Raising height of worktable

[Bruce Mack]

I have a solid worktable ~ 72 x 30 inches. At 30 inches height, it is just too low to serve as more than a place for tools and stuff I need for the adjacent bench/vise. I'd like to raise it 6 inches in order to use it for planing/ scraping surfaces or for assembly of the small pieces I make. I can use 2x6 lumber, 3 or 4 across the short dimension of 3/4 MDF to raise the surface. What other methods should I consider?

[Marc Fenneuff]

I made boxes out of 3/4" ACX plywood and inserted the legs into them. Stacked squares of the ply inside the boxes to get the height I wanted.

IMG_8612.jpg

[Andrew More]

If you're concerned about stability, adding "sled" rails under the feet helps a lot. Otherwise, adding a thicker top is a good approach. All depends on the bench, so pics are very useful here.

[Michael Schuch]

A picture of the bench would help.

[Bruce Mack]

A picture of the bench would help.

camouflaged to avoid detection

[Scott Winners]

I like Andrew’s idea of sled rails under the existing feet. 6x6 timber is not a home store item, you only need about six feet tops and you don’t have to be picky about knots. 4 shallow recesses maybe a quarter inch deep, one for each of the current table feet, you should be in business, reversible if you don’t like it.

[Bruce Mack]

I like Andrew’s idea of sled rails under the existing feet. 6x6 timber is not a home store item, you only need about six feet tops and you don’t have to be picky about knots. 4 shallow recesses maybe a quarter inch deep, one for each of the current table feet, you should be in business, reversible if you don’t like it.

What is a sled rail?

[Luke Dupont]

Japanese planing boards are often used on top of a table. Make one 6 inches high and walah!
I've done this in the past, working on kitchen tables and the like.
work01.jpg

[Andrew More]

What is a sled rail?

Something like this. In a traditional bench they look like inverted sled rails.
SledLegs.jpg

[Scott Winners]

I would not use homestore 4x6, oriented vertical, for this application. If you have a saw mill or a real lumber yard around, all you really need is two "scraps" of 6x6 about 30-36 inches long each. I would be surprised if the material cost you $20 once you find the correct vendor- though I don't know beans about how big trees get in MN.

[Luke Dupont]

Something like this. In a traditional bench they look like inverted sled rails.
SledLegs.jpg

This is also a good idea!

[Keith Pitman]

I had an old Steelcase tanker desk in my shop at one time. I put cinder blocks under the legs to get it up to a better standing height.