Pull up a seat and help me with a seated workbench

[Tony Wilkins]

In talking through bench plans on another forum (which some of you are also on) I realized that with my limited ability to stand that a seated bench might be good. The only thing that I can't see really doing seated is planing. I figure I can cut joinery, do most chisel work, and other assorted woodworking I can do as well seated as standing - some of it better given my condition.

So what would a seated bench look like? Form? Change in appliances? Height? etc

TIA,
Tony

[Adam Neat]

Why not just sit at your current bench? Just a matter of getting a seat of the correct height that is comfortable for the task at hand. It can be easier cutting dovetails when the work is closer to eye level , kind of like using a Moxon vise while standing

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I do a lot of work seated at my bench. My bench-top is 31.5" inches from the floor, and I usually sit on my saw bench, which is a smidge over 20 inches tall, I think. Sometimes I pull a stool from the kitchen if I want more height. The key thing that helps me is having places to sort of rest or hook my feet when working, gives me a little more body leverage.

I find I can actually do a fair amount of planing, if the pieces aren't too long, sitting down, if I can secure the work well, but it works better if you can work with a pulling stroke. Before i built my current bench, when I was building guitars on my porch, I did a lot of planing this way with my cheap block plane and jack.

The biggest thing for me is having something a little more amenable to the position of the work - a stanley jack isn't going to be as comfortable to work pulling as a japanese-style plane or even a wooden jack. Sitting down can very well go about changing the angles of your hands and wrists in relation to the work, and you may want a saw with a different hang, or a pull saw, or a gents saw. I know I have one panel saw that works quite well at the bench sitting down for tenons and such, but another that looks almost identical, and is quite uncomfortable for any length of time.

The other big thing for me is finding a way to sit where my arm doesn't interfere with things. If I'm doing something like sawing dovetails sitting down, I sort of need to get over and next to the work, and sort of to the side, so my arm can swing in and out to my right without whacking my side. So I need a fair amount of leg room underneath me, that's the big one.

[Tony Wilkins]

Why not just sit at your current bench? