Work Surface Height?

[wizer]

Hi Guys

I am continuing to plan and design the workshop 'fit out'. For my workbench I planned on 1150mm from floor to work surface. This measurement came from the 'Quicky Router Table' that I made a couple of months back. When I posted here, there where a lot of comments as to it being too high. However, I have found that since I built it, it is the most used surface. I find myself most comfortable working at this height. 1150 is the measurement between my folded elbow and the floor. I have firmly decided on this height for my workbench, but would there be any reason NOT to use this for every surface? i.e mitre saw station, drill press, TS, etc, etc. Specifically, I wonder if this height is in some way dangerous for a 'lunchbox' style thicknesser (dw733)? All the evidence I can find of this type of thicknesser seems to have quite a low setting. Seeing as I am waiting for back surgery, stooping even for a few seconds is not favourable.

I'd appreciate your views and comments.

 

[OllyK]

I'd say go for the height you're comfortable working at. Just be careful with any heavy or top heavy machines where mounting them high may cause issues of stability.

 

[WellsWood]

I know you're tall but personally I think 1150 is too high. I had a disc removed in my early 20s so I know all about the kind of back problems you're trying to avoid. Trouble is if you go too high I think you risk putting more strain on your back, not less, because you'll be using muscle power rather than your body weight. I'm thinking of hand tool usage here in particular, but it applies to hand held power tools, routers, biscuit jointers etc. as well. Stationary machine use is another story, and like Olly says whatever is comfortable is best, just be aware that although the machine is doing the work you still have to lift the workpiece to that heght in the first place.
From personal experience of owning a DW733 I'd say it won't do you back any good at all lifting it on and off a bench that height, as the handles are at the top of the machine and it's not the lightest of things. If it's going to be permanently sited this won't be an issue of course, and stability shouldn't be any more of a problem than low down (assuming your bench is solid) as you should bolt or clamp it down in either case.

 

[chunkolini]

Hi Mark, I cant remember where i found this nugget I think some ancient book about workshop practice. There was one of those gret line drawings of some old geezer smoking a pipe and wearing a flat cap.

Anyway, to get a good height for a workbench or vice, stand upright, arms by your side., bend your arm up forwards from the elbow to ninety degrees, so your hand is palm down, and measure the height of your hand from the floor, and bob is your uncle.

This gives a good height for most bench based activities, in my experience most work services are several inches too high.

Give that a go and see how you get on.

Chunko'.

 

[Digit]

Greetings fellow back sufferer! I'm only 5ft 8 and I also find that the 'normal' height for a bench is too low.
Some years ago I took my daughter along to a museum, and she was fascinated, and astonished, at the size of shoes and other clothing of the mid Victorian era, which happens to be when a lot of 'standards' were established, and the average height of a working man was 5ft 2-4!
My wife is 5ft 11 and finds that ironing boards, kitchen sinks, hand basins etc are also too low.
I test by hand planing, if the bench top is too high you'll soon find out as the operation becomes near impossible. Build for comfort!

 

[Shultzy]

Hi Wizer, I'm 6'-2 1/2" and that's about 45" in old money. I find It's a good height for assembly but not for hand planing (I'm 6'-2 1/2"). If you are comfortable with this height then make everything the same. Don't forget that the drill press table moves so set it at the highest and then workout the height of the supporting table, unless you have the floor standing version in which case disregard the last sentence .

 

[BradNaylor]

While agreeing that you should set your bench height where it is comfortable for you, 1150mm does seem extremely high. A standard kitchen worktop is only 900mm and that is a lot higher than most workbenches.

My worry with this height would be that you will be unable to exert much downward pressure on the work when planing, chiseling, or routing. Any attempt to push down will place more strain on the back!

Additionally, if all your benches are this height, what about assembling big pieces and then working on them? They're going to be above your shoulders!

I'm 6'2" and for me a comfortable height for a bench would be around 850mm. For all I know however, you might be 7'5"!!

Cheers
Dan

PS I would definately recommend that you build a permanant stand for your thicknesser and bolt it down rather than lifting it onto a bench when you want to use it.

 

[PowerTool]

Hi Wizer, I'm 6'-2 1/2" and that's about 45" in old money.

45" = 3'9" :?

Andrew

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi WiZer

Why not build a benchtop raiser so that you have the best of both worlds?

Have a look here and here.

HTH.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Corset]

I read that a bench should be approx 4 inch below your elbow. I built my bench to this measurement and have yet to regret it. I find normal bench planes could do with the bench being two inchs lower but my Bevel up planes are perfect at this height. Then again this could just be that they are better planes??
owen

 

[DaveL]

I read that a bench should be approx 4 inch below your elbow. I built my bench to this measurement and have yet to regret it. I find normal bench planes could do with the bench being two inchs lower but my Bevel up planes are perfect at this height. Then again this could just be that they are better planes??
owen

I used David Charlesworth advice from his book, here is the thread for my bench build, hard to believe it was 2 years ago. The bench is well used and I love the height.

