# What is you bench height?



## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

What tool style do you use?
Power tool, hybrid, hand tool.
What is your bench height?
How tall are you?
Would you change it?
Why?
Thanks for you time and input.


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## Bagtown (Mar 9, 2008)

Hey Dave,

I use power tools and hand tools.
I believe my bench is about 37" high.
For most of what I do it is fine.
There are however times when it seems a little short.
Like for cutting dovetails and tenons, I think a moxon style bench/vise might solve that for me.
Sometimes, when hand planing, I think it could be a little higher too.

Mike


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Placing your hands flat on the surface while standing upright is the "standard". My bench is at 34 1/2" from the floor.
Anything else is the option of the builder/user.
So much for "standards".
I prefer to use my lower body rather than just my arms for bench use.
These "norms" are from the White book of sometimes useless info. Use them as you will.
Bill


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## JL7 (Apr 13, 2010)

Hey Dave,

I have 2 benches as I think you know…..The first is the traditional European bench and it's just shy of 33". And the bench I built is just over 38".

I prefer the taller bench. I can stand or sit - mostly stand…..But I don't do so much with the hand tools…..If the 33" bench would have been cool, I wouldn't have ever built the taller one, but that's just me….....

I'm 6' and I think 33" is too low.


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

I am 6'1. I had a bench that was here when I moved into my house and used that for most of my pounding and assembly. It was a wreck and was about 36" high. When I replaced it with a simple bench that I could plane on as well as use power tools, I followed the advice of Chris Schwartz in one of his blogs on making the bench height about knuckle high if you want to use both power and hand tools. In my case, that was about 33". After some time of planing on this bench, I wouldn't change the height at all. It allows me to properly bend my knees and put my whole body into it without throwing my back out of whack. The rest of the tools followed suit and I think that the advice is pretty ergonomically sound.


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## Bagtown (Mar 9, 2008)

David Craig - Interesting that you went lower. Food for thought.


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

It had a great deal to do with what I was using the bench for. I don't have a jointer so flattening is done with a no. 7 bench plane. This weighs about 10 pounds. With a taller bench, I have to stand straight and my arms are putting downward pressure at the same time I am putting forward momentum. My shoulders would start crying in no time. At the lower height, I can bend my knees, still keep my back straight, but my body is used for the downward pressure so I can put more of myself in the momentum without everything concentrated on my arms and shoulders.

I also use risers for glue-ups and other tasks. Add that 4 inches to a tall bench and the ergonomics get messed up. Everyone will have their own comfort level of course, but for what I use it for, I am quite comfortable with the height.


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

Interesting input gentlemen.Thank you for your time.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

I am 6'2". My bench is 37" tall. I really hate bending over to work on things, kills my back. I want to make a couple mobile work stands with adjustable height.


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## Kreegan (Jul 10, 2012)

I am a hybrid woodworker, though I favor hand tools a bit more. I have 2 benches. One has my vises and bench dog holes and is 31" high. The other is 34" high. I am 5' 10" ish. For sawing and planing and scraping, I like the 31" height. For assembly and chiseling and such where I'm more stationary and over top of the work for longer periods, I like the 34" bench.

Rich


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

Rich you are about where I am. I am fixing to build a new bench. My current bench is 34" and to tall. I am planning on 30" for the new bench. I have a mini bench that I set on top for chisel work and joinery. I am just fishing for final thoughts and future problems. 
Thank every one for your input.


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## boxcarmarty (Dec 9, 2011)

28'' on the bench Dave. I designed my bench primarily for cabinet making so that the low height keeps a cabinet at a comfortable working level. It also has Kreg tracks and clamps for holding and squaring face frames as I build them. Don't forget the drawers to hold all of the things that you need to keep handy at the bench. My problem is I have drawers on both sides of my bench and I'm usually standing on the wrong side for what I need…..


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## longgone (May 5, 2009)

I have one work table that is the same height as my table saw so it can act as an outfeed table also. It is 36"x 96"

My other 2 worktables are 37" tall and 30" deep x 96"


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## toeachhisown (Eddie) (Mar 30, 2011)

mine is 39 but im a bit tall and wanted it at a comfortable working height


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## mtenterprises (Jan 10, 2011)

The "Body Standard" is the best way to start. I found that over the years my "standard" is about 32". Yea I'm a short guy 5'6". 32" is what my table saw is set at so the workbench is the same. Other power tools around the shop are at varying hights to make use easier, like the wood lathe, "Body Standard" is stand straight bend your arm to 90 deg. at the elbow and the hight of your down facing palm is the correct hight for the headstock spindle. It's all a matter of comfort for you.
MIKE


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

I built my WB to be 1/4" shorter than my TS/mobile-base (~34"), so that it does not interfere with TS outfeed and/or can be the outfeed table itself.

