▼ *IMPORTANT DETAILS ABOUT VIDEO:* ▼ -Plans for building a workbench► stumpynubs.com/product/2x6-roubo-workbench/ -Plans for building a low saw bench► stumpynubs.com/product/saw-bench/ -Plans for building a bench-top joinery station► stumpynubs.com/product/dovetail-workstation/ -HP-14 Scraper Plane: bridgecitytools.com/products/hp-14-scraper-plane ★THIS VIDEO WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY★ Sjobergs Workbenches: affinitytool.com/brands/sjobergs *My hand tool collection includes premium tools from Bridge City Tool Works:* bridgecitytools.com/ *Please help support us by using the link above for a quick look around!* (If you use one of these affiliate links, we may receive a small commission) *Some other useful links:* -Check out our project plans: stumpynubs.com/product-category/plans/ -Instagram: instagram.com/stumpynubs/ -Twitter: twitter.com/StumpyNubs ★SOME OF MY FAVORITE INEXPENSIVE TOOLS★ - #ISOtunes Hearing Protection (Save 10%): bit.ly/3BHYdH7 -123 Blocks: lddy.no/vpij -Mechanical Pencils: amzn.to/2PA7bwK -Lumber pencil: amzn.to/2QtwZjv -Pocket Measuring Tape: amzn.to/2kNTlI9 -Nut/Bolt/Screw Gauge: amzn.to/2CuvxSK -Self-Centering Bits: amzn.to/2xs71UW -Steel Ruler: lddy.no/10mv7 -Center-Finding Ruler: lddy.no/10nak -Bit & Blade Cleaner: amzn.to/2TfvEOI -Narex Chisels: lddy.no/sqm3 -Mini Pull Saw: amzn.to/2UEHBz6 -Shinwa Rulers: lddy.no/zl13 -BOW Featherboards: amzn.to/430ldhv
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StumpyNubs. Great video and love the explanation. Question for you not woodworking. It’s a kitchen counter top for my amazing wife who happens to be only 4 foot 7 inches tall. She always complains about every counter height and I have made her some work stations and she says she is happy with them but I still don’t think she’s truly satisfied. I would love some feedback as to the best way to set up a workstation for her as to the proper height. Where should I be measuring her from?? The fingers, the knuckles,, the wrist??? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I would love to surprise my wife for our 38th anniversary in April. She is so amazing and I love building things but would love to have it exactly correct height for her. By the way I’m 6 foot 2 inches tall so it’s only for Cathy and I would love to have it perfect. Thanks again for your help and inspiration and all your great videos. John and Cathy Niagara Falls Ontario Canada
At 5'4" and over 40 years of trials and error, I have found the perfect working surface height. As many commenters have expressed, they match their bench surface height to match the table saw or other power tool in-feed or out-feed height. I modify the power tool out-feed or in-feed height to match my work surface height. This has worked out fantastic for me. Thanks for sharing.
The joinery jig is a fantastic idea! Will incorporate that for my bench in the future. That said, I read an article years ago that discussed how to determine the height of the bench based upon your height and arm length (the latter is important). It may have been in Fine Woodworking, but it could have been another publication (not much internet back then lol). Anyhoo, I used that formula to build my bench. No problems with using a plane, nor chisels, but sawing IS an issue as I age. You've given me an answer for that! BTW, I used the same height for my base cabinets, a roll-around finishing table, and even my table saw. I'm fairly tall, so most of the retail benches are too short for me to work comfortably. My son-in-law will likely get the bench, but fortunately he is about the same height, so....
I have had this workbench for 15 yrs. Very pleased with its sturdiness. I just added retractable casters to move it around when necessary. Highly recommended!
Many say you want a lower workbench for hand planing as you can get more of your body into the work. However, when I use a low bench, it wrecks my back. A higher workbench allows me to keep working, while a lower bench causes my back to lock up after just a few minutes. Constantly leaning over to do a task puts excess strain on your back. Yes your arms will get sore from it being higher. But that just means you will get beefy arms, rather than having to sit down all the time from excruciating back pain.
It just depends if you need your body weight over it. Low is good when you are leaning on the top but terrible if you have to stoop/hover over it. One more option for you is an angled or adjustable workbench, giving you the advantage visibility wise and leaning it towards you saving your back if it is very sensitive. Only a few degrees saves you the most painful degrees leaning over. It depends what you do most to what you can get away with.
I have a bad back and my neck is wrecked as well, so I agree that a much taller work surface is preferable. My “shop” is a very large spare room that was added onto our home years ago, before we purchased it. Until I get to build the shop I really want, I make do and have a few work tables, of varying heights, that I move around as needed. I’m actually glad I have to do this, as it has helped me to figure out how I like things to be placed for workflow, as well as aiding in figuring out what’s most comfortable for me.
Everything wood related is for me just a hobby. My back is usually fine but if I lean forwards to work for a long period it gets stressed and I want to stop work. All those people without bad backs should think about their posture carefully because back pain is incremental usually following years of gentle abuse, any back pain experienced today probably had its source 10 years ago. I know that if I use a keyboard when standing hunched at a desk it is bad for me and although I am short it seems that kitchen worktop height is almost right for me because it keeps my elbow a few inches above the planing surface. I also prefer a narrow bench so that I do not need to lean or bend and stretch to lift a heavy plane or hammer at arms length and for that reason I do not favour tool wells or under bench tool shelves. A small side table to keep active tools off my workbench is handy and it can be moved around easily. I am always surprised when people want to add complex adjustable legs, the article demonstrated good sense by adding a jointing platform atop a bench, another simple technique especially for a concrete floor is to stand on a wood platform which has the added benefit of reducing aching feet.
Not a comment on this vlog. I just wanted to say thank you. Many of the woodworkers I follow on TH-cam have fallen off posting regular vlogs. It's great that you continue to provide valuable content. Yes I'll watch the vlog.
Ahhh the magical inspector Gadget bench !. No offense. I was actually pondering that as I watched the video. Very kuul idea. Glad you figured it out. Would be interested in the details of your setup Blessings abundant Sir Crawford out 🙏🏻🔥⚒️🧙🏻♂️
@@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740 i have replied to your query twice and even included a link to the product I used.... But apparently Stumpyboy here keeps taking it down.
An old timey book that belonged to my father gave a couple of recommendations. A workbench top should be level with the knuckles of a clenched fist by your side and the top of a vice should be level with the point of your elbow with your fist under your chin as if you were resting on it. The latter is very good if you're doing a lot of work with saws, files, rasps etc where you need your eyes on the job because you want precision. You can see and work without getting any back ache at all or at least that's my experience.
