Device To Hold A Cigar For Someone In A Wheelchair?
February 8, 2010 by MBC Staff
Filed under Afficianado
My grandfather has multiple sclerosis which has progressed to the point that he is confined to his motorized wheelchair. One of the few joys he has left in life is to go outside and smoke his cigars. However, that is being taken away too as his hands weaken and he is unable to hold onto them safely. Does anyone know of some kind of adaptive device? Maybe something that would clip to the arm of his chair and hold the cigar up?
The tricky part is the cigar end. If you can find a hair clip, binder clip or bulldog clamp that can hold the cigar, you can do the rest pretty easily.
You can make the ‘arm’ out of a lot of things- copper tubing, strong wire, etc. I usually take strong aluminum wire (often sold for clothesline) and bend a length in half (about 3 times longer than I want).
Clamp the free ends in a vise, and stick a screwdriver or something in the bend. Start twisting. When it is nice and tight, take it out and use a screw through the hole in the bend to screw it to the clip.
Take the ‘free ends’ and attach them to the chair. I usually wrap them around the armrest and undo one of the armrest screws some, wrap some around the screw and retighten to give it an anchor.
Another way to attach it is to wrap and screw it around a strong spring clamp.