BTW, I am 5' 9" and 34" works out well for me as a "standing height" to work from.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

I'm 6' tall, and about 37" on the bench. Power tools mostly, but, there are always times for hand tools. I have got a major re-position tools & equipment in the shop after the holidays. I will probably keep the same height. It works for me. Nice topic Dave.


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## DIYaholic (Jan 28, 2011)

I'm 5'-8" tall. I'm a "Tim the Toolman Taylor", grunter, more power, electron killing tool user, but hand tools will always come into play. My bench is 0" (zero inches) off the floor, as I have not built my bench yet. I hope this helps!!!


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

No one height will do for everything. I have a 32 inch tall bench, a benchtop on an old steel kitchen sinkbase (36ish), and a wide shelf over a rolling tool chest a couple of inches higher yet. The highest surface is for doing carb work or soldering or laying out manuals or whatever requires me to get my eyes closest to the work.


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## Roger Clark aka Rex (Dec 30, 2008)

I have a number of purpose built benches, most are for installed tools which defines the size and height. I have a Planer/Sander bench which has a Drum Sander, a Delta joiner and a 12-1/2" planer on it. The reason the Sander is on this bench is because the planer and sander can use the same in feed and out feed.
I have a pure sanding bench with a disk sander, a thin belt sander, a flap wheel sander, a belt/disk sander, a small drill press converted to metal sanding drum use and an oscillating sander mounted at a lower level.
I have a "Metal work" bench which has metal cut off saw, a machinists vice, an arbor press and a metal shear. All of my benches have casters, as do almost every other tool I have, to allow moving and re-configuring for the work at hand.
I also have a wood rack that is mobile, it's a mental scaffold and can be re-located, as static storage, moved nearer to job, or even moved outside to create more shop space.
My current project is a mobile layout convertible Table/Bench that can handle anything I am likely to work on or assemble. It is 96" x 48", is 34-1/2" high, but not finished right now.

Every bench height should be built to suit the user who will find a height he is comfortable with, and also another bench where tools are mounted at a different height. Adding casters to a bench of any kind is a great way to maximize shop space, re-configure for a project, and even temporarily park outside outside.

There are no real hard and fast rules on this subject, it's everyone to their own desires and choices, you just make it to suit your circumstances.


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

If you look at the numbers they are all over the place. The hand tool guys are a bit shorter with hybrid and power tool guys getting taller. There are one or two exceptions. 
What tosses a monkey wrench in the gears it for me is I use wood bodied planes. Those are generally a few inches taller than metal planes.
Thanks for the responses guys. Each and every one of you.


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## jap (Oct 10, 2012)

this thread will be useful when i build my bench


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## Rick Dennington (Aug 27, 2009)

Work bench diminsions:

42" high x 42" wide x 101 " long…....3" thick

I'm 5' 8" tall, have a very bad back…..I don't like stooping over…....!!!!

Not much, if any, hand tool work…...power tools is my game…...!!!


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

My bench is 37-7/8" tall, just 1/8" shy of the height of my BT3100 table saw which it acts as an outfeed support for.

I work hybrid power / hand tools.

I'm 6' 0" tall.

There are a LOT of things about my bench I would change. Height is not one of them. This is a very comfortable working height for me


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## teejk (Jan 19, 2011)

I measured mine…I'm 5'9" and used to subscribe to the "waist high" rule. But in building my layout/assembly table it was more important for me to look down so that's 30 1/2" high (and turns out that it's not a bad height for clamping or edge routing). My dovetail bench sits 37" high so the Leigh D4 ends up at 41" high on the combs and I find that to be a very comfortable height for those operations. My machine vise bench sits at 37" which goes back to the "waist high" rule and works great. My mobile bench is 35" which started as an outfeed table for the TS but now holds the miter saw on one side and my Delta mortiser on the other side (39" to the top of the Dewalt miter saw table and a bit less than that for the mortiser table, both very comfortable working heights for me). My Kreg pocket holer is mounted to a 30 1/2" bench which was a function of what lumber I had (anybody saying that is not a consideration on bench height is a liar) but also because I needed a little more head-room for the drilling operations at the time…no complaints on that height either. My "junk bench" ended up at 31" solely because I could make 3 pieces from a 92 5/8" stud cut 2×4…I'm frugal).


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## hoosier0311 (Nov 8, 2012)

I did what a few others here did. Made all my bench tops a "blond one" shorter than my tables saw top. Makes it easy to use surfaces to support weird size stuff. At 6' tall I think they could be a tad higher if I am useing hand tools, But I can use a couple of clamps and bench hooks to get another inch or two if need be.


