Reply To: HISTORICAL Designs and Features of a Bench
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Just my opinion….
Book was written in 1845. Average height of a man in 1845 was 65″.
The book recommends 2′-8″ for bench height.
Therefore, 32″ + 2″(for plane) + 4-5″(average height today is 70″) = 38-39″ bench height for today.
I think there are a few reasons for shorter bench lengths. Only one person works at a bench today. In the past there would have been an apprentice. Available work space has become much smaller as well. I think most of us would build a 10-12′ bench if we had the space. What I see more of on here are people building there benches shorter than 5′ to fit there work space.
Bench tops thickness varied even in 1845. The French still were building there benches out of thick slabs, i.e. Roubo’. The book covers an American-English design. We have thicker tops today mostly due to the quality of wood available. In 1845 the wood was most likely much tighter grained. Resulting in heavier and stiffer lumber than we have now. So we build thicker to compensate for the quality of available lumber.