BS work height?

[steve_b]

Working on my base for the band saw.. any idea what a "standard" height for a bandsaw table is? I know I can make it anything I want (within reason) but I'm 6-2 with long arms so the floor to wrist measurement will be skewed - wondering if i should be in the 41-42 area..
I know this work height question is dependent on each person - just looking for a place to start.

Thanks

Stephen

[Uncle Cracker]

I would start with whatever feels the most comfortable for you. I am far from 6'2", but the height of my BS on its mobile base is very comfortable for me, and that is 41-1/4".

[ModestMouser]

definitely start with a table and stack flat surfaces on it until you find what's comfortable. once you've got that, measure it.

if you've got a taller tool..... like a radial arm saw, then perhaps make it coplaner with that so that you can use it for support off to the side, or use the radial arm saw as outfeed support.

[tjr]

...
if you've got a taller tool..... like a radial arm saw, then perhaps make it coplaner with that so that you can use it for support off to the side, or use the radial arm saw as outfeed support.

That's what I'm thinking about doing as part of my big garage-cleanup-make-everything-usable project. My old Sears ras appears to be 37" tall (appears because it's in pieces in the basement) which might be less than ideal for the bandsaw. OTOH, since the stand is not going to be very wide, a shorter stand would be less tippy. May also help this with a shelf on the bottom to house my pancake compressor.

[ModestMouser]

actually.... 37" sounds low to me for a radial arm and for a bandsaw.

i actually measured mine tonight because i've got plans to build a combo mitersaw/radialarmsaw station..... turns out my craftsman radial arm saw's table height is 40", and my rikon bandsaw is 42".

they're both at comfortable height for each other. you can always have a shim block to toss on your RAS table to bring it up to the height of your bandsaw when you need outfeed space too.... maybe make some other jig the right width to double as that.

definitely good to include a shelf to house that pancaker.... on top of which you could otherwise stack absolutely nothing!

[LarryG]

Grizzly's spec sheet says the table on my G0555 band saw is 43-5/16" above the floor. Mine will actually measure an inch or so higher than that owning to the saw being on a mobile base. I'm six feet even, normally proportioned, and it's comfortable to me.

[cabinetman]

I would start with whatever feels the most comfortable for you. I am far from 6'2", but the height of my BS on its mobile base is very comfortable for me, and that is 41-1/4".

Another comfortable height is the height of a bar top for a drinking bar (42")...both commercial and residential (architectural standard spec).
.

[twistsol]

Mine is at exactly 42" and I'd like it just a bit higher. I'm 6' even and I find that I scrunch down a bit whenever I use it to see what I'm doing more clearly

[capncarl]

A line of thought on workspace heights: do not forget about the heigths of your extension tables, workbenches, roller stands. It has taken me a year to get most of my equipment tables the same height so my roller table will match up to them. I wish that I had thought about this when I raised everything up to a different comfortable height.

capncarl

[sweensdv]

I'm 5'10" and the top of the table on my BS is 42" above the floor. For me, that is a comfortable height.

[steve_b]

Looks like I didn't forward plan enough and picked up some 3" swivels and they are taller than I thought (I made a mistake) so the height is around 44" - I can 'cut' the stand down by 2" as I think 42 would be a decent compromise between fine & bigger stuff..

I'll post pic's when I get done...

Stephen

[dbhost]

I am 6' even, and while not 100% sure I recall the measurement correctly, my band saw table I believe is 43" from the floor including the mobile base.

[just started]

The setup instructions in an OLD Sears Craftsman band saw book say to bend your elbow so your forearm is parallel to the floor and measure that height and use it as the table height.

[leehljp]

Some people prefer everything to line up at the same height and build/add on to achieve that end. Very efficient and organized. However, all one height is not good for the optimum control and performance of different kinds of work. With aging and/or bad backs, optimum height for the specific work will allow longer work periods with minimum pain killers.

1. Where power is needed such as feeding boards over and through a thickness planer, lower is better. It is difficult to handle or push long boards well when standing straight up as you would when using a scroll saw or router table. Waist height is best for power situations.

2. Where combination of power and control is needed, mid-fore arm works best - Table saws and band saws. But if lots of intricate bandsawing is done, then a little higher.

3. Where fine control is needed such as scroll saw, router work, delicate carving, elbow height is best.

[tkarlmann]

BS height

I would put the bandsaw at a height where you are not bending over uncomfortably. Also keep in mind that if you need outfeed support for your bandsaw, consider making your bandsaw's height the same os other tools nearby so stock can rest on more that one tool for support.