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## TorqNut (Apr 29, 2012)

6' tall and my benchtop is set at 39"; while the centerline of my lathe is set at 41". I don't do much with hand tools and if I need to, I will use a WorkMate table for that task.


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## DonBroussard (Mar 27, 2012)

I am 5'10" (1.8m) and my bench height is just under 32" (0.81m). I am a hybrid woodworker, and that height (for me) is perfect for planing with hand planes. I also use my workbench as an assembly table, so it's just right for that too. When (not if) I build my next workbench, I will leave the height at 32".


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

What tool style do you use? *Mix of hand and power*

What is your bench height? *35 1/2"*
How tall are you? *6'*
Would you change it? *No*
Why? *I like it that height*


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## MrsN (Sep 29, 2008)

my bench top is 28" I believe. I built mine so that when sitting on my shop stool my scroll saw is at the correct height. It also puts the table of my bench top bandsaw and spindle sander at a pretty good height for standing. 
I would like to change the height, because I want a different (more cushy) chair and I can't find one the right height (and I don't want to make one) I would also like to have a standing height work bench.


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

Don that is the way to answer.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)




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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

"...How tall are you? 6'
Would you change it? No
Why? I like it that height…"

But Don, don't you "want" elevator shoes? *;-)*


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

That was funny.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Naa, I had a pair that went with the baby blue leisure suit. Luckily the 70's only lasted that long, and I soon discovered I probably wasn't going to make it with the band.


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

Even funner.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Wow, the band… at least you tried to make it with the band…

As a matter of FACT, I never owned four leisure suits AND I NEVER had one with a matching set of knicker-pants that buttoned at the knee and a fringed dress shirt. Honest… *;-)*


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Ahhh, I forgot the fringed dress shirt. I never had one either.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

and the Knickers…........ ?


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Yea, I really never had the knickers.


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

I am seeing Leisure Suit Larry in the land of work benches.


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## Brickman (Nov 28, 2011)

What tool style do you use? *Mostly power but moving towards hand*

What is your bench height? *Table saw is raised 6" to 40." Still building the bench but will most likely be 40"*
How tall are you? *6' 6"*
Would you change it? *Maybe a little higher but then others can't use it*
Why? *I am quite a bit taller than my friends who wood work. *


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## hhhopks (Nov 22, 2011)

I think a workbench is like any table. You need to consider how you intended to use it. If it is a traditional workbench, then you should consider the type of task you are going to perform on it. What kind of tools and how you use the tools. Since tradtional workbench goes with hand tools, our posture and the way leverage our body for power should take into consdieration (Ex: bending our knees & push off it). If that is true (bending the knees) our posture is lower. Should this translate to a lower bench?


> ?


???

I like the idea of have a traditional workbench at a lower height with a table top work bench clamp on top to do the tasks that normally requires you to bend down (I am getting too old to bent down). So, there is no perfect height. Right ?


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

Agreed hhhopks, that is why I use a mini bench and place it on top of my existing bench.


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## Austons_Garage (Nov 3, 2012)

I'm primarily a power tool guy. 
My main benches are a tablesaw out feed table/ assembly table. And a rolling cabinet that acts as a side or rear extension. In combination with my saw it gives me about 8 feet of flat table at 34 1/4". In addition I have a long bench across the wall that is 36 1/4" tall, mostly to hide my rolly cabinet and hold up my morticer. Otherwise it would be 34 1/4 too.
I'm 5'8" ...ish


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

Dave, I'm a little late to the part on this post but I say you already have a tall bench. Make your next bench low for planing, especially since you like using the old wooden planes.


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

I agree Mauricio. I am just fighting over a few inches one way or another. I think a mock bench will test this well for the final outcome.


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

Or maybe something to stand on at your curent bench?


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

Now there is a great thought. Thanx!


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Mauricio, its ok to be late for a party as long as you brought beer.


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## Bagtown (Mar 9, 2008)

Try working with some drywaller stilts on Dave.


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

Or lay down a couple of cases of beer in front of your bench to stand on?


> ?


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

I tried googling "beer can platform shoes" they dont exist. I'm off to the patent office….


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I worked with a guy once who was about 6'6" tall and he would duct tape 5 gallon buckets to his feet to tape 8' ceilings. I'm not sure what that has to do with the height of a bench, but…..............did somebody say beer?