The bench top is 6' long and 40" high. This is from David’s design that the top should be 4" below elbow height.

Be interested to hear how you get on with it; how tall are you? (if you don't mind me asking )

Alf, I used to stand 6' in my socks, but age has taken its toll and I am only 5' 11" now but I make up for the loss with my clogs. I usually wear the ones shown as my avatar in the shop. I am stood on 2 1/4" of English cherry with another 1/4" of rubber under that. \/ My son thought I had lost it when I asked him to measure the height of my elbow. :roll:

Sorry about it all being in feet & inches but I use them more than these new mm things. :roll:
If you make the bench tall and you find it too high then there are two options, make a duck board and stand on that or trim an inch or two from the bottom of the legs.

 

[ivan]

For light hand work, 4 to 6" below elbow height is what the ergonomic people say. Lower the heavier the work. (Also used for bespoke kitchens (although hobs ideally can be lower so you can see in the pots))

For filing, top of vice at elbow height, so sets ht. of engineers bench. The plate of the Woodrat's at about mid chest height.

Palm/thumb height would be about right for pre power tool bench and days of thicknessing with hand planes!

 

[chunkolini]

How about a split level workbench?
if you are making it to suit yourself that would be a nice touch for different jobs
Chunko'.

 

[norman]

Hi

I made a ajustable height work bench out of a sack trolly (fork lift style with wheels) when my back wenr about 25 yrs ago. Still use it today mostly for assembly work as you can ajust from about 6 inches to 4 foot in small ajustments help`s keep the old back in the best position. I keep it bolted to the floor and just wind to the height I need. lifts 220 lbs OK.
regards
Norman

 

[Digit]

A special router bench is a great help as well, they can be built like the wife's ironing board, adjustable in height and on need to be wide. Being narrow helps with clamping as well.
My permanent router bench is the conventional height, but I'm currently making an adjuster that can be used from above. I'm tired of being on my knees worshiping a router!

Roy.

 

[chunkolini]

Norman,
A damn fine idea, I will file that one away for a rainy day.
Chunko'.

 

[wizer]

edit: reply coming soon

 

[WellsWood]

All other considerations aside, a high bench does give you the advantage of more storage space underneath.

 

[wizer]

Hi Guys

Been mulling this over, it's a toughy. Firstly let me reply directly to a few points.

Anyway, to get a good height for a workbench or vice, stand upright, arms by your side., bend your arm up forwards from the elbow to ninety degrees, so your hand is palm down, and measure the height of your hand from the floor, and bob is your uncle.

This measurement for me is 1150

A standard kitchen worktop is only 900mm and that is a lot higher than most workbenches.

I trained as a chef and do a lot of cooking. Standard worktops are too low for me. If I am standing doing a lot of chopping or mixing, I ache quite quickly. Fair enough, this could be more to do with the slipped disc and that is being corrected soon.

Why not build a benchtop raiser so that you have the best of both worlds?
l

Neil, I have actually built a Bench Raiser. As it happens I built it before Alf Though it is probably the most useful thing I ever built, I think what I need now is a permanent surface at this height, otherwise i'd just be using a raiser all the time.

I read that a bench should be approx 4 inch below your elbow.

4 Inches = 100mm
1150mm - 100mm = 1050mm

I made a ajustable height work bench out of a sack trolly

I'd love to see a picture of that!


I understand that my intended height may seem very high, but I'm not sure that it is really. If I take the 900mm kitchen worktop height and my intended height (1150) and use the difference I get about 1m which is roughly what Corset and DaveL suggested. Seems reasonable to me. I can cut the RT down to this height quite easily. As for hand planing, in all honesty, I proably won't have much time to delve into hand tools for at least a couple of years. I really want to concentrate on getting to know my power tools and completing a few projects. We know we won't be staying in this house for very long so I'm not building the ultimate workbench just yet. Plus I need to work with something before I know exactly what I want from a bench. Point taken about the DW733. It will have a permanent fixing, probably on a roll-around cabinet. What I was trying to do was get a golden number for every surface in the WS. Apart from the 'workbench' that I am building, everything else will be on wheels. My intention was to use other surfaces as infeed or outfeed to the TS, Thicknesser, RT and for supports for each side of the SCMS. What I might do is make the top of the thicknesser the 'golden number' so it can be used for outfeed. I have been inspired by a recent article on FWW and am trying to do something similar, but for my own needs:

For now, I am just concerned with the workbench and it's going on adjustable feet, so that should give me a chance to move 100mm if need be.

Thanks everyone who replied, really appreciate the input.

 

[Digit]

advantage of more storage space underneath.

And more places for the sawdust to hang out! :lol: