They are also easier to use when working alone. When you have a machine that is sitting stable on the floor, you could always level it with a raised work surface in front of it so your body doesn’t have to bend over to work at it. However, this method has its limitations when the machine in question is large or heavy. Often, for example, quilters find they need to stand at their machines and hold up their entire weight with arms extended overhead for hours at a time.
If you are still holding onto the handlebars with your hands, you could make a huge mistake. If your machine is sitting on the floor, it is easy to maintain balance. However, if it is elevated and you can not quickly correct yourself if you lose your balance, think how much more difficult this would be. The best way to avoid this type of problem is to use levelling feet which allow your machine to be placed at the height that’s perfect for you. In fact, you can level your machine for optimum comfort and ease of use by raising it an inch or so off your work surface.
Not only is this method safer, it is also much easier on the body than holding your entire weight in one place. If you have ever stood at a sink to do dishes, you know that after a while, your feet start to feel crushed underneath you and the back of your knees begin to ache. The main reason for this is that the closer you are standing to your machinery feet, the harder it is on your knees when you are sewing. The leveller feet allow you to place your machine at a comfortable height where there is not much of a difference between standing next to it or holding onto its handles and working.
What is Soft Foot and Why Does it Damage Machinery?
The soft foot is created by the difference in pressure of the feet on the ground. The more pressure, it puts on your equipment. Machinery can become damaged when soft foot are present consistently for days or weeks at a time. Avoid these problems by wearing proper footwear or using floor mats to make sure your feet are distributing all of their weight evenly.
The most common cause of soft foot is the toe spreader. Sometimes we do not realise that our feet are naturally spread out when resting on the floor. The toes are actually responsible for the majority of weight distribution in your foot. When standing, the balls of your feet distribute only 19% of your body weight and most people compensate by splaying their toes apart. But as you walk, that pressure is gradually transferred back to your heel resulting in a higher load than intended. If the pressure is distributed unevenly, the soft foot effect can be experienced by your equipment.
Your feet are one of the heaviest parts of your body. Thus when you step on a floor mat or try to bear weight against a piece of machinery, it will not last long before it starts to give way under the pressure. The weight and pressure can force the machine to bend outwards, break or even cause serious injury in an extreme case. Materials such as rubber, wood and metals can be damaged by the amount of pressure that your feet generate. The soft foot effect is also caused by improperly fitting shoes. Shoes are made to distribute weight over the entire arch and ball of the foot. While most shoes have a heel height between 3 and 5 inches, some make your heel protrude up to 7 or even 8 inches further out than is typical. This can result in an uneven pressure distribution that damages machinery much more easily than insole inserts or floor mats will do.
Levelling Feet Protects Machines From Damage
Levelling feet are an essential component to any heavy machine or equipment. When machines are set up on uneven surfaces, stresses and strains can cause serious damage over time. Levelling feet absorb these impacts by distributing them horizontally, preventing wear and tear on the machine’s metal components while also maximising stability for longer periods of use.
Levelling feet should be installed on all heavy machines and equipment to keep them safe, secure and in use. This little bit of preventive maintenance can save thousands of dollars in repairs, while ensuring that the machine is reliable and dependable. The two most common types of levelling feet are the adjustable foot and the standard foot. The adjustable foot is designed to attach directly to a machine’s legs by means of four bolts. This type of levelling feet can be adjusted without removing or replacing any of its components and can provide a great deal of versatility when dealing with uneven surfaces.
A standard levelling foot consists simply of metal supports that sit atop a machine’s frame. When these feet are installed, they allow you to adjust the height of each leg separately to account for uneven terrain. Some adjustments may be necessary to prevent the machine’s wheels from hitting the ground.