I am a sculptor. We have to make a lot of different things, some out of wood, but also plaster, rubber, plastics, metals etc. many of which weigh rather a lot. Workbenches in my studio tend to be 8 feet to 10 feet long and 3 to 5 feet wide, and have to take about 250 lbs per sq ft. Our primary work tables are Wrist height. Our larger, low table is fingertip height. But one thing we love is a table about 30” wide and 6 feet long that is adjustable from mid-thigh to above elbow height with the push of a button. And we rely on a few rolling scissor, or gas shock lift tables that can lift 1,000 lbs or so, one of them to about 60 inch’s high. Those are nice for matching to various tables or tool surface heights, and especially for shifting projects weighing hundreds of pounds from one table to another or into a truck.
Standing desk actuators have come a long way in making adjustable work surfaces. It's my intent when I move in the next year or two and set myself up a large shop to build a general purpose work bench and use a heavy duty standing desk setup (with wood reinforcement and guides to keep it stable under stress) so I can custom adjust my bench according to the specific job.
I’ve seen people integrate scissor jacks into their benches and adjust the height with a drill. No idea how this compares to a standing desk mechanism for stability, durability or maintenance . Any thoughts?
@@stickspt3639 Sounds entirely viable. Would probably require additional space for the mechanism underneath since the scissors would have to extend across the length and slide, so you'd potentially lose out on some storage space, but it would be easier to make with salvaged parts.
There are already heavy-duty lifting tables out there for shop work, not just standing desk type stuff. Mike Farrington has one, if you want to check out his channel. Obviously it will depend on budget, but there are other options out there!
Another great video. I had to move my bench up higher than normal for my 5'7" height because of my bad lower back. Pretty much any amount of bending over becomes uncomfortable fast for me. So 36" has worked well for me as a hobby wood worker.
I'm 5'9" and I went with 37", so very similar solution. I'm very happy with it, I do have another, lower bench that I favour for some operations, but for most of my work it means I'm at a comfortable height.
James....we never get tired of hearing you talk about workbenches. Also, we are still waiting on an honest review of that bridge city plane! I can't get mine set properly.
And it's not just Workbenches which are the wrong height. Kitchen Sinks are another source of pain for tall people, especially if you have to lean forward to be able to pick things up from the bottom of the sink. Wash hand basins are another, as are Lavatories. The problem is, that there is no such thing as a 'Standard Human Being', as we are all different heights. A friend and his wife are both 6 feet 3 inches tall, so he built the kitchen to their needs, including worktops and cupboards. Whenever I visit - 5 feet 8 inches - I keep banging my elbows on the edge of the sink, when washing dishes. You win some; you lose some. Great video. Thanks.
I apprenticed in cabinetmaking long ago, and at that time they recommended a bench height that was the same as the palms of your hands if you were to lay them flat on the bench. I had to raise my first bench 4" to be a comfortable height (the bench at the cabinet shop I was apprenticing at). When I am doing detail work, I have a stool to sit on - no back so I can slide on and off easy. In my own shop I always have several benches the same height, and when working on large projects I span the benches with the carcass, I also have sawhorses that same height for temporary benched. I lost a lot of that in my last move, and will be making new ones soon. Looking at what else is out there 👀
Thank you for the continued useful information. Also thank you for the previous reply regarding grinding, you've been a reliable fount of information that I look forward to.
I bought a couple wall mount folding work benches from uline. They are good for clamping on to, and with no legs there is a lot of storage for lawn tools. Plus they can fold down if i really need the space.
Very good video..I'm a stonecutter/carver by trade and do most of my work on a banker. I have multiple pieces of blocking and am always adjusting the height of the rock I'm working on as to be at the most comfortable position. I wish you could see how we fabricate finished cut Limestone. I guarantee you would be very interested to see the process. Many of the techniques and machines we still use are the same as 100 years ago.
I am 6'4" so my bench is 42" tall. My friend John is only about 5'4" He say he cant even use my bench ! But when I visit his shop it feels like his work bench feels like it is at my knees.
This is wonderful information as I’m currently building my first/dream bench - A traditional joinery workbench with table saw built into it, as well as a flip top miter station on the opposite end.. It may take me months to finish by myself, but I’m not cutting any corners! It will be the most complicated thing I’ve built to date. Appreciate the info as always 👍👍
I find the most convenient height for me is several work benches. One at the height of saw tables, one at the height of sitting and working and one at standing height
Bravo. Great video I studied benches for a couple years before committing to my Roubo design. I came to the conclusion that other than the height, all other key dimensions were first dictated by my vise selections, and then the space. I'm right handed so I went with a fixed leg vise on the left with a 15" end overhang, and sliding leg vise whose back board with the rollers doubles as a deadman, and a tail vise of my own design that fixes the sag problem. Then I realized that half of the main bench design which is out in the middle of the floor so I can walk around it, was also the back bench solution. It has T-tracks and a pair of the very first generation Zyliss hobby vises (wood handles and heavier castings) that mount on the T-tracks. I'm going to do one more that is a combination outfeed table for the cabinet saw with a roller rack that lifts off, and my "hardware store" cabinet below.
There is no ONE bench height for everything, and I don't like to compromise. That's why I built my most recent work bench based on a lifting table from BARTH that I found at the Nuremberg woodworking industry fair (next one is in March 2024; there were multiple makers of these lifting tables on display at last year's fair and theirs seemed the sturdiest). It's on individually lockable wheels, the lifting mechanism is mechanical, quick, and one-foot operated and it is super sturdy and heavy and allows me to work either in my workshop or outside in front of it when weather permits. Very happy with the set-up. Highly recommended.
Great tips James just getting ready to build a workbench and been trying to figure out how high I want it. Thanks for pointing out some things to think about
I really enjoy your videos. Thank you for your time. I do have a question, though. I read an article today about table saw blades. It was comparing the Harbor Freight blades to more expensive blades. It is the Hercules brand. Have you had any dealings with these blades?
I've always designed my work benches to fit my height by standing straight then holding my arms out at the waist level with a slight bend in the elbows. If I can comfortably rest my palms on the surface, I find that that is the best height for me. In the kitchen I installed my stock cabinets on a 3" platform to give them a 6" toe kick. I would give my customers the option of being comfortable in the kitchen or worrying about the resale value to vertically challenged buyers, only a few chose to be comfortable with most concerned with damaging the resale value. Hey, the customer is always right even when they are wrong. Great video thumbs up.
