Workbench height

[paul24dual]

What is the recommended workbench height?

 

[MMUK]

A comfortable working height for the person using it

Me personally, I prefer my bench to be slightly higher than most people. I tend to build them the same height as a kitchen breakfast bar.

 

[KevM]

A comfortable working height for the person using it

Me personally, I prefer my bench to be slightly higher than most people.

Wow - 5'10", now that's a tall bench :lol: . Moving along, a comfortable working height is correct, but difficult to define with so many personal and working style variables. I made mine the same height as my bandsaw table and I'm happy with that*. You can always adjust it by trimming or adding block feet if you're not happy with the result after a few months.

*Edit: I should add that although I'm not tall (~5'11") I've been plagued by back problems and the least bit of stooping will set me off - hence a tendency for higher working surfaces. I've just measured and the main bench is just shy of 1050mm/41", probably ridiculously high for many, but comfortable for me, but then I also use a variety of folding benches and sawhorses to suit the task.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Find a bench that's comfortable, measure it and make yours a few inches higher. Cut down if neccessary afterwards.

 

[Billy Flitch]

This is a problem with work benches when using a plane you want to be over the bench using your body weight over the piece and then at other times you want the work raised so you can work on it with out bending over it all day.

How I get over it is to have the bench high so I can mark off on it and cut dove tails, and have a couple of pallet boards so I can stand on them and then get over the work. also if you are at the bench all day it is a lot easier on your feet and legs especially if the floor is concrete ,just the way i do it.

 

[Grahamshed]

I think there are standard recommended heights for tables, as there are for chairs. All the Axi benches I have just looked at are 850 / 860mm.
I am only 5ft 11 and I find these to short. ( mine are about 910 ) and I arrived at this height by putting boards on a kitchen table until it felt comfortable.

 

[MickCheese]

My Workshop isn't huge so my bench is a bit of a compromise as I wanted to use it as a run off for my table saw so it's the same height as that.

But then I think that the table saw is a standard height so probably the same size as the Axi ones mentioned above.

Mick

 

[marcros]

I can't recall the height of mine, but it was a few inches taller than suggested in the Chris Schwarz book, and taller than pretty much every discussion on American forums that I saw. Ideally, find a surface/workmate and try it. Stand on a brick or two or small step, see if it is better. Design the bench so that you can saw a bit off or add a block easily. You can always make a top slightly thicker if you are there or thereabouts.

Bench height is very personal- half a dozen people would likely prefer half a dozen heights- personally I refer slightly higher to slightly lower, but I don't do a lot with hand tools. If I suddenly start to, I would make a 2" step up so I could get on top of stuff.

 

[marcros]

I think there are standard recommended heights for tables, as there are for chairs. All the Axi benches I have just looked at are 850 / 860mm.
I am only 5ft 11 and I find these to short. ( mine are about 910 ) and I arrived at this height by putting boards on a kitchen table until it felt comfortable.

910 is 36". I think mine was about 35". It rings a bell anyway. I remember figures of about 32/33 being banded about, which is probably about the 850 mark and felt low. To me

 

[Mr_P]

I'm 6'2'' and my engineering benches at 36" are a bit low for me. Doh moxon vice one day for me.

As phil.p said make it higher than you think and shorten if needed.

 

[bugbear]

What is the recommended workbench height?

Sadly, it varies, both with the height of the person using it and the type of work being done.

BugBear

 

[John15]

I remember reading somewhere that the ideal height of your bench-top should be level with your wrist when standing upright.
Cheers,
John

 

[Stu_2]

I remember reading somewhere that the ideal height of your bench-top should be level with your wrist when standing upright.
Cheers,
John

That sounds like a great guide. Mine are at 965mm, including sacrificial surface. Just stood next to one and it's at wrist height.

Cheers
Stu

 

[Grahamshed]

I remember reading somewhere that the ideal height of your bench-top should be level with your wrist when standing upright.
Cheers,
John

But that does not allow for the orangutans amongst us

 

[Mr_P]

Doesn't work for this great ape, mine are wrist height and as mentioned too short for me.

Infinite diversity in infinite combinations. Me and my late Father have the same shoe size despite him being 4 inches shorter than I.

 

[Billy Flitch]

LOL Grahamshed and Mr P you two should work as a double act I`m still giggling now. Oh man.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Richard Maguire knows more about benches than most. Here's a recent blogpost in which he politely disagrees with Paul Sellers over bench height - the comments are very informative.

http://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/?p=2095

 

[wellywood]

I'm with Billy Flitch. My bench is 34" (I'm 5'-10") which is good for planing with metal planes. If I'm using a woodie I find 30 - 31" is better so I use a duckboard to raise me up. The 34" also coincides with the outfeeds on my planer thicknesser and router table so I can use the bench as an outfeed extension.

 

[beech1948]

Different for each person and different for the type of work.

Hips and lower back provide the motive power for planing so a bench of say 30" to 34" with an average being about 31" for a 5'9" male.

For dovetail cutting and fitting you need to add a Moxon bench to this height so that you can use your mid section/thorax as the power provider with better accuracy

For say stringing I have used the Moxon while sitting on the w/shop stool to get better motor skills and little power from my wrists and fingers.

So not a single answer.

Al

 

[gmgmgm]

My workbench top is multiple layers of 18mm MDF. I find it changes height at various times- I add or remove layers when I feel like a change.

Go with whatever height you feel is best- there is no standard height which is right for everyone.