Workbench height

[johnward]

I measured some of them today and the benches at Edward Barnsley are 1m tall. That seems OK to me and I’m 6’.

Haven’t measured my home bench yet.

This is 90mm higher than mine. I'm pretty sure this would be uncomfortable for me.

 

[Woodbloke]

I measured some of them today and the benches at Edward Barnsley are 1m tall.

I went round there a few years ago and noticed that some of the benches are quite high, simply by putting them on blocks of wood - Rob

 

[Doug]

Got to admit the David Charlesworth bench’s that Classic Hand Tools were selling at the Harrogate show seemed high to me, being able to bend your back & get your shoulder behind the plane must be reduced the higher your bench, possibly advantageous if using a Japanese plane. :eusa-think:

 

[MrH]

Very late.

5'11"

36"

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[Mike G]

Very late.

5'11"

36"

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That couldn't be more "average". The rule just keeps on being reinforced: half your height plus a tad.

 

[Woodbloke]

This is my one:



88cm to the bench top and I'm 6' in old money or 1.82m - Rob

 

[AJB Temple]

I've kept out of this because I am odd.

If I build a bench it will using the the Rob Cosmann system or similar for variable heights for different things. For carving and fiddly stuff I want to sit at a stool. For planing and power sanding I want the bench lower. I build all of our kitchen work-surfaces quite a bit higher than standard. 6ft 2" tall and quite tall wife.

 

[9fingers]

Basing it on total body height is too simplistic as leg length to upper body length ratio comes into it.
By all means evevolve a rule based around horizontal fore arm height with a correction factor on the size of work pieces on the bench.

Bob

 

[Mike G]

I wasn't trying to evolve a rule. It is just a curious thing which has emerged from the data (albeit only 16 or 18 data points).

I actually think your suggestion doesn't vary from the half-height-plus-a-tad thing much, because one's elbow height (as with our fingertip height when standing with arms dangling) is extremely predictable from one's height. There is precious little variation, and there have in fact been many studies on the subject.

 

[droogs]

No idea what my bench height is, I used to know, but I do remember that it was measured to be 2" lower than my wrist knuckle. This was to allow for the use of both metal and wooden planes. It needed to be slightly lower than the knuckle to allow for the extra height of the handles of wooden planes compared to metal ones in relation to the bench and preventing excessive strain on my shoulders when planing lots of mouldings and dimensioning boards. My boards a placed and held with about an inch of the edge sitting above the lip of the bench. It's not perfect but is a good compromise for using both types of plane bodies.

 

[RogerS]

Ah...but how many 'smidgeons' in a 'tad' ? Vendetta's have been started for less :eusa-whistle:

Great thread, Mike

 

[TrimTheKing]

Ah...but how many 'smidgeons' in a 'tad' ? Vendetta's have been started for less :eusa-whistle:

Great thread, Mike

I think this might help all of your measuring questions…

 

[spb]

James from Wood by Wright on YouTube did this a while back. He got 400-odd data points from his poll, and came to the same conclusion of half your height, give or take. Video is here or the raw data.

 

[MrH]

Mr Average! I'll take that [emoji1].

For someone getting started this rule that's mentioned seems very reasonable.

But like most rules, bending to suit your work is a fine idea.

I had an experienced hand tool woodworker watch my technique with planes. It was recommended to try a 2" duck board.

He observed that although I had probably adapted and was comfortable it was not optimal. Always good to keep an open mind!

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[Alf]

I had an experienced hand tool woodworker watch my technique with planes. It was recommended to try a 2" duck board.

And did it plane up well?

I'll get me coat.

 

[Mike G]

Ah...but how many 'smidgeons' in a 'tad' ? Vendetta's have been started for less :eusa-whistle:

Great thread, Mike

I think this might help all of your measuring questions…...

Invalid. No mention of Smoots, or gnat's.

 

[chataigner]

.......So: I'm 1m88 tall and my bench is at 110cm,.....

Are you sure? That's way off the top of the graph (you've now got the circle for the highest ratio):



Did you mean 1010, perhaps?

No, I did mean 110cm, (it's actually 108, measured a bit quickly) a bit below my elbow height - sorry for the delay in replying, been off line.

I realise this height seems odd, but it's right for me. My height comes from my VERY long legs, but with an upper body around average, so my upper arms do not extend down to where you would expect for a person of my height.

In my motor cycling days I had a modified (raised) frame for my bike to accommodate my long legs. This effectively thief proofed it. Anyone other than me could not reach the ground when seated. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[MrH]

[emoji23] Nicely done Alf!

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[chataigner]

I wasn't trying to evolve a rule. It is just a curious thing which has emerged from the data (albeit only 16 or 18 data points).

I actually think your suggestion doesn't vary from the half-height-plus-a-tad thing much, because one's elbow height (as with our fingertip height when standing with arms dangling) is extremely predictable from one's height. There is precious little variation, and there have in fact been many studies on the subject.

