Testing Bench Heights
2009.03.29
Deciding on a height for the workbench is a challenge, especially for a novice like myself. Obviously how tall you are is a major factor, but also the type of work you do and the types of tools you use. Ultimately no bench is going to be the optimum height for every task, so a compromise must be found that works for most of what you do.
In his plans for the Roubo bench, Chris Schwarz notes the height at 34 inches, which seemed to work well for him (he is over six feet tall, but has long arms). His advice for a starting point is to drop your arm against your side and measure from the floor up to where your pinky joins your hand.
Roy Underhill says in one of his books that your knuckles should graze the top of the workbench. My knuckles would be at about 26 inches, which seems way too low. One of his bench plans shows a 32-inch height, and elsewhere he has mentioned building them at 30 inches.
In Hand Tools Their Ways and Workings by Aldren Watson, he says the bench top should come to your wrist as you have your arm hanging by your side, with possibly an inch variance either way.
I started testing bench heights by setting up some of the ripped 2x4’s on sawhorses at different heights. I have a set of metal sawhorses that are adjustable. I used scraps of wood for more subtle changes.
I then went through some “play acting” exercises with a handplane (without the blade extended), brace and bit, and saw.
I started with approximately 34 inches, but it didn’t seem like I could really put a lot of force into hand planing, so I experimented with shorter heights. A height between 31 and 32 inches seemed about right at first, but after more testing I decided to go with 30 inches. It is amazing how significant a couple inches can be. Part of my reasoning was that because of the nature of the bench design, in particular the leg vise, it would be difficult to shorten the legs later. Putting blocks underneath to raise it up would be pretty simple.
Ripping Edges