Recommended Height for Table Saw?

[Moshe Eshel]

Hi,

I just bought a Bosch GTS 10 (A lot like the 4100 but not exactly). I would like to build a bench for it to sit on.

I think that the best height would be around my waist (the table face), so that I am quite above it when working yet do not have to bend down for it...

What say you? (BTW, same question exactly about a woodworking bench used for hand-planning)

Moshe

[Mike Cruz]

The short answer: Your work bench should be at or 1" above your TS. Why? Unless you have an ungodly amount of space, the wood you feed into and the wood that exits your TS will need to pass over your benches, etc.

So start with your work bench. If you use a stool, sit on it and imagine where you would want your work. Measure that against a wall. If you don't use a stool, do the same standing against a wall, and figure out what a comfortable work height is for you. It is different for every person. Height, age, and what you work on all figure into the equation...whether you are 18 or 81, use it for assembly or carving, stand or sit at it, or are tall or short. Table (and equipment) heights are as personal as putters (golfer analogy).

BE ADVISED!!!!! DISCLAIMER!!!!! WARNING!!!! I buit all my benches around my TS height....then got a new TS. The new one is 2" shorter than my original one (new one...to me...is a UNI, the original one was a RIDGID contractor's TS). So, now I have to raise my TS 2" so my stock doesn't "run into" my benches. THE POINT: Your equipment can/will always change. If you built your benches "into" your shop...they are the permenant fixtures and you may have to altar your equipment.

[Jason White]

Yep -- I made mine waist-high, which for me is 40".

Yeah, I'm tall.

Jason


Hi,

I just bought a Bosch GTS 10 (A lot like the 4100 but not exactly). I would like to build a bench for it to sit on.

I think that the best height would be around my waist (the table face), so that I am quite above it when working yet do not have to bend down for it...

What say you? (BTW, same question exactly about a woodworking bench used for hand-planning)

Moshe

[Rick Moyer]

I believe Mike means the TS should be about 1" ABOVE the workbench; not the other way.


The short answer: Your work bench should be at or 1" above your TS. Why? Unless you have an ungodly amount of space, the wood you feed into and the wood that exits your TS will need to pass over your benches, etc.

So start with your work bench. If you use a stool, sit on it and imagine where you would want your work. Measure that against a wall. If you don't use a stool, do the same standing against a wall, and figure out what a comfortable work height is for you. It is different for every person. Height, age, and what you work on all figure into the equation...whether you are 18 or 81, use it for assembly or carving, stand or sit at it, or are tall or short. Table (and equipment) heights are as personal as putters (golfer analogy).

BE ADVISED!!!!! DISCLAIMER!!!!! WARNING!!!! I buit all my benches around my TS height....then got a new TS. The new one is 2" shorter than my original one (new one...to me...is a UNI, the original one was a RIDGID contractor's TS). So, now I have to raise my TS 2" so my stock doesn't "run into" my benches. THE POINT: Your equipment can/will always change. If you built your benches "into" your shop...they are the permenant fixtures and you may have to altar your equipment.

[Mike Cruz]

OMG!!!!!!!! Drinking and posting do NOT mix! Yup, that's EXACTLY what I meant.

Actually, I was responding to this thread, and after I had written about 75% of what I was going to write (about the amount that I posted above), I hit SOME key and it wiped EVERYTHING out. Ugggghhhhhhh!

So I ended up retyping it out, and didn't pay attention to the fact that I got that backwards.

Thanks for pointing that out. ;)

[Scott Schwake]

....then got a new TS. The new one is 2" shorter than my original one (new one...to me...is a UNI, the original one was a RIDGID contractor's TS). So, now I have to raise my TS 2" so my stock doesn't "run into" my benches.

Mike, I'm in the exact same position (except my original was a Craftsman), what's your plan for raising your Uni? Are you using a mobile base?

Scott

[Mike Cruz]

Yeah, that's a tricky one. Yes, I am using a mobile base. I am PLANNING on just putting some 2 1/4 inch wood under the saw (resting inside the mobile base frame) and sitting the saw on that. I don't like the idea of the saw just "resting" on top of the wood, though. Unfortunately, since the saw is pretty much the same size as the inset for the mobile base, I haven't come up with a clever "lip" to "hold" the saw in. Once I come up with it (or get a GREAT suggestion from a fellow Creeker) I then plan to get 2 guys over... 2 to lift the TS, and 1 to slide the wood lifter kit underneath. Of course, whatever I do under the saw, I also have to do under the extension legs...make that 3 guys over... I have beer, I can find 'em...

How about you? Come up with any clever ideas?

[Jeff Duncan]

My Uni's are about 33-1/2" high, they work for me, YMMV.


good luck,
JeffD

[Rick Moyer]

Don't know about your Uni, but on my Grizzly I removed the inside dust pan (slopes toward the dust port) and could access the inside of the lower cabinet. If you can do this, you can fasten the cabinet base to your plywood/2X support; either with fasteners or by cutting a pc of ply to fit over the inside lip of the cabinet, and then fasten that to your 2X.


Yeah, that's a tricky one. Yes, I am using a mobile base. I am PLANNING on just putting some 2 1/4 inch wood under the saw (resting inside the mobile base frame) and sitting the saw on that. I don't like the idea of the saw just "resting" on top of the wood, though. Unfortunately, since the saw is pretty much the same size as the inset for the mobile base, I haven't come up with a clever "lip" to "hold" the saw in. Once I come up with it (or get a GREAT suggestion from a fellow Creeker) I then plan to get 2 guys over... 2 to lift the TS, and 1 to slide the wood lifter kit underneath. Of course, whatever I do under the saw, I also have to do under the extension legs...make that 3 guys over... I have beer, I can find 'em...

