# Any ideas to shorten an already assembled workbench?



## Tony1212 (Aug 26, 2013)

I recently made a workbench for myself. It isn't quite finished yet, so I haven't posted it.

I originally meant it to be about an 1/2" shorter than my table saw, but it turned out to be about a 1/2 too high. I'm not sure where I measured wrong, but there it is.

It's all glued up and heavy. Any ideas on how to evenly shorten the legs so it won't wobble?


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## jonah (May 15, 2009)

Are the long stretchers glued in as well? If you could separate it into two end assemblies it'd be a whole lot easier to cut down.

If not, just carefully mark and cut with a circular saw or hand saw. If it wobbles a little, stick a couple of shims under it.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

It would be easier I think to remove the top
and shorten the tops of the legs. Of course
I don't know what's behind the skirts so
this may not be easy. You would scribe 
around the end of each leg with a marking
gauge. Make shallow guide cuts on all four
sides of the leg, then saw into the corners
following the kerf, deepen the cuts on the
sides until the cut is done. If you're careful
the end should be pretty flat.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

If your tablesaw is on a mobile base, it may be easier to add a piece of plywood between the mobile base and saw. This would raise the saw either 1/2" or 3/4", and should make the current bench height work.


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## Bluenote38 (May 3, 2017)

I like Pinto's idea. Or you can find a flat and level spot, mark the dimension (~1"?) Jack the bench legs up by 1/4" and trim them with a Jamb Saw - you can rent one for about $25.


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## Hermit (Oct 9, 2014)

If your post means it's to tall, then I'd roll it over, cut off the legs with a skill saw or rent a beam saw. Then add heavy duty leg levelers.


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## Tony1212 (Aug 26, 2013)

Everything is glued together except for the top 1/4" layer that acts as my sacrificial work surface.

My tablesaw is encased in that big cart behind the bench (the coiled cable on the left is how I plug my router in). I need to finish the drawers for that before I post it here. So, no adding height there.

But Loren's suggestion gave me an idea. I'm thinking that I would make a "fence" out of scrap that wraps around the leg. Then use that to guide my circular saw around the leg. I can screw it into the leg to keep it from moving. Then I can cut a spacer block that will position it equally from the bottom of each leg. That should make everything even, right?


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## TaySC (Jun 27, 2017)

Personally, I'd lay the table on its side, make a small 1" guide (or if 1 1/2" is ok, just use the side of a 2×4 as a guide), clamp it at the bottom of the leg and use a handsaw. Move through all 4 legs and if they are currently level, they would remain so.


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## gargey (Apr 11, 2016)

Definitely saw the legs if you only need .5".

Don't go through the ntrouble of messing with the top.

Get a .5" block, scribe around the legs as it is standing currently, and then saw to the line when the table is on its side.

Alternatively, you could get a 50" jointer and run it through until you get to the desired height.


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## HTown (Feb 25, 2015)

I did what pinto suggested for my setup. It did the trick.


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## tomsteve (Jan 23, 2015)

> My tablesaw is encased in that big cart behind the bench (the coiled cable on the left is how I plug my router in). I need to finish the drawers for that before I post it here. So, no adding height there.
> 
> - Tony1212


then why not raise the entire bench that your ts is encased in 1/2"?


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## Tony1212 (Aug 26, 2013)

> Personally, I d lay the table on its side, make a small 1" guide (or if 1 1/2" is ok, just use the side of a 2×4 as a guide), clamp it at the bottom of the leg and use a handsaw. Move through all 4 legs and if they are currently level, they would remain so.
> 
> - TaySC


Ha! I think you greatly overestimate my ability to cut a straight line with a handsaw. This is not the situation where I'd want to practice.


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## Tony1212 (Aug 26, 2013)

> Alternatively, you could get a 50" jointer and run it through until you get to the desired height.
> 
> - gargey


LMFAO! I'll just run to Home Depot and grab one.


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## Tony1212 (Aug 26, 2013)

> My tablesaw is encased in that big cart behind the bench (the coiled cable on the left is how I plug my router in). I need to finish the drawers for that before I post it here. So, no adding height there.
> 
> - Tony1212
> 
> ...


The bench has the table saw and jointer attached. The top is 3/4" MDF and 3/4" plywood laminated together. It probably weighs more than my car. And there's not nearly enough room to get a jack underneath.

Besides, from a comfort perspective, I'd like the workbench to be a bit shorter. It's a tad too high.


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## jdh122 (Sep 8, 2010)

If you turned it upside down and tacked straight boards on all four sides on the outside of the legs I bet you could do it with a handsaw, even if your handsaw skills are as poor as you suggest. The saw would be guides on two sides for each cut.


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## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

Cut the bottom of the feet off at 3/8" with a handsaw and by tipping up on its side, then use a plane to get the rest to the height you wish. As you go you can use a square to make sure everything is square on all 4 sides.

Also like jdh122 said also and use a plane

Last option you can cut it off at 1" and put leveling feet on it so if there is any dips in the floor it can be adjusted to make it level.


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

I am not sure why this is even a discussion.
Just cut the legs down. Hand saw, circular saw - whatever your core competence and tools allow for.

Myself, this looks like a rudimentary hand saw job. Mark your line, exercise patience, let the saw do the work. 
You can do it.
Remember to cut on the waste side of the line ;-)

Use a portable belt sander to clean up your cuts if need be.

I liked the idea of cutting it an extra 1/2" short and adding leg levelers, but that is just my preference speaking.


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## TaySC (Jun 27, 2017)

> If you turned it upside down and tacked straight boards on all four sides on the outside of the legs I bet you could do it with a handsaw, even if your handsaw skills are as poor as you suggest. The saw would be guides on two sides for each cut.
> 
> - jdh122


That's what I was suggesting, but you explained it much better.

As a few others have said, worst case scenario, you cut it a little more than you need and put leveling feet underneath.


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## GR8HUNTER (Jun 13, 2016)

I would cut 1 inch off crooked ….......then mount….... *THESE* :<))


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## Tony1212 (Aug 26, 2013)

> If you turned it upside down and tacked straight boards on all four sides on the outside of the legs I bet you could do it with a handsaw, even if your handsaw skills are as poor as you suggest. The saw would be guides on two sides for each cut.
> 
> - jdh122
> 
> ...


That's more or less what I was thinking, too, except I would use a circular saw instead of a handsaw. That way I have a much better chance of making the bottom flat.

If I still screw it up, I bite the bullet and use GR8HUNTER's idea and spend the $25 on levelers.


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