Best angle for a writing slope?

[Ray]

I'm having one made, and would welcome informed input on the best angle to specify.

 

Ray

Edited February 5, 2007 by Ray

[BillTheEditor]

It's highly individual, but it doesn't really take much. Fifteen degrees, maybe twenty. Thirty degrees would probably be the max. Mine is a portable drafting board that has a slope of about ten degrees. There's also a drafting table in my office that stays at about the same angle. It's good because it's a big surface. Unfortunately, because it's a big surface, it tends to collect everything that needs a resting place, and has to be cleared off before it can be used.

 

The slopes that have no "lip" at the bottom for holding a pen in place always seem most comfortable to me -- if you need a way to keep a pen or pencil in place, having a recess would make sense.

Edited February 5, 2007 by BillTheEditor

[captnemo]

I thought the whole point of the sloped surface was to prevent people from setting things on it. :roflmho:

[Ray]

Thanks, Bill. I'll go with 20 and report back.

 

Ray

[Ray]

I thought the whole point of the sloped surface was to prevent people from setting things on it. :roflmho:

Yes, but that type of slope would have to point at someone else!

 

Ray

[BillTheEditor]

I thought the whole point of the sloped surface was to prevent people from setting things on it.

Well, if it is, my drafting table fails miserably. Ten degrees is not enough slope to cause things to slide right off. I'd crank the angle up, but then where would I put all the stuff that's sitting on it?

[captnemo]

I thought the whole point of the sloped surface was to prevent people from setting things on it.

Well, if it is, my drafting table fails miserably. Ten degrees is not enough slope to cause things to slide right off. I'd crank the angle up, but then where would I put all the stuff that's sitting on it?

Your comment made me laugh because it brought back memories. In a former life I had a huge drafting table in my office and when not in use for drawing schematics or mechanical drawings or taping out a PC board, it filled up with junk. I was always worried that the junk would leave indentations in that lovely green rubber surface. Then came Futurenet, Orcad, and Autocad and the drafting table was never used again.

[BillTheEditor]

I was always worried that the junk would leave indentations in that lovely green rubber surface. Then came Futurenet, Orcad, and Autocad and the drafting table was never used again.

There's a few dents in my table pad. None of them anywhere that interferes with using it when needed. My office is in the house, and it's always been my belief that every home office should have a drafting table. That way you can use it for those big projects instead of the kitchen or dining room table. Dents in the drafting table cover are ok. Ballpoint and pencil indentations in the dining room table are not.

[Ashland]

Here is something I read on a page from the Dyslexia Action Resources Shop's website.

 

http://www.dyslexia-inst.fastnet.co.uk/dys...php?PRODID=1422

 

Traditionally, student desks were always sloped. Case studies have shown that the preferred angle is 20 degrees and that this ergonomic position improves posture, reduces headaches and tiredness.

 

Many of the writing slopes I've researched are adjustable.

 

Regards,

Ashland

[Phthalo]

I use a simple calligrapher’s board for writing, and it has four angles: The lowest, 15 degrees, then 25, 35 and 45. I use 25 and 35 the most.

[dwmatteson]

I've been using a Levenger editor's desk at work for the past few weeks (I don't know the angle off the top of my head, but I'll check). I was wondering if anybody had any ideas about the proper height for a writing slope. I'm writing with the editor's desk on top of my regular desk, and I find that I'm experiencing more fatigue, not less.

 

My guess is that the angle isn't the problem so much as the height. Where should the bottom of the slope be relative to my elbow/body/whatever? Anybody have any ideas?

 

Don M.

Edited February 6, 2007 by dwmatteson