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

Mine is slightly below the top of my table saw…
... haven't really measured it… mid 30's is a guess…

Gives me a surface to work on… not a True "workbench"...
... just a slab of plywood on top of a couple of Chests for a work surface…
... shimmed with other pieces to make up for the difference in Chest heights…


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

If there are any patents developed off of this thread, do I get to R and D?
You guys have a lot of beer references. How about a beer box bench?
Joe how tall are you?


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## Bagtown (Mar 9, 2008)

I remember being a young fella in the navy, we didn't want to waste beer money on frivolous things like furniture. One guy had an apartment with a couch and 2 armchairs made from beer cases.


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

I used milk crates. Milk crates are very useful in my shop now.
Red Green is the man when it comes to crate furniture.


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## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

my bench is going to be 32" tall, and I'm 5'6", lots of handplane work to be done on it


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## Bagtown (Mar 9, 2008)

Dave, we have way too many milk crates. Wife is always using them to bring stuff home from the cafe.
Then they accumulate, guess where? Yep, in my shop.
After I get tired of tripping over them, I load up the car and take em back.
Then it starts all over again.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

I have always read that your workbench height should be suitable to the length of your legs and arms and your overall height. In other words - different strokes for different folks. Whether or not you're a power tool man or a hand tool man or a combination of both would enter into the equation. Even as Mike said - the layout and the size of your shop might enter into it. If your workbench will have to be near your table saw then there could be overwhelming reasons for them to be the same. Mine is about the same height as my table saw. I couldn't tell you why but it seems to be about right for me.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*What tool style do you use?* Mix of hand and power

*What is your bench height?* I'm not in the shop to measure but I have 3 benches, all at different heights. Two were here when I moved in and are garage style, built in against the wall. The taller one is about belly button height and I use it as a general purpose bench. Mostly I set stuff on it. The other is about 4" shorter and holds my CMS. Last is my roll around bench, my shop is too small for a proper stationary bench, and it is about palm height.

*How tall are you?* 5-9

*Would you change it? / Why?* Yes. I've been thinking of tearing out the wall benches as the tall one mostly collects stuff until I put it away. The smaller one is too short (lengthwise) as a good CMS bench. With those gone, I should have space for a proper woodworking bench.

The roll around is too short as a tablesaw out feed, too tall for my router table, and too mobile for hand planing. I'm going to put spacers under the wheels to raise it to the height of my tablesaw and build a new router table. It has 2 drawers with a big open space underneath; I plan on changing it to drawers all the way down.

Here you can see my roll around and the CMS bench in the background. I built that rollaround years ago and had no idea what I was doing. It's ugly but it's heavy and it works. The top is old SYP that was glued up then hand planed flat. I plan on removing the door on the bottom and putting in drawers.


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## superdav721 (Aug 16, 2010)

Great input guys!


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

What tool style do you use? I also use a mix of hand and power

What is your bench height? 35 1/2"









How tall are you? 6'2"

Would you change it? Not the height, might change the layout of a few small details (like where I put the electrical outlets, and air connector.

The table for my Radial Arm Saw is at 39". I built the stand so it would be higher than the bench. I find it easier to line up my cuts with it a bit higher.


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*David,*

About 5' 9"


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## sixstring (Apr 4, 2012)

My main bench / extension table and PM66 TS is 34" tall. I have a side bench up against the wall thats 37" and I plan on lowering that down to 34" also. The side bench sits 3ft off to the side of the saw so once it's the same height, I'll be able to use it as a side extension when cutting awkward sizes of sheet goods or cross cutting long beams. I'd like to put casters under there as well so I can use it as a mobile bench / infeed/outfeed surface.

I'm 5"4 so it's nice not straining my arms on higher benches. The downside is cutting repeated dado cuts on smallish pieces over the TS but I've gotten used to it and just spread my legs wide to get down low as needed.

I primarily use power tools with the exception of small shoulder and trim planes, coping saw, and chisels for cleanup and detailed work. 98% powertools for sure. Hey, I'm still a newbie and enjoy making noise and quick work of milling my material.


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## robertb574 (Jan 12, 2011)

I am 6' 0" tall.

My bench is 32" high. I use hand tools and do assembly work on it.

I stand or sit before the bench depending on what is more comfortable.

This a pretty good height for me. I made a second bench the same height to use as a sharpening and tool maintenance station. I would not go any lower but could probably go up another 1.5 and maybe even 2 inches higher. My bench height comfort zone is 32 to 33.5 inches high for the way I do work.


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## NedB (Aug 21, 2008)

Norm-ite here… Mostly power tools, the usual mix TS, BS, CMS, Lathe, Planer, Jointer. 
6'3" tall, so my work surfaces are a bit higher than most… 38- 42" 
My current jointer is a bit low for my liking, but I'm going to be buying a new one later this year, so it will be going up for sale.


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