3 out of 4 of my workbenches are at the height of my table saw. That includes my miter saw station, my wack it as hard as you can workbench, and my router table. I have a lower bench that accommodates chair height work. I am old and need to sit down a lot. With the other 3 benches at table saw height, I can use them to feed or capture stuff I am cutting with my table saw. I am 6' 3", so for your shop you might want to cut a bit off of the legs of your table saw. Remember to unplug it first. LOL Glen :)
I've found my best compromise height to be that 'wrist bumping' height. On me (6'4"), that's nearly 40". I'd like it a bit lower for assembly stuff, but it's great for pretty much everything else. I put my table saw up on blocks so I could use my bench as an outfeed table. Great setup in my little shop.
Thanks Jim for this insightful video. We size many other things, why not our workbenches? As a maker of custom workbenches, I use the Bora adjustable saw horses & a sheet of 3/4” ply (simulating the work surface) to enable my customers to get a feel for the height that best suits them. It still amazes me how much more pleasant it is to work at the best height for you & the tasks that you most often do. You may get a few more views as I suggest that “unbelievers” watch it.
My ¢2: keep a look out for used/discarded stand up-desks. The legs and power supply + control panel are usually really easy to remove from the desk top (and might have a sturdy metal frame too). If they don't work properly, chances are it's just the control panel/key socket that's had a rough life and has become glitchy, easily bypassed. If the power supply doesn't work, it might also be easy to fix, but requires a little electronics know-how. If you're lucky you might be able to find multiple sets, with some combination of legs/supply/panel that work together. I have a few of these in the basemeny that are going to be transformed into a workbench sooner or later.
I started woodworking with either very small or quite big projects. Pot holder, tea bag dryer, spice shelf up to towel holder for 2m towels. So all the big stuff was assembled on the floor and for the small stuff I build an elbow height workbench from 7/8" OSB and 2x4 legs with braces. But recently I found myself doing more handplaning and intermediate size projects. And since I got hold of a small, but 4cm thick, piece of pressboard a neighbor wanted to throw away, I tried your advice with building it at knuckle height and put sturdier legs on. The high one is quite floppy and bendy despite the bracing. I can say with confidence that it changed my health for the better. I had very soar shoulders and arms from planing at elbow height. The pain wouldn't go away for a whole week sometimes. Now I could plane every second day without any issues. I also should really build a dedicated sawhorse. I don't use power tools except for an electric hand drill, so precise and comfortable sawing is a priority. Thank you for all the advice.
Awesome workbench could keep these Old Bones working, The car would keep my Chiropractor working on My Old Bones. Thanks for sharing all those suggestions James, would help out on a lot of situations. Fred.
I would recommend picking up the industrial design textbook “The measure of man and woman”. It’s a great statistical study of how big, tall, short, and small people are. Of course, it’s your workbench, so you can build it bespoke, but that’s not always possible or good for the furniture you build on it. The book takes ergonomics and the average size of people into account, which can be crucial when designing… anything really.
Thanks was thinking of lowering everything in my shop, as I'm only 5 feet tall. Recently sold off my contractor saw as i found it to high. Will be getting a good portable saw and making a base for a more comfortable height.
My workbenches are all exactly 105cm tall - taken from Dad's bench height. This was a nightmare for me as a kid, because I couldn't even see the top of the work surface, and so my Dad built a tiny work bench for me, and fitted it out with tiny tools, for my fifth birthday - when I also got a 2-wheel bike! It seems to me the higher your bench top, the more stuff you can store under it. :)
James, with as much money as companies put into making workbenches and other things, how come there are no power height adjustable workbenches out there made by reputable companies? It seems like this would be a no-brainer, especially with a lot of people these days being comfortable with using standing desks that convert to sitting desks for computer use.
Human factors for a lot of these things were worked out decades ago. When I follow those guidelines, things usually work pretty well. When I don't, there's usually trouble.
medical equipment sellers regularly renew their range, and old equipment is often thrown away. This could be an opportunity to get a hospital bed frame with adjustable height. In addition to a real wooden workbench, it can be used as a sanding, painting, assembly or whatever workbench that can be quickly adapted in height.
I have my work bench at waiste height w/ the locking casters so If I do need it lower I just lower the casters and it lowers the bench by 2 to 3 inches if I need a backup to my waist height I put it back up on the casters and lock them in place
Mobile Lift tables for commercial/industrial applications are widely available (ex: McMaster Carr) and support higher loading and movements than typical office standing desks. Motorcycle lifts could be another option.
Hey, I've just purchased a electric elevated table. Handles a couple hundred pounds and I can adjust it to whatever height I want. Put a solid core door top on it with a 1/2" top to take the abuse.
Hey Stumpy, given the recent athletic activity in Michigan you might have to get a block M or a Lions cup for a while. Just an observation, but there ain't nuttin' wrong with the winged wheel.
If you do all of these things, make a jig for your bench you plane on so you don't have to bend over to hand cut dovetails. Obviously build a saw bench if you hand cut your rough stock or do things without a jigsaw or bandsaw. But always remember, we always end up hand planing at some point and sanding is generally more comfortable at wrist level. Take this from a fool who is still using a Black & Decker folding bench in his shop and has been looking at a cheap Harbor Freight bench at $180.00. I'm going to assume I will have to put levelers on it and make it heavier but at the price point a bit of work is expected not to mention the proper levelers can raise the height.
I like to see a video topic on what kind of workbench top should a person use and how thick it should be. I see this question asked lots on FB woodworking groups and it gets lots of different answers.
I work with both hand tools and power tools so I was faced with the bench height quandary when I built my new bench a few years ago and after much research i found a company that makes a set of legs that are adjustable Noden Adjust-A-Bench they are made in the USA and are as solid as can be
I think you're right. Really All you need is 2 heights because functionally fingertip, knuckles and wrist heights are very similar. Pick whatever is most comfortable in that range then you only need a solution for something much higher or lower (elbow/knee heights).
Bench height is never a problem for me. When I built my bench, I used adjustable legs from Noden Adust-a-bench and think it was the best thing I ever did for my shop. Small family owned business that created these. Super stable, and easily adjustable. Table saw outfeed, sanding, joinery, and kids.....all heights easily accomodated.
It's so funny, this morning I was talking to my wife about building a new work bench to use at home and wanting to make it adjustable because some projects are not fun to do on the table I have at home now. At work I have the space for three tables ranging from 34,44 and, 48 inches. I built them out of iron because in my trade most my work deals with metal. At home it's not the story and the 32 inch high is basically a ugly heavy duty kitchen table but works, for the most part. I end up just working at that level because the stubbornness is strong in me not wanting to block it up to be comfortable. I pay for it the next day and craftsmanship sometimes shows.
As always very informative. I built my bench and of course used none of those options. I made it the same height as my jobsite table saw so they could be used together. One can act as an outfeed table for the other, or as support for long pieces on the miter saw. But to be honest, somewhere I was a 1/2" off on my final height, but lets just keep that between us.
