Workbench Dimensions
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- This topic has 30 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 1 month ago by Mark68.
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12 April 2016 at 7:25 pm #136324
I would make it a little tall. Maybe belt/wrist height. You can always cut a little off the legs if you find it a little bit too high.
I see no reason to make a bench that is attached to the wall. Make a free standing one. That way you can move it around or push it up against the wall.
12 April 2016 at 7:43 pm #136328Here is a picture of my shop http://roughsawn.net/Welcome-To-My-Shop/
my bench is 26 inches wide and 5 feet long. I don’t have any problem with the width (really, how often do you *need* something wider) but I do wish it was longer. If I could have squeeze 6 feel in I would have.
As far as height, it comes to the top of my belt. You can always make it shorter.
I find most of my work is fine with the bench against the wall. When I need to, I pull it out so I can get more access for longer work. I am currently working on a 6 foot table and I had to pull it out just to fit the stock on the bench.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by Joe Kaiser.
12 April 2016 at 7:45 pm #136329re: the width.
The work surface is 13 inches and the tool well is 10. 3 on the other side
12 April 2016 at 7:53 pm #136331To be honest, I rarely work on any more the first 12″ of width. The rest of the bench collects tools, shavings and dust. The length I would say depends on what you are going to be doing. I have a Moravian (picked that style because it could be moved easily) bench that measures 6’x2′. About 13″ is laminated 2×4’s and the rest is a tool tray. When making the tool tray part of the bench I used 8′ dimensional lumber and wished I would have had an 8′ bench when planing it, but then again, that is the only time I built something over 4′.
- This reply was modified 8 years, 1 month ago by Thomas Angle.
12 April 2016 at 8:18 pm #136334Thomas how do you like the Morvavian bench? I’m planing to make one since I’m in an apartment. My Sellers bench was the first thing I made and its a bit worn. You did a laminate top? Think I will too. Think I will go with the leg vise and my cast iron vise as a tail vise.
12 April 2016 at 8:28 pm #136335I like it so far. I do have to pound the leg wedges in more than I thought. But I have not used it that long and I used oak wedges on pine legs. I only had an iron vise to used. I think you will like it, especially if you have to move it through an apartment door.
13 April 2016 at 2:13 am #136339@ed I got the casters from amazon
The work really well when I need to move my bench. I don’t find myself tripping over them, but I do wish I would have mounted them to the sides instead of the front/back. I think it would just look better 🙂
The only complaint I have is the wheels rotate freely when they are in the up position. This isn’t a problem most of the time, but sometimes they can turn around and it causes the bench to lift the smallest amount – maybe 1/16 of an inch or so. Just enough that the bench will pivot. Attached is a picture of what I mean.
It doesn’t happen often. Just enough that it can be worth mentioning. I think small magnets might be able to stop it
Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.@jotato , Thanks. Just ordered a set. 🙂
Back to bench size…99% of the work is done within arm’s reach of the vise. Most furniture components aren’t very long, with the exception of bookcases. So length is really more about having a second work area (or a place to accumulate things). So, a bench like Joe’s is perfect for just about everything. Here’s the rub…In class, we had Paul’s double width benches with tool well in the middle. When we made the coffee table, it was more than just convenient to have the table assembled and sitting across the width of the bench. I think I did that with the chair, too. But, most of the time, it would be wasted space. So, when I finally replace my current junk bench, I’ll probably use a width like Joe’s and have a separate knock down assembly table.
13 April 2016 at 2:28 pm #136361Not to discourage to say you are wrong, but I think you will find that 3′ is too wide. If it was me, I would make a narrower bench and build a table for glue ups and such. I have a table (not a bench) that is 3′ wide and it is a pain to reach across it when working on it. I am 6’2″ and have a wing span of a condor. I just hate to see someone put the time and money into a bench and then find out 2/3’s of the bench is wasted.
I’ve made mine with the same dimensions as Joe, roughly 5’x 2′ and after a year more or less working with it. Now I’ll make it minimum 7′ x 30″
The height was 38,5″ but my arms get very tired when planing boards, now is 37,5″ which is perfect for my needs.
Mateo13 April 2016 at 2:50 pm #136363It’s really whatever you are comfortable with. If you don’t already have a bench, have you had a chance to work off a less than ideal surface for awhile, and have an idea of how you work? 36″ might be a waste if you only tend to use 12″ of benchtop.
I also am 6’2″ like Thomas and have a long reach, and I found I only worked off the front 18″ or so of my work surface, and tools got shunted to the back and sides. I’m building my new bench around how I found I tended to work comfortably.
The same for height. Paul advocates a tall bench, and I think taller is more comfortable for the kind of work most of us will do. But it is a compromise. Some operations like stock prep may be a bit easier if the bench is lower, but your back will tell you quick enough that a taller bench is best for chopping dovetail waste and mortises or doing carving work or other things. I think Paul is right that somewhere around 36-39″ is probably a good compromise depending on your height. Mock something up with a hollow core door or some 2×4’s on sawhorses or something and work for a bit at various heights and find what is comfortable for you.
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