table height

[leonard]

I'm going to build a work table in which I will sit in front on a stool . At what height should I build it to be comfortable . Len

[Morris Dovey]

Sit on the stool with a yardstick in your hand. Pretend you're doing whatever it is you're going to be doing at the table. When you've figured out a comfortable working height. Measure how high that would be using the yardstick with the smallest numbers toward the floor.

If you can't figure out what it takes for you to be comfortable, how can anyone else?

[DexAZ]

Would depend mostly on what is comfortable for _you_. What sort of tasks will you be doing at this work table? Wife's BIL does leather tooling, like on belts, holsters, tack & such. He has a great desk/work bench that he found at a yard sale. It was designed just for that kind of work and, by chance, is just the right height for him. But I would be real sore after a while if I had to use it for soldering electronic projects. We are different sizes, doing different jobs. He has back problems...big time & I do not....as yet!

My bench in the shop is good for me and the work I need it for. SWMBO finds it too high for her to use when doing her crafts etc. (Gee, isn't that too bad?) Some day I'll have to make something for her craftwork.

Someone on the rec. must have some sort of ergonomic design tables which may be of help getting you into the ballpark. Shopsmith had some ergonomic ideas in their "Hands On" mags maybe 10 yrs back or so.

You might nail together some 2x4 legs and a 3/4" ply work surface. make the legs much shorter than you need and set them on some blocks or cribbing to try it at various heights. Should be easy to built something with adjustable legs.

Post some pix so we can see what you come up with.

DexAZ

[Pounds on Wood]

Obviously that depends on the stool, what you will be doing, how tall/short you are, etc. However, in general usage, tables are 30" high, counters are

36" high.

--

[Robert Bonomi]

"Higher than the seat of the stool", is a safe answer.

Beyond that, it depends greatly on what you're doing. a jeweler's or watchmaker's bench will be higher than, say, a blacksmiths.

*AND* what 'feels right' _to_you_.

Work surface about 12" above the seating is commonly used.

[Nova]

Somewhere around sea level? ;-)

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

[Larry C in Auburn, WA]

Depends on type of work and your height. When I built my bench I found several sites that can explain this for you and walk you through the steps to find the right height. I deleted the links when I finished my bench, but search and you should find something useful.