StumpyNubs. Great video and love the explanation. Question for you not woodworking. It’s a kitchen counter top for my amazing wife who happens to be only 4 foot 7 inches tall. She always complains about every counter height and I have made her some work stations and she says she is happy with them but I still don’t think she’s truly satisfied. I would love some feedback as to the best way to set up a workstation for her as to the proper height. Where should I be measuring her from?? The fingers, the knuckles,, the wrist??? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I would love to surprise my wife for our 38th anniversary in April. She is so amazing and I love building things but would love to have it exactly correct height for her. By the way I’m 6 foot 2 inches tall so it’s only for Cathy and I would love to have it perfect. Thanks again for your help and inspiration and all your great videos. John and Cathy Niagara Falls Ontario Canada
because of back issues, and knee issues my workbench is a little bit unique because that’s it on a stool, as much of the time as I can. I don’t sit on a stool while using a circular saw, but just about everything else I do.
Mine has six inches of adjustment, without bending over. It has a flip out saw bench and a removable joinery jig, which is stored underneath. I built more jigs and tables, than I have actual projects, because I like to work efficiently and be comfortable.
im 187cm tall, and hated bending over my bench so i built mine 1.2m tall.. and i love it.. for those still stuck in the old school im almost 6 foot 2, and my bench is 4 foot tall, suits me best!
Most designs are for us short british men, and us woodworkers tend to be shorter still here. Our standard is 3ft and you have nearly a foot on many of us- you're just getting a normal bench for your height!
I built a work table out of an unusually heavy coffee table that broke. I think it's abnormally high but I really like it because most of what I do is pretty small.
The standard work on human body dimensions and furniture dimension: Human Dimension and Interior Space by Julius Panero, Martin Zelnik, gives a distance between elbow and worktop of 8.9 - 15.2 cm. The heavier the work load, the lower the bench.
Most of my work happens outside (benign climate zone). The ground slopes dramatically so my big level bench has a ground height difference of 125mm. It works well. You made some great points Stumpy, many thanks.
Through necessity, one of my benches was built on sloping ground. The top is level so I just move along the bench to the most appropriate height for the task in hand. Other than that, I have all my benches at the same height as my table saw (900mm) so they can used as infeed, outfeed or extensions in various combinations.
I built a bench 37" (94 cm) tall several years ago and have been happy with it's height. Just above my wrist and near the pivot point of my hips. That way I can lean over it without flexing my back too much but I don't have to squat down to work on most things. The benches I've used in various employers' shops have all been too low for me.
My biggest mistakes when building my bench was making it too heavy, too deep and wide and too tall. It's much easier to raise a workpiece on a bench than it is to lower it.
@@A6Legit That's great if you have the room to place it in the center of your shop. Not so great when you have limited space and have to place it against a wall especially if you want to use the wall for tool storage. Leaning across a three foot bench to reach your tools ain't no fun. Two feet would have been perfect in my case. BTW if you want weight use 4by4's for the legs and a solid core wood door for the top. Or save yourself some time and buy mine 😁
Totally agree. Everytime I moved, my bench got smaller and I've never missed the 4'x8' laminate behemoth. 18"x66" is a lot more manageable and more user friendly for odd work holding.
@@ianbelanger7459 When I moved I left it behind but the new owners insisted I get it out of there. Luckily I used screws to hold it together so moving it was less of a chore than it could be. Though honestly it's still in pieces so I'm very tempted to cut it down to a manageable size. I'd love to add some heavy duty dropping casters to make it easier to move.
I haven't measured it yet, but I plan to build my workbench about a ¼" lower than my table saw. I have found the table saw is a comfortable height for me. I have a Harvey ALPHA HW110LC-36P 10" 2HP Cabinet Table Saw. With it being a little lower, work can drop onto the bench as an outfeed table
Mine is not too low. It is same height as my darkroom trays so I can stand straight up and work. Bending over even 10 degrees over time will cause me back pain. IF MEMORY serves correctly, it is 36". Elbow height or a little less is fine for me. I can not use the normal height of kitchen work surfaces. I have to do cutting chores at the eating table sitting down. I suggest you set up some temporary tables and do some planning and assembly and see what works for you.
Genuinely asking: Wouldn't a height-adjustable bench be ideal for almost all situations? Some of them are quite strong and you can save preset heights for a few things you do a lot.
While this is off subject, have looked through your videos, I am searching for a video that demonstrates the very basics of using a fixed base router. Being a woodworking enthusiast , I hate to admit that I have never used a router (sort of intimidates me). So looking for extremely basic instructions on setting one up , have watched many of the videos about the feed of the material. also ( want to build a dedicated router station for my workshop will a fixed based router work for such an application? ty for any response.
It's not a easy solution but my answer to this was to build a workbench that is actually adjustable height by about 3" increments. I have a small shop, my table saw is just a contractor saw and this bench serves not just as a work top but the outfeed table for the saw so the default height that I have it at most of the time is the height of the saw top, that's about 2" above wrist height for me. My design for the adjustment is hardly perfect, I'll not go into too much detail unless someone asks but suffice to say it uses a bottle jack underneath and does take some work and a few minutes to change the height. For my this is quite acceptable, I find that for almost every task I do the default height is either good or close enough to tolerate if I'm not doing it for that long. The only time I really change it is when I'm going to be doing a task for hours that the default height is less than ideal for. Most of the time that is assembly which I then lower it all the way for so basically it spends probably more than 95% of my working time at either the default height or that assembly height.
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▼ *IMPORTANT DETAILS ABOUT VIDEO:* ▼
-Plans for building a workbench► stumpynubs.com/product/2x6-roubo-workbench/
-Plans for building a low saw bench► stumpynubs.com/product/saw-bench/
-Plans for building a bench-top joinery station► stumpynubs.com/product/dovetail-workstation/
-HP-14 Scraper Plane: bridgecitytools.com/products/hp-14-scraper-plane
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StumpyNubs.
Great video and love the explanation.
Question for you not woodworking. It’s a kitchen counter top for my amazing wife who happens to be only 4 foot 7 inches tall.
She always complains about every counter height and I have made her some work stations and she says she is happy with them but I still don’t think she’s truly satisfied.
I would love some feedback as to the best way to set up a workstation for her as to the proper height.
Where should I be measuring her from?? The fingers, the knuckles,, the wrist???
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I would love to surprise my wife for our 38th anniversary in April.
She is so amazing and I love building things but would love to have it exactly correct height for her.
By the way I’m 6 foot 2 inches tall so it’s only for Cathy and I would love to have it perfect.
Thanks again for your help and inspiration and all your great videos.
