Workbench Question - Adjustable Height?

[Frank Carnevale]

Hi All...So I have finally gotten around to building my workbench. My question is, I have it at a great height for planing (which means I do use hand tools). But, I am wondering if it wouldnt be a bad idea to make it somewhat adjustable. What I am thinking is hinges on each leg with a 5 inch thick block attached. When I need it higher just suffer through lifting one side, kicking the hinge down and under and badaboom, 5 inches taller. Does that make sense and would it work? I realize the bench is heavy but I figure I would do all my planing tasks at once than move to some higher work so I am not constantly putting it up and down. Thoughts?

[Matt Day]

I'm not sure I like the hinge idea; I'd be worried about it's stability and it falling 5" during a saw cut or something. I'd be more inclined to go with threaded rod somehow, or look into a hydraulic workbench lift like they sell at HF (search here for threads on it).

[Mike Nolan]

I use 3 inch loose boards without a hinge for the same purpose. Each board goes beneath a pair of legs. My workbench (and stuff on it) is heavy but it isn't too hard to lift one end a few inches. The raised workbench seems very stable. A hinge would be an improvement but I am already using the space the boards could go into.

[Kenneth Speed]

I've known of guys lifting their workbench and putting it on boxes about 6" tall and I've known someone who made duckboards because their bench was too high.

I had the same problem, sort of, and i solved it by making a not very mini mini bench so I have a two tier bench now. My big bench is just a little too high for planing efficiently but I live with it because it's just about perfect for most other bench top work. The Mini bench has become a great asset for cutting dovetails using the end vise and doing very fine work on the top.

Maybe you should consider making your bench low enough for planing and make a mini bench for the other stuff.

Ken

[Jim Becker]

I use a Noden Adjust-a-Bench and love the ability to be able to set the workbench height for certain tasks where my "standard" height isn't ideal. There are a number of variations on this theme that have been discussed here over the years for shop-built alternatives to a purchased system like Geoff Noden's.

[Jim Matthews]

I would build my bench rock solid for the most common applications, and build an accessory bench to clamp on top for the rare occasions when a higher work height is needed.

I use a Moxxon Vise for that sort of thing, and it's about 8 inches taller than my bench.
With my back, I don't want to wrestle with the trestle...

[Carl Beckett]

The thought of 'lifting' my bench makes my back hurt......

Two benches if possible

If not, the moxon vice brings some things up.

There is a plan here for an adjustable height bench. ( it's been a while and I don't remember who posted, but it's here). But again it's a different style than the monster heavy roubos

[Stephen Cherry]

Maybe something like this would work. You would pull the lever to lift or lower. The levers are tied together with a strut.

241728
EDIT: OOPS- this would need to be thought out more because it would need to rotate 180 degrees to work.

[glenn bradley]

I would build my bench rock solid for the most common applications, and build an accessory bench to clamp on top for the rare occasions when a higher work height is needed.

+1 on Jim's method.

[Jim Neeley]

I have the adjust-a-bench myself but know Rob Cosman has a hinged riser block on each end, which he uses for heavy tasks such as large panels and high-angle planing. HE says it works good for him. One comment he made to me that you may find useful is he cut out a relief between the ends of the block, as it would appear on the natural bench legs (on a trestle base) so only the corners are touching. This will reduce the tendency to rock.

Just my $0,02..

[Frank Carnevale]

Thanks everyone. I decided to build a moxon vise for dovetailing and if necessary, will build a small riser table when I need a taller work area. Appreciate the responses everyone!

[Alan Schaffter]

Since you already built a bench, this won't help, unless you decide to build another one. :)

Here is my adjustable bench. It was easy to build and is pretty rock solid. It adjusts in 1" increments from too low to too high. Here is a link to a video tour of the bench (http://videos.americanwoodworker.com/video/Adjustable-Height-Woodworking-B) that shows it being raised and lowered.

Low:

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/1463/medium/IMG_2931.jpg

High:

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/1463/medium/IMG_2934.jpg

Mechanism:

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/1463/medium/IMG_2955.jpg

[Dave Zellers]

I've kept one eye on this thread hoping that Alan would post his adjustable bench. That thing is incredible. Seriously.

But you know, for those of us that don't have a prayer of ever building something like that, instead of lowering the bench, you can raise the floor. A 2 foot by 4 foot by 3 or 4 inch high movable platform can work wonders.