How To: temporarily lock swivel ability of an office/computer chair?

[destrekor]

Note: I am NOT looking to buy another chair. I got this one fairly recently, and I like the features - but the swivel mechanism, combined with racing sims, is something that can be troublesome.

Can anyone think of a good way (doesn't have to be pretty) to lock the chair in place (in a rotational sense, aka swivel) that can also be fairly quickly undone for when I don't want it?

As in: when I go to play a racing sim and move my wheel stand in place, I'd like to also kill the swivel capability at that point in time. When I'm done, I'd like to return to a free swivel capability.

I'm also looking at picking up some caster cups to stop the chair from rolling backward if pressing hard on the brake (new pedals w/load-cell brake), and the pressing hard also greatly increases the amount of rotation I get in my seat - and it's highly annoying.

A cockpit-type setup is not an option at the moment, so don't bother suggesting that as a work-around.

 

[vshah]

tie rope between the armrests and your wheel stand central pillar?

 

[destrekor]

tie rope between the armrests and your wheel stand central pillar?

:hmm:

I was thinking of something like this, but wasn't sure if I could find a better approach.

I've had a few ideas pop up regarding some kind of metal/wooden construct that could both secure the casters/chair and stop the swivel... but physical construction plus random concept of an idea like that leaves me puzzled. I'm capable one I have something very formulated, but when it's just a concept, I'm lost trying to figure out what to buy and how to accomplish.

I might just try the rope-type approach first.

 

[Krazy4Real]

temporarily use another chair that doesn't swivel when you are playing a racing sim?

 

[vshah]

temporarily use another chair that doesn't swivel when you are playing a racing sim?

all other chairs are missing the required personalized butt molding.

 

[destrekor]

all other chairs are missing the required personalized butt molding.

In truth, I do love this chair... But there also aren't really any good chairs up to the task in the house. A kitchen chair might work, but it doesn't have a solid back so long sessions might be bad on the back.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[vi edit]

Picture of bottom of chair and what you've got to work with?

 

[vshah]

what kind of stand are you using? and are these games on a tv or computer?

i have a rennsport wheel stand to go with my fanatec wheel, and it worked well enough just to sit on my sofa with a few pillows behind me to prop me up a bit.

 

[destrekor]

what kind of stand are you using? and are these games on a tv or computer?

i have a rennsport wheel stand to go with my fanatec wheel, and it worked well enough just to sit on my sofa with a few pillows behind me to prop me up a bit.

Same stand, but PC gaming and sit at my desk.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[vshah]

maybe a more stable method would be to fashion some way of clamping the armrests to your table?

 

[destrekor]

maybe a more stable method would be to fashion some way of clamping the armrests to your table?

Can't sit THAT close. The desk is against a wall, and the wheel stand and wheel extend out beyond the edge of the desk.

I'm thinking I might be able to use rope between the armrests and legs/pedestal and secure rotational movement that way. Coupled with caster cups, I think that might work pretty well.

Picture of bottom of chair and what you've got to work with?

No picture at moment, but I took a thorough look at the bottom to see if any screws or anything could be tightened to achieve this.
There is a tilt-tension adjustment, but no screws appear to remotely achieve the task at hand. Reason I say that, is because after looking at the pneumatic lift assembly, the piston and chair assembly seems to hold together and the piston rotates in the base cylinder. I couldn't find any kind of way to adjust on the main lift assembly, either at the base or toward the top of the chair (which would apparently not accomplish much anyway).

I just bought caster cups and some poly-rope (I also have bungee cords). Will play around in a little bit and see what I can accomplish with what I have available at this point.

 

[destrekor]

hmmm, have yet to put what I was talking about into practice just yet... actually about to do that right now.

BUT

I have a new idea to replace this whole concept:
collapsible deck/lawn chair?

Any really comfortable ones that would do the trick here? :hmm:

Storage would be a non-issue (could just throw it under my bed), and it could be "up and running" in a jiffy.

 

[vshah]

a deck chair may be too low for the height of your monitors