John and Cathy
Niagara Falls
Ontario Canada
We are also taller, too.
At 5'4" and over 40 years of trials and error, I have found the perfect working surface height. As many commenters have expressed, they match their bench surface height to match the table saw or other power tool in-feed or out-feed height. I modify the power tool out-feed or in-feed height to match my work surface height. This has worked out fantastic for me. Thanks for sharing.
The joinery jig is a fantastic idea! Will incorporate that for my bench in the future.
That said, I read an article years ago that discussed how to determine the height of the bench based upon your height and arm length (the latter is important). It may have been in Fine Woodworking, but it could have been another publication (not much internet back then lol). Anyhoo, I used that formula to build my bench. No problems with using a plane, nor chisels, but sawing IS an issue as I age. You've given me an answer for that!
BTW, I used the same height for my base cabinets, a roll-around finishing table, and even my table saw. I'm fairly tall, so most of the retail benches are too short for me to work comfortably. My son-in-law will likely get the bench, but fortunately he is about the same height, so....
I have had this workbench for 15 yrs. Very pleased with its sturdiness. I just added retractable casters to move it around when necessary. Highly recommended!
Many say you want a lower workbench for hand planing as you can get more of your body into the work. However, when I use a low bench, it wrecks my back. A higher workbench allows me to keep working, while a lower bench causes my back to lock up after just a few minutes. Constantly leaning over to do a task puts excess strain on your back. Yes your arms will get sore from it being higher. But that just means you will get beefy arms, rather than having to sit down all the time from excruciating back pain.
I have same problem, so I made my bench very tall. I’m 6’4”, with a very bad back, so it’s up to my naval.
It just depends if you need your body weight over it. Low is good when you are leaning on the top but terrible if you have to stoop/hover over it.
One more option for you is an angled or adjustable workbench, giving you the advantage visibility wise and leaning it towards you saving your back if it is very sensitive. Only a few degrees saves you the most painful degrees leaning over. It depends what you do most to what you can get away with.
I have a bad back and my neck is wrecked as well, so I agree that a much taller work surface is preferable. My “shop” is a very large spare room that was added onto our home years ago, before we purchased it. Until I get to build the shop I really want, I make do and have a few work tables, of varying heights, that I move around as needed. I’m actually glad I have to do this, as it has helped me to figure out how I like things to be placed for workflow, as well as aiding in figuring out what’s most comfortable for me.
@@mandowarrior123 interesting idea! Gears in my brain are turning…
Everything wood related is for me just a hobby. My back is usually fine but if I lean forwards to work for a long period it gets stressed and I want to stop work. All those people without bad backs should think about their posture carefully because back pain is incremental usually following years of gentle abuse, any back pain experienced today probably had its source 10 years ago. I know that if I use a keyboard when standing hunched at a desk it is bad for me and although I am short it seems that kitchen worktop height is almost right for me because it keeps my elbow a few inches above the planing surface. I also prefer a narrow bench so that I do not need to lean or bend and stretch to lift a heavy plane or hammer at arms length and for that reason I do not favour tool wells or under bench tool shelves. A small side table to keep active tools off my workbench is handy and it can be moved around easily. I am always surprised when people want to add complex adjustable legs, the article demonstrated good sense by adding a jointing platform atop a bench, another simple technique especially for a concrete floor is to stand on a wood platform which has the added benefit of reducing aching feet.
Not a comment on this vlog. I just wanted to say thank you. Many of the woodworkers I follow on TH-cam have fallen off posting regular vlogs. It's great that you continue to provide valuable content. Yes I'll watch the vlog.
My bench has electronically adjustable table legs, with 3 presets.
Ahhh the magical inspector Gadget bench !. No offense. I was actually pondering that as I watched the video. Very kuul idea. Glad you figured it out.
Would be interested in the details of your setup
Blessings abundant Sir
Crawford out 🙏🏻🔥⚒️🧙🏻♂️
@@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740 i have replied to your query twice and even included a link to the product I used.... But apparently Stumpyboy here keeps taking it down.
An old timey book that belonged to my father gave a couple of recommendations. A workbench top should be level with the knuckles of a clenched fist by your side and the top of a vice should be level with the point of your elbow with your fist under your chin as if you were resting on it. The latter is very good if you're doing a lot of work with saws, files, rasps etc where you need your eyes on the job because you want precision. You can see and work without getting any back ache at all or at least that's my experience.
Great video!
Our workbench fits hubby's height, so he bought me an adjustable bench, which is wonderful!
Thanks James for the good info as always.
I am a sculptor. We have to make a lot of different things, some out of wood, but also plaster, rubber, plastics, metals etc. many of which weigh rather a lot. Workbenches in my studio tend to be 8 feet to 10 feet long and 3 to 5 feet wide, and have to take about 250 lbs per sq ft. Our primary work tables are Wrist height. Our larger, low table is fingertip height. But one thing we love is a table about 30” wide and 6 feet long that is adjustable from mid-thigh to above elbow height with the push of a button. And we rely on a few rolling scissor, or gas shock lift tables that can lift 1,000 lbs or so, one of them to about 60 inch’s high. Those are nice for matching to various tables or tool surface heights, and especially for shifting projects weighing hundreds of pounds from one table to another or into a truck.
Thank you, perfect timing. I'm in the throws of designing the next bench. Thank you!
Thanks! You teach us to solve our own problems instead of just adopting your solutions.
Wise words, James. Thank you for sharing.
Watching that hand plane during the Sjoberg plug is so good.
Standing desk actuators have come a long way in making adjustable work surfaces. It's my intent when I move in the next year or two and set myself up a large shop to build a general purpose work bench and use a heavy duty standing desk setup (with wood reinforcement and guides to keep it stable under stress) so I can custom adjust my bench according to the specific job.
Yeah some have extremely strong stable mechanisms now. Best of both. Good luck. I'm in a wheelchair now i'd love an adjustable work bench.
I love that idea!
I’ve seen people integrate scissor jacks into their benches and adjust the height with a drill. No idea how this compares to a standing desk mechanism for stability, durability or maintenance . Any thoughts?
@@stickspt3639 Sounds entirely viable. Would probably require additional space for the mechanism underneath since the scissors would have to extend across the length and slide, so you'd potentially lose out on some storage space, but it would be easier to make with salvaged parts.
There are already heavy-duty lifting tables out there for shop work, not just standing desk type stuff. Mike Farrington has one, if you want to check out his channel. Obviously it will depend on budget, but there are other options out there!
Another great video.
I had to move my bench up higher than normal for my 5'7" height because of my bad lower back. Pretty much any amount of bending over becomes uncomfortable fast for me. So 36" has worked well for me as a hobby wood worker.
