Table Saw and work bench height

[sscherin]

Does anyone think that 40" is to high of a work height for a table saw?

I've been thinking of building a work bench for the shop.

I've found that I prefer the 40" height of my tool chest as a work surface So I thought why not make the bench the same height and build a saw base to bring the BT up so the tool chest and bench can be used for in-feed and out feed.

Is there a good reason (safety or otherwise) to keep the saw at it's current height?
As it is now it kills my back to work at it for more than a few hours.

[phrog]

I would think that the optimum height would be directly related to the height of the operator. I'm short and I couldn't reach a tall table saw.

[steve-norrell]

Does anyone think that 40" is to high of a work height for a table saw?

As it is now it kills my back to work at it for more than a few hours.

I have the same problem - - caused by some serious back issues. I built a saw table with extensions including a router table that allows me to work without bending over. The work surface is 40 - 1/2 inches off the floor (I am not very tall).

Build it at what ever height works best for you.

Steve.

[Bill in Buena Park]

My 21829 is almost 36in high on its mobile stand, and four more inches doesn't seem like much of a change. But I'm 6ft, and could accommodate. Most safe/comfortable working heights depend on the height of the user.

Changing the height of your saw may impact how you have DC or power run to it, if they were a "fixed" setup. Also, I assume lift your saw to 40in is accomplished via a stable platform adjustment (e.g., not "up on blocks", or unstable caster or table-leg modifications).

[LCHIEN]

the stand for the BT3000 puts the surface at about 38 inches, I think the BT3100 is the same. I also think this is higher than most table saws.

I find I like the height and have made my router table and workbench the same height.

I think the deal is if you are older then having the work closer to you is better for small projects. If you work on larger objects (like a foot or more tall ) then the top of the workpiece will be too high so a shorter bench is better. Also shorter benches are better for heavier objects as well as larger objects. So it depends on your height and what size of projects you work on.

For example if you were working on a picture frame or a jewelry box then the 38" high is OK, but if you were working on a chair or table then the 38" would be too high.

[sscherin]

I would be building either a new cabinet base about the size of a BT3000 stand (just taller) or a torsion box base under the stock stand.

Either one would be sitting on a mobile base unit like the ones from Rockler or HTC.
Power and dust collection isn't an issue as nothing is setup yet.

The 40 height should put all the benches, table saw and band saw at the same work height..

Most of my projects are small.. It will see more than a few airplanes for either build or radio setup plus whatever projects my wife throws at me

Currently I've been tasked with making a ladder for the cat to climb up to my daughters Loft bed.. Poor fat cat can't get up there by himself so he sits on the floor and howls at her till she puts him up there.

[Cochese]

I'm 5'9", and the 36" height of the 21829 is pretty good. I'm not sure if I'd be happy with my leverage if it was any higher, but I'd recommend getting your saw at the height you are comfortable with, and match that.

[BigguyZ]

I personally wouldn't have a problem with a 40" high TS. Nor would I have an issue with that height for a bench. But- if you were working on a piece of furniture, that would make it difficult to work on. That's why assembly tables are typically lower in height than benches. With benches- the only thing I'd think of is how that height would affect the use of hand tools/ planing. I've never used a plane to flatten a board, but I'd think it'd be hard to get the right oomph into it if it's too high.


I'm thinking about the same thing for my lath, though. Right now it's lower, and when I do a few pens I'm pretty sore at the end of the night from hunching over and trying to take super light cuts. I've seen a lathe system that was meant to be used while sitting, and that's intriguing. But it might be better to rebuild my stand so it's higher. I might do that sooner than later, now that I think about it...

[JimD]

I liked the height of the BT3100 on its stand so I built my base to put it at about the same height - about 38 inches. I'm 6'2" tall. I built my bench about 1/4 inch lower and my router table he same height as the bench. The bench provides outfeed support and the router table infeed when I need it.

The only reason I see for a shorter table saw is so you can more easily lean on a workpiece to use your weight to help control it. I can still do that pretty well at 38inches.

I build furniture on my workbench and do not find it to be a problem. I don't build chests on top of it but I assemble the pieces on it. Chairs and drawers are not an issue. What doesn't get done on the bench usually goes on the floor. A short bench would be nice sometimes but that would be around 2 feet tall.

Jim

[eccentrictinkerer]

Years ago I read that the correct height for a workbench is the distance from the floor to your wristbone. I'm 6'2" and my benches are all 36" high.

We used the same dimension for our kitchen countertops because my wife likes to have the counters a little taller than average.

[sscherin]

I ran across this looking for ergonomic work bench heights.

[Bill in Buena Park]

I realize there may be scale issues with that image - but by scale, the man pictured is only 5ft tall But disregarding the numbers shown, it looks like precision work should be up near your diaphragm, light work around the navel, and heavy work just below the belt line.

[wardprobst]

As noted, bench height depends upon the type of work done. Hand tool work, lower bench, power tool work higher bench. If you don't hand plane or chisel a lot, a higher bench is fine. One thing I have done is to make smaller benches to set on top of my hand work bench when I do some power tool work. I'd rather do that than try to do hand work on a high bench. I do have a higher bench in the power tool shop.
DP

[jdon]

... it looks like precision work should be up near your diaphragm, light work around the navel, and heavy work just below the belt line.

But my belt line keeps getting higher as I age!

[vaking]

I think you are over-analyzing it. For a professional chef kitchen counter is his/her workbench. All kitchen counters I believe have pretty standard height - 36" from the floor. Chefs come in all shapes and sizes - from 5" women to 6"+ men - and all manage to use the standard counter. I followed the same logic in my shop. My BT3100 on mobile base and my workbench stand at 36" and I am comfortable with it (I am 6"). I do have some options though. I have made a dovetail cutting platform with jig on top which goes on top of my workbench and raises the height for precise work. Or I sometimes take a counter stool and sit at my bench when doing some precision work, like wood burning. One side of my bench is deliberately made with 8" hanging console so I can sit there and I have a counter-chair in my shop for it.