Optimum Height For My Self Build Workbench?

[DoctorWibble]

Something I found useful was to try out a few woodwork operations using work surfaces in the house. If nothing else you'll quickly see why chopping veg is easier on a high kitchen worktop but mixing cakes or kneeding dough is much easier on a low kitchen table. Maybe stick a few blocks under the kitchen table to test something in between.

If a bench is your first project don't decide on the leg length until late in the project by which time you'll have a much better idea of what height works best for you.because you will actually have done quite a lot of woodwork.

 

[Bod]

My Bench (home made) comes up to the mid point between wrist and elbow.
Which is just higher than standard kitchen work tops. Much higher than most workshop benches.
There is a picture of a man planing on a bench, in "The Essential Woodworker". To my eye, having a bench top that is below hip level is asking for back problems, he looks most uncomfortable.

Bod

 

[DiscoStu]

Whatever height works for you would be my view. When I was doing mine I just stood upright and put my arms out at a comfortable height and that was basically it. The only other thing I did look at was that my table saw would fit underneath as I wanted all of my benches to be the same height and I knew I'd be building another bench for machines to go on and table saw under.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ED65]

There is a picture of a man planing on a bench, in "The Essential Woodworker". To my eye, having a bench top that is below hip level is asking for back problems, he looks most uncomfortable.

School workbench perhaps?

 

[deema]

Make the bench 6" talker than you think you need. With the legs square a straight and all the klegs clamped together for marking out, place a line across all of inside of the legs 10" from the bottom of the legs.

This makes it easy to cut the legs down a little at a time as you start working on the finished bench until you reach the perfect height for you. The 10" line means you always can measure the amount to cut off each leg accurately.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

There is a picture of a man planing on a bench, in "The Essential Woodworker". To my eye, having a bench top that is below hip level is asking for back problems, he looks most uncomfortable.

School workbench perhaps?

From what I've read in environments where large timbers were jointed and planed benches tended to be lower so the carpenter or joiner could easily get over the timber and use his weight downwards over them. Don't forget people were generally shorter then, as well.

 

[ED65]

Don't forget people were generally shorter then, as well.

Yes but workbench height would have been scaled to fit. So a hip-height bench from the early Renaissance would have been a bit short even for the average Mechanick of the 18th or 19th century.

Naturally any bench intended for all handwork does need not to be tall. People working in boatyards and timber framers would have a different perspective on this but it's interesting to note that in Europe bench height on average appears to have slowly risen over the centuries, starting from the Roman tradition where benches were very low. This is height in relation to the user, not the actual measurement, i.e. it started near the knee and rose towards the hip.

 

[Jacob]

Make the bench 6" talker than you think you need. With the legs square a straight and all the klegs clamped together for marking out, place a line across all of inside of the legs 10" from the bottom of the legs.

This makes it easy to cut the legs down a little at a time as you start working on the finished bench until you reach the perfect height for you. The 10" line means you always can measure the amount to cut off each leg accurately.

Or make it shorter than you think you need and raise it on blocks if necessary. Handy to be able to adjust it!

In other words; it doesn't matter much how high it is - just "table height ish" (30 - 40 inches) will do, and you can then adjust if you really have to.

 

[HappyHacker]

Make it too high and use duckboards, of various thicknesses to stand on until you get the comfortable height for working and/or use duckboards to adjust the height depending on the work you are doing.

I am 6ft and have three benches, 33 inches, 36inches and 41 inches. The last one I made myself 40 years ago and is mainly for engineering work with a vice on top it is just right for hacksawing but I use 3 inch duckboards when necessary. The other two I acquired, 33 inches is far too low and 36 inches is a little too low. One day I will get around to making a proper bench or putting blocks under the others.

 

[Benchwayze]

Whatever work you do most, the bench will have to be the best height for that. at least. So it's trial and error.
Hand dovetailing is easier on your back with a higher bench; or you could make a Moxon Vice to lift the work that bit extra. When chopping out on a bench you'd use most for planing, kneeling on one knee works to give your back some respite. If your bench happens to be too high, (Like my planer thicknesser, since I shrank 3 inches) make a duck board to lift yourself. I can't imagine what I would do with an extremely low bench; other than snoozing at lunchtime!

John

 

[pollys13]

Richard Maguire, who built custom benches for a few years, has said that his customer benches averaged around 34". Paul Sellers likes 38".

I have two one around 33" and a wall bench at 36". The wall bench is great for fixing things but I prefer actual woodwork on the lower one. Sighting down chisels, planning, general leverage and just getting over things I find a lot less comfortable on the taller bench.

So maybe start around 36-38" and cut down to suit

But really its not like you're stuck in a chair, you're moving all the time so an inch or two either way isn't going to make much difference.

OK cheers.

 

[MarkDennehy]

Richard Maguire's video series on building an english workbench had a bonus bit talking about workbench height, which had the interesting point that he felt if your bench was low and your technique poor, the cost was back pain; but if your technique was good, the reward was less tiring work; whereas a high bench, good technique or not, would see less pain but more fatigue.

Me, being cackhanded and slightly tall, I went full-tilt for a tall bench

It'll be just a shade under 40" by the time it's finished and the top flattened.

 

[skipdiver]

I started with the height of my sawbench which is 840mm and built everything to that height, including my workbench because at the time, i never really gave it much thought. I'm 5'9" and it works ok for me. My bench and assembly table act as take offs/ support when using the saw bench with sheet cutting.

I was also once told that overall height shouldn't determine ideal working height as different people have different body ratios. Basically, some have a long torso and short legs and some have a short torso and long legs. I am of the short legged variety.