I am in the process of buying a new workbench. The company that is selling the work bench that they can make the bench at 35″ height or I can customize it to the height that I want.
How does the height measurements work? Is it usually from the floor to the surface or from the start of the legs until the end?
What is the recommended height? Is there is rule of thumb to figure the best height?
This is a huge investment and I want to be sure that I get it right.
Thank you,
Moataz.
Replies
Generally (but you'd better ask!) a workbench height measurement is from the floor to the top of the workbench.
To answer your second question - there isn't one. A proper workbench height is an involved question that incorporates your personal preferences, your stature (height), and what you'll be doing with the bench.
For example, I have a bench that's about 36" high, and I'm 5'-10" tall. That's far too high for planing wood, and would be exhausting to use for that purpose. However, for the purpose for which I built it (carving), it's perfect. I have another bench under construction that will be a dedicated planing/joinery bench that will be 29" high from the floor to the benchtop height. That measurement will allow me to use wooden planes (which typically have higher grip points than metal ones) with my legs instead of my arms.
If you're undecided, here's one suggestion:
Stand in a relaxed upright position, with your arms naturally hanging at your sides. Measure the distance from the floor to the joint between your first finger and your palm - that's the workbench height.
One last comment - it's usually easier to raise the height of a commercially-manufactured bench than it is to lower it. The first case just means surfacing some stock to the increase in height that you want, and bolting it to the bottom of the feet. Lowering the bench means sawing off equal amounts of 4 legs, or in the worst case, sawing off the sled feet, thinning them down, and re-making the sled to leg joint.
Moataz,
Bench height is usually measured the same way as counter height and table height - from the floor to the top of the work surface. But sometimes things are done in strange ways.
I faced that same dillemna a while back when building my bench. I settled with a 30" bench, as low as I could imagine needing it. I then made two sets of "riser blocks". One is about 2" thick and the other about 4-1/2" thick. I glued four joinery dowels in the corners of each block with about 1/4" sticking out. Then I drilled corresponding holes in the bottom of the feet using a bit 1/64" larger than the dowels.
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
All,
I have two benches. One is about belt high and I do my heavy planing and joinery on it. The higher bench is about 6 inches higher and I use it for assembly work and carving. I think I came by this out of ergonomics and failing eyesight associated with us older myopic guys.
I would say it depends on your size and the work you do. At 5'4" I bet my benches wouldn't suit most other guys.
Frank
Moat,
I think you should consider whatever advice you read here then try out different heights if possible, in order to be sure. Just going on theory alone is risky. I also think that for the usual bench which is fairly heavy , the notion of being able to increase the height sounds attractive but the practice is not.
Bob at kidderville acres, in a response to my query regarding how to use a huge maple bench top, had these words of wisdom: "Couldn't one elevate thy own self instead of the mountain?" I like that. If you get a high bench, then just put down a platform to stand on when planing. That's a lot easier than bolting blocks to the bottoms of the legs. Of course, you need room to store the platform.
Lyle
Lyle,
A platform might be get the benchtop at the right height, but you need to make sure that it doesn't move on you when planing, etc. Also, you need to watch your step when walking around the bench and on the platform. To me, it seems like a safety hazard. I would sooner bore four holes in my floor to "sink" the bench than build a platform.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Hi Chris,
Yes the platform could be a hazard as could almost anything but with your weight on it is unlikely to move. In this case, size does matter.
I think the first thing one needs to consider is what am I typically going to use the bench for? If you're going to use it mostly for planing then previous posts have that covered.
I think the tricky situation is when a bench will be employed for all manner of work and again, if you use handplanes I would set the bench height for that promary use. I say that as I believe that hand planing is probably the most strenuous activity of all and a comfortable height for that purpose goes a long way.
In addition to a platform there are all manner of height adjustments that can be made. A while back there was an article somewhere about making a mini benchtop to raise the height of the top. Router tables can be made to fasten to benchtops to put the work at an optimal height too.
Many ways to defurf those pesky felines,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 7/26/2008 9:20 am ET by KiddervilleAcres
My perfect bench would have four hydraulic legs ;-)Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
I saw this on McMaster Carr’s web site. Thought you may be interested. You could use it for your perfect bench.
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Bob T. <!----><!---->
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http://www.mcmaster.com/
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Adjustable-Height Hydraulic Retrofit Systems<!----><!---->
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Turn your fixed-height workbench into an adjustable-height worksurface with one of these systems. All come furnished with four aluminum hydraulic-lift cylinders, a hydraulic pump, and tubing (for connecting cylinders to pump). To use, simply attach each cylinder to a workbench/table leg with four 1/4"-20 screws (not included; length of screws required depends on size of legs). Then, mount the hydraulic pump with its three 0.28" dia. holes (fasteners not included) under the workbench/table. Finally, connect cylinders and pump with tubing.
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Moataz,
I'm 5 ft 10 and a bit but have my bench 37" high. I found that planing, chiseling and other benchtop work on a lower surface gave me backache because of the constant slight bending over. The higher bench suits me much better, including for planing which I find no problem at that height. I prefer my back to be more or less vertical when I work.