I'm 5'9" and I went with 37", so very similar solution. I'm very happy with it, I do have another, lower bench that I favour for some operations, but for most of my work it means I'm at a comfortable height.
@@ScottPankhurst Identical setup as mine.
Thanks for all the info and tips, James! 😊
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
James....we never get tired of hearing you talk about workbenches. Also, we are still waiting on an honest review of that bridge city plane! I can't get mine set properly.
Very good and very informative, not to mention insightful! Thanks for sharing!
Now I'm thinking if an adjustable height workbench would be a good idea
I learned this the hard way when I got a hand plane for Christmas. Looks like I need a new workbench now!
And it's not just Workbenches which are the wrong height. Kitchen Sinks are another source of pain for tall people, especially if you have to lean forward to be able to pick things up from the bottom of the sink. Wash hand basins are another, as are Lavatories. The problem is, that there is no such thing as a 'Standard Human Being', as we are all different heights. A friend and his wife are both 6 feet 3 inches tall, so he built the kitchen to their needs, including worktops and cupboards. Whenever I visit - 5 feet 8 inches - I keep banging my elbows on the edge of the sink, when washing dishes. You win some; you lose some. Great video. Thanks.
I'm 6'3" and I've never once in my life found a kitchen sink to be inconvenient due to low height. Cupboards, either, for that matter.
As always, thank you for a well thought out and very helpful video.
I apprenticed in cabinetmaking long ago, and at that time they recommended a bench height that was the same as the palms of your hands if you were to lay them flat on the bench. I had to raise my first bench 4" to be a comfortable height (the bench at the cabinet shop I was apprenticing at). When I am doing detail work, I have a stool to sit on - no back so I can slide on and off easy. In my own shop I always have several benches the same height, and when working on large projects I span the benches with the carcass, I also have sawhorses that same height for temporary benched. I lost a lot of that in my last move, and will be making new ones soon. Looking at what else is out there 👀
Thank you for the continued useful information. Also thank you for the previous reply regarding grinding, you've been a reliable fount of information that I look forward to.
My first workbench was a 4x8 sheet of plywood on 4x4 legs. It was so big I ended up putting all my tools on it and never did use it as a workbench.
I bought a couple wall mount folding work benches from uline. They are good for clamping on to, and with no legs there is a lot of storage for lawn tools. Plus they can fold down if i really need the space.
Very good video..I'm a stonecutter/carver by trade and do most of my work on a banker. I have multiple pieces of blocking and am always adjusting the height of the rock I'm working on as to be at the most comfortable position. I wish you could see how we fabricate finished cut Limestone. I guarantee you would be very interested to see the process. Many of the techniques and machines we still use are the same as 100 years ago.
I’d love to see this too! Why don’t you pull the old phone out your pocket and make a video one day?
I am 6'4" so my bench is 42" tall. My friend John is only about 5'4" He say he cant even use my bench ! But when I visit his shop it feels like his work bench feels like it is at my knees.
This is wonderful information as I’m currently building my first/dream bench - A traditional joinery workbench with table saw built into it, as well as a flip top miter station on the opposite end..
It may take me months to finish by myself, but I’m not cutting any corners! It will be the most complicated thing I’ve built to date. Appreciate the info as always 👍👍
I have it easy. I just use the floor because my knuckles naturally drag on it.
I find the most convenient height for me is several work benches. One at the height of saw tables, one at the height of sitting and working and one at standing height
Bravo. Great video I studied benches for a couple years before committing to my Roubo design. I came to the conclusion that other than the height, all other key dimensions were first dictated by my vise selections, and then the space. I'm right handed so I went with a fixed leg vise on the left with a 15" end overhang, and sliding leg vise whose back board with the rollers doubles as a deadman, and a tail vise of my own design that fixes the sag problem. Then I realized that half of the main bench design which is out in the middle of the floor so I can walk around it, was also the back bench solution. It has T-tracks and a pair of the very first generation Zyliss hobby vises (wood handles and heavier castings) that mount on the T-tracks. I'm going to do one more that is a combination outfeed table for the cabinet saw with a roller rack that lifts off, and my "hardware store" cabinet below.
There is no ONE bench height for everything, and I don't like to compromise. That's why I built my most recent work bench based on a lifting table from BARTH that I found at the Nuremberg woodworking industry fair (next one is in March 2024; there were multiple makers of these lifting tables on display at last year's fair and theirs seemed the sturdiest). It's on individually lockable wheels, the lifting mechanism is mechanical, quick, and one-foot operated and it is super sturdy and heavy and allows me to work either in my workshop or outside in front of it when weather permits. Very happy with the set-up. Highly recommended.
I adore your video, so informative! Wow, your knowledge is impressive :)
Great tips James just getting ready to build a workbench and been trying to figure out how high I want it. Thanks for pointing out some things to think about
I really enjoy your videos. Thank you for your time. I do have a question, though. I read an article today about table saw blades. It was comparing the Harbor Freight blades to more expensive blades. It is the Hercules brand. Have you had any dealings with these blades?
I've always designed my work benches to fit my height by standing straight then holding my arms out at the waist level with a slight bend in the elbows. If I can comfortably rest my palms on the surface, I find that that is the best height for me. In the kitchen I installed my stock cabinets on a 3" platform to give them a 6" toe kick. I would give my customers the option of being comfortable in the kitchen or worrying about the resale value to vertically challenged buyers, only a few chose to be comfortable with most concerned with damaging the resale value. Hey, the customer is always right even when they are wrong. Great video thumbs up.
3 out of 4 of my workbenches are at the height of my table saw. That includes my miter saw station, my wack it as hard as you can workbench, and my router table. I have a lower bench that accommodates chair height work.
I am old and need to sit down a lot. With the other 3 benches at table saw height, I can use them to feed or capture stuff I am cutting with my table saw. I am 6' 3", so for your shop you might want to cut a bit off of the legs of your table saw. Remember to unplug it first. LOL Glen :)
i love that jig. i need one.
I've found my best compromise height to be that 'wrist bumping' height. On me (6'4"), that's nearly 40". I'd like it a bit lower for assembly stuff, but it's great for pretty much everything else. I put my table saw up on blocks so I could use my bench as an outfeed table. Great setup in my little shop.
I have been wondering about this. You made my day.
Thanks Jim for this insightful video. We size many other things, why not our workbenches? As a maker of custom workbenches, I use the Bora adjustable saw horses & a sheet of 3/4” ply (simulating the work surface) to enable my customers to get a feel for the height that best suits them. It still amazes me how much more pleasant it is to work at the best height for you & the tasks that you most often do. You may get a few more views as I suggest that “unbelievers” watch it.
