane holder, some kind of carry baskets, and seat covers / cushion upgrades. And perhaps at some point I will take off the red decorative plastic panels and plastidip them a more interesting color.
I drove the chair to the garage to put away tools. This may seem trivial when you walk easily, but to me it was immensely satisfying. Biggest challenge was to close the doors behind me. Fortunately Scotty is still a bit leery of the chair when it moves, so he didn’t try to dash through. I am going to put a strap on each door handle to help me manage the doors. I need to get better at doors so I can prevent kitty escapes even once Scotty gets used to the moving chair.
Next, removal of the headrest. My head doesn’t touch this headrest, it just makes the seat bulkier when folded down to carry in the car. And removal of seat belt. It’s a chair, not a go-cart. These can go to the garage attic - I would just throw them away except that if I eventually sell or donate the chair the next owner may want them.
Then the tools came out. Checked out all the adjustment points. Moved the armrests in to their closest position. Even though I am heavier than I have been in years, this is not too tight, and I need all the narrow I can get for maneuvering around. Tweaked the armrest height, and confirmed the seat is in its highest position and the back cannot be moved back.
The control pod sticks out of the front of the armrest. It can mount on the left or right but regardless of which side it is on, it is in the way. When the chair turns it swings wide and hits things, and when you want to pull up close to something it hits things. I took the armrest it mounts on, off, so I can examine it. This is my first big farkling target, must invent something better! I could simply take the controller off and hold it in my lap like a game controller, but I think I would drop it frequently. I might put several Velcro pads here and there, and stick it to different spots depending on what I am trying to do. Or maybe RAM has something useful, I will check.
The other thing that hits early and often is the footrest. This footrest is rigid and folds down from a center hinge. When my feet are on it, the seat feels too low. One of the other chairs I looked at, had a footrest that was basically just a dangling, narrow swing. It did not get in the way and it let the users feet sit closer to the floor. Not as ergonomic, but way more convenient for a long legged person who can actually move their legs. I think I would be better off with that, I could just put my feet on the floor except when the chair is moving. But how to do it? Thinking. (I did not buy the chair with the trapeze footrest because it was terrible in every other way. But I did like that footrest!)
Also on my list are cane holder, some kind of carry baskets, and seat covers / cushion upgrades. And perhaps at some point I will take off the red decorative plastic panels and plastidip them a more interesting color.
I drove the chair to the garage to put away tools. This may seem trivial when you walk easily, but to me it was immensely satisfying. Biggest challenge was to close the doors behind me. Fortunately Scotty is still a bit leery of the chair when it moves, so he didn’t try to dash through. I am going to put a strap on each door handle to help me manage the doors. I need to get better at doors so I can prevent kitty escapes even once Scotty gets used to the moving chair.
Farkling...
Date: 2021-11-27 09:13 pm (UTC)Heh... If I lived closer, I'd consider that a challenge. I've always been of the opinion that welding was basically 3D Photoshop.
I see a lot of chairs extant, in my new life as a transit bus driver (a *LOT* has happened since we last met); I'll keep an eye out for interesting/useful farkles. Maybe honking up something out of PVC pipe for a cane sheath, or adapting bicycle pannier(s) for a basket system?
Agreed about the joystick/armrest "design"(that may be dignifying it a bit) being unwieldly. A few of my paratransit clients have complained about the same thing, and it tends to put the rider's control hand in *precisely* the wrong place WRT how accomodations aboard a bus are affected - Seems more designed for swatting a pinãta, than actually maneuvering a chair. And the footrest seems to be some wag's idea of a front bumper than an actual place for the rider to put their feet...
Lemme see what I can see...
-R
(pondering)
Re: Farkling...
Date: 2021-11-27 09:55 pm (UTC)I have PVC pipe cane holders on my trikes. The main thing here is to think of a way to do it without creating more protrusions to hit things.
Tell me about transit bus driving!
Re: Farkling...
Date: 2021-11-28 02:20 am (UTC)Not much to tell... I've tossed the career in showbiz after thirty-mumble years because we didn't have any work to speak of since March of 2020, I couldn't get a tour to save my life since well before that, and the politics of the local Union coupled with me being a reluctant President of the Local about drove me to suicide, so I chucked it all. Hired on to CATA, the local city bus/paratransit company, and now I spend my days driving a city bus. Compared to running the stagehands' Union local, driving a 60' bendy-bus through downtown East Lansing in rush hour traffic is calming.
I must say... I took a peek at the Jun^H^H^H^H^H^H^P320's owner's manual (I just can't call your new steed a "Junior" in good conscience), and Merit USA seems awfully noncommital regarding proper securement of the chair in a public transit vehicle. I was looking for the proper hard points for strapping the chair down in a bus - call it professional curiosity, if you will.
The factory cane holder leaves a bit to be desired, too. I see what you mean about awkwardly-sticking-out farkles...
I presume you got a red one? I think a nice royal purple would be a better choice for the BeckerMobile.
-R
(or violet, or lilac, but mostly purple)
Re: Farkling...
Date: 2021-11-28 03:19 am (UTC)Yeah, “Junior”, like WTF? I almost didn’t buy it because of the name alone. But it seemed silly for that to matter, so I just peeled it off. That name has to be hurting their sales.
The Golden Literider was one of my other top picks, because it looked easier to strap in, more handholds to lift it into the trunk. But, they are back ordered in the fubared supply chain. The only vendor who had them, was charging $300 more than anyone else. And I doubt I will ever take it on a bus.
I do have the red version. If I change it I was thinking hi vis yellow, or bright green. I was saying to the guy in the store, that they should make skins for these things, like people get for their phones. Wouldn’t a nice paisley skin look cool on there? Maybe I will write to decalgirl.com about this.
Re: Farkling...
Date: 2021-11-28 09:50 pm (UTC)Maybe your chair could be measured & patterned, then cut a licensing deal with decalgirl.com for 'Bofficial Elizilla-Approved[tm] P320 skins.
If I'm honest, I'm not sold on paisley, unless it's hi-viz. Or maybe SOLAS-grade reflective material... I mean *rude* bright.
[*thinks*] Hmmm... Hi-viz yellow-&-green paisley...[*/thinks*]
-R
(much more brighter, please)