In fact, I often plane plank edges held in the face vise, or by a side dog and end vise clamp, when the edges are a good 2 - 4 inches above the bench height. This doesn't present a problem either. In fact, I spent a good three hours planing straight edges on a host of 6 footers just yesterday - and me just gettin' over a broke rib! It didn't give me backache and the shavings curled off just as they would if the bench had been lower.
There must be some weight of experience behind the rule of thumb that puts bench height at more like 32 - 34" for a person of my height. But it doesn't suit me. Best to try different heights until you find what suits you. Sometimes the norm is not the ideal for our personal physiognomy.
It would probably be easier to get a tall bench and stand yourself on a platform to make it "lower" if necessary, than to get a low bench then have to raise it up somehow.
Lataxe
Lataxe,
Disclaimer: I, 5'-10"-tall Chris, realize that everything in your post reflects your personal preferences which are not necessarily "ideals". Also, I am younger than you and am not recovering from a broken rib.
My current (old) bench is also 37" tall. It is a little high for me to plane on, but very nice to chop mortises but a little low for sawing dovetails. My new bench, as I've outlined already has a height of 30" with riser blocks to make it 32" or 34-1/2" tall. As someone else mentioned, it's easier to slip four blocks of equal thickness under the legs than cut the four legs down equally. That said, if I want to be closer to the bench, I'll pull up a stool.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris,
You are right to arrange a variable height for the bench as used for different purposes. I wish there was a method that a crock such as moi could easily use to up-and-down his bench. :-)
I have considered use of a stool or two, for less vigorous work such as that mortise-chopping or chisel-paring.....
Lataxe
This is a “not sure if this is a good idea or not” post. A while back, I read about a bench installed on top of a hospital bed so it could be raised and lowered depending on the work being done. Seemed like a good idea however, a bed sized bench would be too large for my shop. An alternative for making a height adjustable bench base could be a motor cycle lift. These are smaller and not to expensive. They come in hydraulic, electric, air or hand crank models. Harbor Freight sells several of them. There are also commercial units available from lots of lift dealers. Here are some links to various lifts so you can see what I am talking about. Using one of the longer ones for a base or a couple of the shorter motor cycle jacks for legs, you could build a bench or assembly table that is height adjustable.
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http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=motorcycle
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http://www.bendpak.com/products/automotive-lifts/specialty-lifts.php
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http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Motorcycle_Lifts_s/2.htm
Just a thought,
Bob T.
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Bob,
I confess that I would really like a height-adjustable bench. There seem to be a number of factors that mitigate against them, although some folk claim to have made, or even to market, succesful ones.
1) The top and bottom of a height-adjustable will have to be connected by a mechanical "something". It looks as though it might be difficult (not impossible) to keep the mechanism stiff anough to deal with typical forces applied to the benchtop when working with planes, chisels, saws.
2) The height-adjutabiity mechanism will probably make design/construction more complex. Engineering skills might have to be added to woodworking skills.
3) A well engineered and stiff mechanism might be large and heavy (which might be an advantage in a bench, up to a point) but also potentially bulky (a thing to trip over, catch things on, fill up small shed-space, etc.).
Still, your hospital bed idea might work with a larger (longer/wider) than typical bench. I understand these mechanisms are very solid and stiff, albeit expensive (unless an old bed is commandeered before it gets to the landfill). As to the motorcycle-lift devices - my question would be: are they stiff enough? Also, would one need more than one and if so, how to keep them in synch?
I think we need Sarge. :-)
Lataxe
The hospital bed was not my idea. Just one I have read about. If I remember the article correctly, the bed was an old one that someone donated to the bench project. As far as the motorcycle lift being stable I am sure it is a case of you get what you pay for. I have a car lift in my garage and after researching it I spent a little more bought a commercial grade lift instead of a “hobiest” or parking version. I think the extra heft has paid off because I have had it for many years without any issues at all and I want something solid while I am standing under it. The Harbor Fright lift is probably less stable than say a BendPac, A good lift will lock in place one the height is adjusted. I don’t know if it would be stiff enough to for a wood working bench or not, never tried it. They are stable enough to pick up 5 or 6 hundred pound bikes so you can work on them. Maybe someone will give it a try and post the results.
Lataxe,
It ain't the prettiest thing, but it could be retrofitted to a traditional-er looking bench. http://www.adjustabench.com/inaction.aspChris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Hi MSW... Bench height, as you have read here, depends on several factors. You may want (need) a bench of a different height for planing, for finishing, for carving. One un-named expert says... stand by your bench. bend your hand (not arm) so your palm is parallel to the floor. THAT is the bench height you should use if you're doing lots of planing. Similar to 'joint of first finger/palm to floor. Toss a chunk of plywood over a milk crates and pretend it's the workbench. Pick up a handplane and go through the motions of planing. If it seems too low, raise it and try again. If too high, do the reverse. Remember, there is no EXACT proper height. Your height, arm length and the thickness of wood you work with all change the magic height. It's always a comprimise. The bench that is 'perfect' for you is probably going to be different from my 'perfect bench height.
SawdustSteve
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