In German, a woodworking workbench is literally called "planing bench" (Hobelbank)
My ¢2: keep a look out for used/discarded stand up-desks. The legs and power supply + control panel are usually really easy to remove from the desk top (and might have a sturdy metal frame too).
If they don't work properly, chances are it's just the control panel/key socket that's had a rough life and has become glitchy, easily bypassed.
If the power supply doesn't work, it might also be easy to fix, but requires a little electronics know-how.
If you're lucky you might be able to find multiple sets, with some combination of legs/supply/panel that work together.
I have a few of these in the basemeny that are going to be transformed into a workbench sooner or later.
I started woodworking with either very small or quite big projects. Pot holder, tea bag dryer, spice shelf up to towel holder for 2m towels. So all the big stuff was assembled on the floor and for the small stuff I build an elbow height workbench from 7/8" OSB and 2x4 legs with braces. But recently I found myself doing more handplaning and intermediate size projects. And since I got hold of a small, but 4cm thick, piece of pressboard a neighbor wanted to throw away, I tried your advice with building it at knuckle height and put sturdier legs on. The high one is quite floppy and bendy despite the bracing. I can say with confidence that it changed my health for the better. I had very soar shoulders and arms from planing at elbow height. The pain wouldn't go away for a whole week sometimes. Now I could plane every second day without any issues. I also should really build a dedicated sawhorse. I don't use power tools except for an electric hand drill, so precise and comfortable sawing is a priority.
Thank you for all the advice.
Awesome workbench could keep these Old Bones working, The car would keep my Chiropractor working on My Old Bones. Thanks for sharing all those suggestions James, would help out on a lot of situations. Fred.
Get electronic standing desk for the top! They can adjust height and have presets
I would recommend picking up the industrial design textbook “The measure of man and woman”. It’s a great statistical study of how big, tall, short, and small people are. Of course, it’s your workbench, so you can build it bespoke, but that’s not always possible or good for the furniture you build on it. The book takes ergonomics and the average size of people into account, which can be crucial when designing… anything really.
Thanks was thinking of lowering everything in my shop, as I'm only 5 feet tall. Recently sold off my contractor saw as i found it to high. Will be getting a good portable saw and making a base for a more comfortable height.
My workbenches are all exactly 105cm tall - taken from Dad's bench height. This was a nightmare for me as a kid, because I couldn't even see the top of the work surface, and so my Dad built a tiny work bench for me, and fitted it out with tiny tools, for my fifth birthday - when I also got a 2-wheel bike!
It seems to me the higher your bench top, the more stuff you can store under it. :)
James, with as much money as companies put into making workbenches and other things, how come there are no power height adjustable workbenches out there made by reputable companies? It seems like this would be a no-brainer, especially with a lot of people these days being comfortable with using standing desks that convert to sitting desks for computer use.
My work bench doubles as my table saw outfeed table since I have very limited space. So far it's worked out pretty good.
The bench I built for myself was mainly for joinery. I went with elbow height, and haven't regretted it.
Human factors for a lot of these things were worked out decades ago. When I follow those guidelines, things usually work pretty well. When I don't, there's usually trouble.
medical equipment sellers regularly renew their range, and old equipment is often thrown away. This could be an opportunity to get a hospital bed frame with adjustable height. In addition to a real wooden workbench, it can be used as a sanding, painting, assembly or whatever workbench that can be quickly adapted in height.
I have my work bench at waiste height w/ the locking casters so If I do need it lower I just lower the casters and it lowers the bench by 2 to 3 inches if I need a backup to my waist height I put it back up on the casters and lock them in place
Great video as always. Thanks!
Mobile Lift tables for commercial/industrial applications are widely available (ex: McMaster Carr) and support higher loading and movements than typical office standing desks. Motorcycle lifts could be another option.
Hey, I've just purchased a electric elevated table. Handles a couple hundred pounds and I can adjust it to whatever height I want. Put a solid core door top on it with a 1/2" top to take the abuse.
Hey Stumpy, given the recent athletic activity in Michigan you might have to get a block M or a Lions cup for a while. Just an observation, but there ain't nuttin' wrong with the winged wheel.
I went the other route. I built a bench low for sawing. When I have to use my planes, I kneel next to it. Assembly work? Time to sit on the floor!😁
If you do all of these things, make a jig for your bench you plane on so you don't have to bend over to hand cut dovetails. Obviously build a saw bench if you hand cut your rough stock or do things without a jigsaw or bandsaw. But always remember, we always end up hand planing at some point and sanding is generally more comfortable at wrist level. Take this from a fool who is still using a Black & Decker folding bench in his shop and has been looking at a cheap Harbor Freight bench at $180.00. I'm going to assume I will have to put levelers on it and make it heavier but at the price point a bit of work is expected not to mention the proper levelers can raise the height.
I like to see a video topic on what kind of workbench top should a person use and how thick it should be. I see this question asked lots on FB woodworking groups and it gets lots of different answers.
Another really good presentation! No one height can be perfect for all people and/or all jobs.
Tks man, aprecio tus planos
I work with both hand tools and power tools so I was faced with the bench height quandary when I built my new bench a few years ago and after much research i found a company that makes a set of legs that are adjustable Noden Adjust-A-Bench they are made in the USA and are as solid as can be
I think you're right. Really All you need is 2 heights because functionally fingertip, knuckles and wrist heights are very similar. Pick whatever is most comfortable in that range then you only need a solution for something much higher or lower (elbow/knee heights).
Bench height is never a problem for me. When I built my bench, I used adjustable legs from Noden Adust-a-bench and think it was the best thing I ever did for my shop. Small family owned business that created these. Super stable, and easily adjustable. Table saw outfeed, sanding, joinery, and kids.....all heights easily accomodated.
It's so funny, this morning I was talking to my wife about building a new work bench to use at home and wanting to make it adjustable because some projects are not fun to do on the table I have at home now. At work I have the space for three tables ranging from 34,44 and, 48 inches. I built them out of iron because in my trade most my work deals with metal. At home it's not the story and the 32 inch high is basically a ugly heavy duty kitchen table but works, for the most part. I end up just working at that level because the stubbornness is strong in me not wanting to block it up to be comfortable. I pay for it the next day and craftsmanship sometimes shows.
My workbench is hand crank adjustable height, and I change it often to suit the project I am working on.
As always very informative. I built my bench and of course used none of those options. I made it the same height as my jobsite table saw so they could be used together. One can act as an outfeed table for the other, or as support for long pieces on the miter saw. But to be honest, somewhere I was a 1/2" off on my final height, but lets just keep that between us.
You did a great work 😍😍
StumpyNubs.
Great video and love the explanation.
