I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of work.
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If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner, would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not always use the right bit. ;-)
I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.
This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw. For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I work on different things and make differenct cuts.
Ask her what height she wants. She likely just needs something to open paint cans and or simple tasks like that. Different difficult tasks require different heights. I prefer taller for assembly, shorter for hand work.
That's nice to know, but it doesn't address the "proper height of a workbench" question nor does it even remotely apply to the situation I asked about.
It really depends on what you're using the bench _for_. The wrist rule likely derives from the ideal height for planing lumber. I have both a traditional height woodworking bench with face and tail vise, and two taller (40")[*] benches for general assembly, electronics, tool boxes and a disk sander.
For non-woodworking tasks, I'd recommend higher, closer to the eyes for detail work without bending over.
[*] for someone 195 cm, adjust as appropriate for end-user.
Asking her what height she wants would be like asking a new driver what size engine they want. ;-)
Never having had a workbench before and never having done much DIY (previously lived in rental properties) she's not really going to know what height her workbench should be. A year from now, maybe, but not yet.
But how short? Is your hand work station at wrist level?
And yes, it's for opening paint cans, maybe staining a shelf kit, polishing the antique brass & glass door knobs we just picked up at an architectural salvage place, etc.
Sounds like "general work" which leads to the "wrist height" standard.
My shop workbench is about 4" higher than my wrist but I also have a large work area/defacto assembly table in the main part of the basement that is at my wrist height, but not because of any plan. That just happens to be the height of a 2 x 4 stiffened sheet of 3/4 plywood on saw horses. ;-)
I stood at both of them today, trying to decide if I would rather work at the wrist height table vs. the taller workbench, but after 35 years of using the workbench, it's a tough call. I'll have to play around a bit more.
BTW with my daughter's wrists at 27", that would be a very short work bench for anyone else. I'm 5'4", her boyfriend is at least 5'9". Maybe I'll build it at 30" and see if she likes it. This one is just going to be a basic 2 x 4 bench so she (and I) will have something to use. It can be made shorter quite easily. I plan to build her a nicer one, but she (we) need something now.
I would talk to the person and find out if she had any preferences and any other considerations or pet peeves. Also when you say "general purpose" that can cover a lot of territory. What does she actually envision herself doing with it?
If you need a starting point ask her about the heights of the kitchen counters and the dining room table. Are they "just right" or "a little high" or "a little low" or is it "whatever <beeping> MORON designed this <beeping> kitchen needs to be horsewhipped"?
It seems like a personal preference and task-related thing - rather than a rule-of-thumb. Sitting or standing at the bench is another variable .. some people are not comfortable sitting on a tall stool. John T.
Check out this adjustable height headboard, noting the T nuts 2" apart. Make each work bench leg using two boards connected by T nuts and bolts. Three 3/8" nut/blots per leg should be plenty strong for any work bench. .... Or some similar build.
I can pretty much tell you that she doesn't have a vision. She didn't even know that she needed a workbench until I asked her where she wanted me to put it.
It's my 30-ish YO daughter. She just bought her first house. She had mentioned getting some shelving units so she could get her stuff off the basement floor. I said "Just make sure you leave room for a workbench. You currently have no place to open a can a paint or stain a shelf or anything like that." She's more of a bookworm than a DIY'er so the idea of workbench just wasn't something she has even considered.
On the other hand, there's a lot of work to do at the house and *I* need a place to work when I'm there. It's 2.5 hours away, so it's going to be a weekend here and there.
I've decided to throw together a basic 2 x 4 workbench to get her started. She's 5' -1". I'm going with about 31". Easy enough to make it taller or shorter once she's had a chance to use it. I just finished cutting all the pieces, creating sort of a kit. Eventually, if it makes sense, I'll built her a nicer one, with drawers, etc. She'll have to prove that she deserves it by beating this one up. ;-)
I'll toss it together Friday night so it'll be available for my weekend projects:
- Install the drawers I made for her kitchen base cabinets.
- Install a garbage disposal
- Replace some beat-up receptacles with new ones.
- Whatever else she has on her list, if I have time.
I do not know. I would not know even if I were considering building another bench. The Paulk work bench wooed be too high, for me, for hand work. But it is great at everything else.
Then go TS height. A good compromise.
I don't think wrist height will even come into play unless she will be using a hand plane and or chisels. Staining will be all different heights so no height will be correct or incorrect.
So 30" is dinner table height. Test there. 36" is kitchen counter height, and test there.
Installing drawers in kitchen cabinets is done at the drawer height of the kitchen cabinets. About 30" high. Garbage disposals are installed laying on your back underneath the sink cabinet with your hands reaching up to the underside of the sink. About 20" high. Electrical receptacles are about 12" high in the wall. You always install those in the wall. Generally you are down on one knee working. Some outlets are up at counter height. About 40" high above the countertop. To be honest, all you are talking about are tables in the basement. Just buy some heavy duty folding tables and set them up.
Woodworking benches are different than tables. Tables are what you are needing. Woodworking benches have vises and are made to assemble and work on wood. Power or hand tools. Vises on the bench to hold wood. I have a tall woodworking bench. Its great for most things. But is really too high for hand planing. It has vises at both ends.
The idea of asking about the dining table height and the kitchen counter height being correct is good.
However, that daughter has now progressed to diagnosing and replacing a bad pump in the dishwasher and retubing the fluorescent fixture in the kitchen with LED "bulbs". I did install the gas logs in the fireplace in place of the gas lighter but that's an advanced project for a lot of DIY people.
Installing slides is done on a workbench. It's nice to have a solid, dedicated spot to work. Maybe like a workbench.
Attaching the cord for the garbage disposal can be done on a workbench. Cutting pipes for the drains can be done on a workbench. It's nice to have a solid, dedicated spot to work. Maybe like a workbench.
Really? *Always*? Ever heard of surface mount wiring? Boxes and tracks that need to be cut? See: "workbench".
Some receptacles (this one) are under sinks. Some of them (this one) are surface mounted and will need to be tapped into for a switch.
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No, I'm not talking about tables in the basement, you are.
I'm talking about a workbench. A workbench that will have a vise. A workbench that will have a sturdy work surface and a lower shelf for storage. A workbench that can be hammered on, sawn on, soldered on, drilled on. A workbench with a peg board back for hand tools, rolls of tape, etc. A workbench that will have a power strip for power tools and other items that need electricity.
You know, a bench upon which work will be done.
No shit.
Already addressed.
Why are you telling me this? Show me where I used the words "woodworking bench".
That's kind of the point of all this. If I (we) build a workbench, she'll have a spot ready made when the urge hits her to build or fix something.
If she has to work in the kitchen or dining room or on a rickety table in the basement, constantly pulling tools out of the tool bag she has now, it won't be as much fun and may not even get done. However, if she has a sturdy, dedicated spot for her tools, both hand and power; a spot that doesn't have to be cleaned up immediately; a spot where she doesn't have to have to worry about damaging the *spot*, she may someday become a DIY'er like your daughter.
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