How about you? Come up with any clever ideas?

[Mike Cruz]

I'll take a look! That sounds promising...

[Gary Herrmann]

With the mobile base, the height of my General is about 35.5". I'm 6'7" so there are times that I wish it was higher, but just haven't gotten around to doing anything about it.

What you need to think about is how you'll use the saw. Are you going to rip hundreds of board feet in a session? Then height is critical, if you have back issues.

Personally, I think jointer height is more critical just because of how many passes you can make on a large project. But I'll admit to a bad back.

Pushing a long board through a TS is somewhat similar to hand planing - it's more legs and back than arms (if you want to do it for hours) - so too high, and you lose leverage. I suggest you build a bench lower than your original estimate and add some layers of ply until you find what is comfortable to you to use repetitively.

[Bill Huber]

I am a little short (5' 8 1/2") and I have my saw set at 37 inches.

On your stand, I made one for my old Craftsman and just used planed 2x4s and dowels (10 in each joint with the DowelMax). The saw was bolted to the plywood

I put a 3/4" plywood top on the stand, I cut a large square hole in the center and made a box to fit in it. The use a 2 inch shop vac for a dust collector.

Look under the saw and you can see the box.

http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/image/82711312

[george wilson]

I saw a small metal turning lathe on a stand only 12" tall. But the past owner was a double amputee!!

[Tom Veatch]

Hi,

I just bought a Bosch GTS 10 (A lot like the 4100 but not exactly). I would like to build a bench for it to sit on.

I think that the best height would be around my waist (the table face), so that I am quite above it when working yet do not have to bend down for it...

What say you? (BTW, same question exactly about a woodworking bench used for hand-planning)

Moshe

Table saw height?
Same as your workbench

Workbench height?
Stand erect, your arm hanging loosely at your side, and your hand turned so that your plam is facing downward parallel to the floor. The height of your workbench should be about the same height off the floor as your palm. Every horizontal work space in my shop - including the table saw, but excepting the assembly table, which is lower - is built to that dimension and is, IMO, the perfect height.

[Jason White]

+1 on temporarily removing the dust pan and bolting the saw to the plywood.

Jason



Don't know about your Uni, but on my Grizzly I removed the inside dust pan (slopes toward the dust port) and could access the inside of the lower cabinet. If you can do this, you can fasten the cabinet base to your plywood/2X support; either with fasteners or by cutting a pc of ply to fit over the inside lip of the cabinet, and then fasten that to your 2X.

[Jason Strauss]

I always thought my Hitachi hybrid TS was a little too high for me (I'm 5'9"), but couldn't adjust the height as the saw's design wouldn't allow it. Last weekend when my new Grizzly 0690 arrived, I got it all set up and was pleased to find that it was about 2" lower than the Hitachi. That doesn't sound like a lot but what a difference it's made. The Griz is at 35 1/2" on its Shopfox mobile base (or about 1" below my belt buckle). I happily disassembled and lowered my outfeed table to match.

For me, being slighly "above" the work surface give me more of a sense of control.

[Scott Schwake]

Yeah, that's a tricky one. Yes, I am using a mobile base. I am PLANNING on just putting some 2 1/4 inch wood under the saw (resting inside the mobile base frame) and sitting the saw on that. I don't like the idea of the saw just "resting" on top of the wood, though. Unfortunately, since the saw is pretty much the same size as the inset for the mobile base, I haven't come up with a clever "lip" to "hold" the saw in. Once I come up with it (or get a GREAT suggestion from a fellow Creeker) I then plan to get 2 guys over... 2 to lift the TS, and 1 to slide the wood lifter kit underneath. Of course, whatever I do under the saw, I also have to do under the extension legs...make that 3 guys over... I have beer, I can find 'em...

How about you? Come up with any clever ideas?

Mike, here's my current thought. I have to make sure the overhang on the top plywood layer doesn't interfere with lowering and raising the wheels on the base.

[Jeff Miller]

Thirty seven inches..................exactly...............;)

Don't ask why, just make it that height.........you will thank me:D




JEFF:cool:

[Mike Cruz]

I like the idea. I had one similar. The major challenge I have is that I like the height of the saw. I need to raise it 2" to be at the right height for my benches. Unfortunately, the metal mobile base sides are 2" deep. So, as soon as I get it high enough, it no longer sits in the mobile base frame. I could easily put a 3/4" sheet of ply over the top of the mobile base (with 2" strips underneath to rest on the corner pieces that the saw normally sits on), but then I am now raising it 2 3/4". But I like the height it is at now, and am hesitant to raise it close to 3". Thanks for the idea, though...

[Tom Veatch]

Thirty seven inches..................exactly...............;)
Don't ask why, just make it that height.........you will thank me:D
JEFF:cool:


The smiley's lead me to think you're not serious with that recommendation. I hope not.

Until everyone has the same height at the shoulder and the same arm length, there will not be a single work surface height that is right for everyone.

[Mike Cruz]

I have a feeling I know why, but I'll keep it to myself. :o :eek:

[Mario Ramos]

Hi Bill,

Could you upload more details of your handmade tablesaw? It's pretty nice and I'm 5' 8 1/2" also ! I hope to build a tablesaw like yours someday.

Best Regards

Mario

[Michael Mahan]

I read that & went WHAT ?/? below for sure
I've jacked up everything machineish in my shop as I got a back that will do everything BUT a slight lean over so my MiniMax MM20 & FS41 are up another 7 to 9" over stock height. My soon to be got SS will also get jacked as well
I had to quit working on hotrods for the same reason

[Rick Potter]

I am 6' these days, and my saw is set at 37 1/2", which is 3 1/2 inches higher than it normally sits.

Rick P