Question for you not woodworking. It’s a kitchen counter top for my amazing wife who happens to be only 4 foot 7 inches tall.
She always complains about every counter height and I have made her some work stations and she says she is happy with them but I still don’t think she’s truly satisfied.
I would love some feedback as to the best way to set up a workstation for her as to the proper height.
Where should I be measuring her from?? The fingers, the knuckles,, the wrist???
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I would love to surprise my wife for our 38th anniversary in April.
She is so amazing and I love building things but would love to have it exactly correct height for her.
By the way I’m 6 foot 2 inches tall so it’s only for Cathy and I would love to have it perfect.
Thanks again for your help and inspiration and all your great videos.
John and Cathy
Niagara Falls
Ontario Canada
because of back issues, and knee issues my workbench is a little bit unique because that’s it on a stool, as much of the time as I can. I don’t sit on a stool while using a circular saw, but just about everything else I do.
Mine has six inches of adjustment, without bending over. It has a flip out saw bench and a removable joinery jig, which is stored underneath. I built more jigs and tables, than I have actual projects, because I like to work efficiently and be comfortable.
im 187cm tall, and hated bending over my bench so i built mine 1.2m tall.. and i love it.. for those still stuck in the old school im almost 6 foot 2, and my bench is 4 foot tall, suits me best!
Most designs are for us short british men, and us woodworkers tend to be shorter still here. Our standard is 3ft and you have nearly a foot on many of us- you're just getting a normal bench for your height!
I built a work table out of an unusually heavy coffee table that broke. I think it's abnormally high but I really like it because most of what I do is pretty small.
Awesome workbench video, great suggestions to add additional specific workbenchs. Everyone stay safe, warm, happy and healthy. From Henrico County y
The standard work on human body dimensions and furniture dimension: Human Dimension and Interior Space by Julius Panero, Martin Zelnik, gives a distance between elbow and worktop of 8.9 - 15.2 cm. The heavier the work load, the lower the bench.
Now I need a bigger shop and eight more benches.
Most of my work happens outside (benign climate zone). The ground slopes dramatically so my big level bench has a ground height difference of 125mm. It works well. You made some great points Stumpy, many thanks.
Twelve and a quarter cm? You must be pretty short! Just kidding, Ross. You must have meant 1250mm or 125cm.
@@incognitotorpedo42 nah, that’s right, 125 mm. I’ve got two sides on the bench with a 125mm difference between the two.
Through necessity, one of my benches was built on sloping ground. The top is level so I just move along the bench to the most appropriate height for the task in hand.
Other than that, I have all my benches at the same height as my table saw (900mm) so they can used as infeed, outfeed or extensions in various combinations.
I built a bench 37" (94 cm) tall several years ago and have been happy with it's height. Just above my wrist and near the pivot point of my hips. That way I can lean over it without flexing my back too much but I don't have to squat down to work on most things. The benches I've used in various employers' shops have all been too low for me.
My biggest mistakes when building my bench was making it too heavy, too deep and wide and too tall. It's much easier to raise a workpiece on a bench than it is to lower it.
A bench can be too heavy? As a hand tool woodworker I can’t make my bench heavy enough. My guess is that my 6ft bench is at least 250lb.
I should have made mine 3x6ft minimum. I want 4x8.
@@A6Legit That's great if you have the room to place it in the center of your shop.
Not so great when you have limited space and have to place it against a wall especially if you want to use the wall for tool storage. Leaning across a three foot bench to reach your tools ain't no fun. Two feet would have been perfect in my case. BTW if you want weight use 4by4's for the legs and a solid core wood door for the top. Or save yourself some time and buy mine 😁
Totally agree. Everytime I moved, my bench got smaller and I've never missed the 4'x8' laminate behemoth. 18"x66" is a lot more manageable and more user friendly for odd work holding.
@@ianbelanger7459 When I moved I left it behind but the new owners insisted I get it out of there. Luckily I used screws to hold it together so moving it was less of a chore than it could be. Though honestly it's still in pieces so I'm very tempted to cut it down to a manageable size. I'd love to add some heavy duty dropping casters to make it easier to move.
THANKS FOR THE VIDEO
I haven't measured it yet, but I plan to build my workbench about a ¼" lower than my table saw. I have found the table saw is a comfortable height for me. I have a Harvey ALPHA HW110LC-36P 10" 2HP Cabinet Table Saw. With it being a little lower, work can drop onto the bench as an outfeed table
The knuckle level is also the preferred height for an anvil.
good advice, thanks !
With a little bit of imagination and ingenuity the Husky workbench ticks all boxes.
Mine is not too low. It is same height as my darkroom trays so I can stand straight up and work. Bending over even 10 degrees over time will cause me back pain. IF MEMORY serves correctly, it is 36". Elbow height or a little less is fine for me. I can not use the normal height of kitchen work surfaces. I have to do cutting chores at the eating table sitting down. I suggest you set up some temporary tables and do some planning and assembly and see what works for you.
Genuinely asking: Wouldn't a height-adjustable bench be ideal for almost all situations? Some of them are quite strong and you can save preset heights for a few things you do a lot.
If putting your legs into it as you work is important, seems it'd be a good idea to put the bench top as high as your bed.
I’ve got two benches. One 24 inches the other 46. Usually use the lower but the taller has its place
Stumpy how about designing an adjustable bench? One that needs no additional jigs that can be raised or lowered to whatever one is doing
While this is off subject, have looked through your videos, I am searching for a video that demonstrates the very basics of using a fixed base router. Being a woodworking enthusiast , I hate to admit that I have never used a router (sort of intimidates me). So looking for extremely basic instructions on setting one up , have watched many of the videos about the feed of the material.
also ( want to build a dedicated router station for my workshop will a fixed based router work for such an application?
ty for any response.
It's not a easy solution but my answer to this was to build a workbench that is actually adjustable height by about 3" increments. I have a small shop, my table saw is just a contractor saw and this bench serves not just as a work top but the outfeed table for the saw so the default height that I have it at most of the time is the height of the saw top, that's about 2" above wrist height for me. My design for the adjustment is hardly perfect, I'll not go into too much detail unless someone asks but suffice to say it uses a bottle jack underneath and does take some work and a few minutes to change the height. For my this is quite acceptable, I find that for almost every task I do the default height is either good or close enough to tolerate if I'm not doing it for that long. The only time I really change it is when I'm going to be doing a task for hours that the default height is less than ideal for. Most of the time that is assembly which I then lower it all the way for so basically it spends probably more than 95% of my working time at either the default height or that assembly height.
I adjust the height of my bench by adding or removing blocking. The base height is about 35".
what do you think about variable height benches?