I'm one exception out of a sample of 18 . My elbow height is much higher than you would expect for someone of 1m88 (6'2")

 

[thetyreman]

I changed mine to 36" yesterday, much prefer it, I was finding that 38" was causing all kinds of tension and pains in my body but at the lower height there is less tension in my body and my arms especially are more relaxed both sawing and planing wood, it's done now I've cut the legs, no turning back, the actual height is more like 35 1/2" when you add on the rubber mat I stand on, for me it feels just right.

 

[Andy Kev.]

I changed mine to 36" yesterday, much prefer it, I was finding that 38" was causing all kinds of tension and pains in my body but at the lower height there is less tension in my body and my arms especially are more relaxed both sawing and planing wood, it's done now I've cut the legs, no turning back, the actual height is more like 35 1/2" when you add on the rubber mat I stand on, for me it feels just right.

That's encouraging me to find the courage and the time to take 1" off the legs of my bench.

 

[Cabinetman]

No courage needed, and not sure you would even notice 1”, so maybe start off with a 2” duckboard for a while?

 

[thetyreman]

I changed mine to 36" yesterday, much prefer it, I was finding that 38" was causing all kinds of tension and pains in my body but at the lower height there is less tension in my body and my arms especially are more relaxed both sawing and planing wood, it's done now I've cut the legs, no turning back, the actual height is more like 35 1/2" when you add on the rubber mat I stand on, for me it feels just right.

That's encouraging me to find the courage and the time to take 1" off the legs of my bench.

I was going to just take 1 inch off but am very happy with the current height, try standing on a 2 inch and 1 inch board and see what you think, I found today that sharpening is much easier too at 36" than 38" and I can a lot more pressure onto the blade.

 

[DaveMac]

Bit late but for what it's worth I've fairly recently swapped to a lower bench. I'm 176 cm on a good day, and built the first bench at a hair under 38 inches. It served me well for ten years but did sometimes feel a bit awkward sawing in the vice, lining up dovetails etc. The height was less of an issue for planing (though still a slight issue) than the fact that it was extremely short in length (4 footish), not flat enough, and not heavy enough, and the vice was a bit too small. It also ocassionally doubled up as an improvised lathe.



With a bit more space and more work planned on a larger scale I decided to try a new bench and finally build a vice for a wooden screw I'd had sitting around for years. The new bench, based on Richard Maguire's "English Workbench" plans, ended up being a hair under 3 ft tall (92cm) and about 6 3/4 ft long.



It's been a pleasure to use so far but it's hard to tease apart how much of that is due to the fairly negligible difference in height, although it helps a lot with planing on the bench top, along with a proper planing stop rather than trying to plane in a vice. The vice itself, despite freezing up a bit over winter, is great to use. The greater capacity, grippier grip plus the lower height make a huge difference when ripping stock down by hand and fettling joints. But it was a faff to install with making the garters, handle, boring large diameter holes and the rest of it. Good fun though.

 

[thetyreman]

I've recently put it up to 1 meter/ 39 1/2" inches high on jacks as an experiment and am finding I prefer it at first it seemed very high but I'm getting less body ache's, now I just have to make some blocks to put under the legs.

 

[Cabinetman]

Bit late but for what it's worth I've fairly recently swapped to a lower bench. I'm 176 cm on a good day, and built the first bench at a hair under 38 inches. It served me well for ten years but did sometimes feel a bit awkward sawing in the vice, lining up dovetails etc. The height was less of an issue for planing (though still a slight issue) than the fact that it was extremely short in length (4 footish), not flat enough, and not heavy enough, and the vice was a bit too small. It also ocassionally doubled up as an improvised lathe.

View attachment 1

With a bit more space and more work planned on a larger scale I decided to try a new bench and finally build a vice for a wooden screw I'd had sitting around for years. The new bench, based on Richard Maguire's "English Workbench" plans, ended up being a hair under 3 ft tall (92cm) and about 6 3/4 ft long.



It's been a pleasure to use so far but it's hard to tease apart how much of that is due to the fairly negligible difference in height, although it helps a lot with planing on the bench top, along with a proper planing stop rather than trying to plane in a vice. The vice itself, despite freezing up a bit over winter, is great to use. The greater capacity, grippier grip plus the lower height make a huge difference when ripping stock down by hand and fettling joints. But it was a faff to install with making the garters, handle, boring large diameter holes and the rest of it. Good fun though.

Only just seen this Dave, that’s a nice new bench you have there, I’m into benches at the moment as I need a new one soon, and I was wanting to ask you what you really thought about the wood screw over your old quick release cast-iron vice. Is there really more grip? Not that I think I would ever need more than I have now. Do you find it a bit tedious without the QR?
Ian

 

[Cabinetman]

I've recently put it up to 1 meter/ 40 inches high on jacks as an experiment and am finding I prefer it at first it seemed very high but I'm getting less body ache's, now I just have to make some blocks to put under the legs.

Hi Ben, re the blocks, the benches we had at college many many years ago were on blocks, and I would suggest some small spikes? Something to stop the bench moving/sliding and falling off them, it’s imperceptible but movement does occur over a period of time.
Ian

 

[thetyreman]

I've recently put it up to 1 meter/ 40 inches high on jacks as an experiment and am finding I prefer it at first it seemed very high but I'm getting less body ache's, now I just have to make some blocks to put under the legs.

Hi Ben, re the blocks, the benches we had at college many many years ago were on blocks, and I would suggest some small spikes? Something to stop the bench moving/sliding and falling off them, it’s imperceptible but movement does occur over a period of time.
Ian

thanks ian, I was planning on using a few hardwood dowels about 9.5mm size, four per leg into the blocks and glue it with epoxy, hopefully that should be good enough.

 

[DaveMac]

Only just seen this Dave, that’s a nice new bench you have there, I’m into benches at the moment as I need a new one soon, and I was wanting to ask you what you really thought about the wood screw over your old quick release cast-iron vice. Is there really more grip? Not that I think I would ever need more than I have now. Do you find it a bit tedious without the QR?

Hi Ian. Good questions. The issue is that I'm comparing to my old iron vice, which was undersized and I never got round to sueding up the jaws. In all honesty I can't imagine ever needing more grip than you can get with a decent sized iron vice with a decent jaw liner. But, the massive space between the screw and the guide on the wooden vice is great. It also has a big thread so not tedious without the QR until, and this killed me over winter, the screw swells and starts to seize up after a few weeks of cold and damp. If you've got a nice dry workshop though you'd be golden. And I'm hoping a lot of use over summer will wear the vice in more so the problem won't be as bad next winter. That said, I find myself using a vice less and less now anyway, and doing more on the bench top with holdfasts and the planing stop.

All of which is a very long-winded way of saying no, from a purely practical perspective I don't think there's really any advantage to a wooden screw over a good QR vice. Building the thing was good fun though, but would have been a pain in the arse to do if I hadn't already had a bench to work off. What kind of bench design are you leaning towards?

 

[Cabinetman]

Thanks for that Dave, I think it will end up having a cast iron one at least on one side.
I have been following an extremely long thread on an American site where they have all been building hugely massive Roubo benches with fancy leg vices, now I’m an inventive fellow and I know that I could make one much better that has a simple QR function, so even though I think I would prefer a cast iron type vice I’m tempted to do a big chop just to show how it’s possible.
Similarly my upbringing doesn’t allow me to waste all that timber when my brains can come up with a much more cost effective way of doing it. It will have two sides with a planing stick up the middle, it may even have a built in raised part like a moxon, and I’m playing with an idea of a raised tray instead of a tool well.
More than that I’m not saying at this point, sorry. You will see it on here one day.
Ian

 

[Mike G]

.....More than that I’m not saying at this point, sorry. You will see it on here one day.

Excellent. I look forward to that. And I'll be doing the same, too. A variation on an English joiner's bench, 950mm tall.

 

[Craig Salisbury]

This is the problem with disappearing....

I have a hybrid-ish concoction of a frame with a platform that supports folded up MFT next to a router table, im 5'10-11. I made it so that the finished height is 900mm (same as the unfolded MFT). Now though i plan to remove the MFT and replace it with a solid top to pound on which is going to spark another post for cheaper wood recomendations.

 

[9fingers]

which is going to spark another post for cheaper wood recommendations.

Oh dear it looks like you are still on this hand tool kick :lol:
New scaffold boards are one of the cheapest wood sources whilst still being fair quality.
Maybe cutting to your bench length, ripping in half, cleaning up and laminating into a 4" thick slab will do the job.

Bob

 

[Craig Salisbury]

haha i may or may not have ran out of power tools to buy without going into things i dont have room for. I have neglected buying hand tools though while i have been stocking power tools, hence im correcting that now and finding it quite enjoyable. i have no plans to become armish though.

Never thought of scaffold boards, and the bench top wont be that big, 780x1200. just something i can add a vice to and bang on.

 

[9fingers]

Scaff boards are 3.9m long so you will get 6 pieces out of each and 3/4 boards should get you what you need.

Bob

 

[Craig Salisbury]

Scaff boards are 3.9m long so you will get 6 pieces out of each and 3/4 boards should get you what you need.

Bob

just found them for £12 each not too far from me, so ill have to pop and pick some up!

cheers for the tip, certainly cheaper than buying a ton of Beech.

btw, what happened? it seems to have quietened down around here

 

[kirkpoore1]

I'm very late to the party on this--I plead "On Vacation last March".

Evidently I'm on the low side--70"/178 cm height with a bench of 33"/84 cm. I find this works really well for planing of any kind, as well as running my hand-held power tools (drill & belt sander). I'm also in the very long legged category. But since I sit on a stool to do carving, I don't find my bench to be too low.

Kirk

 

[9fingers]

btw, what happened? it seems to have quietened down around here

I find that a lot of forums go quiet for periods and not always explicable by holidays, coronations, phases of the moon etc.

It will return soon I'm sure.

Bob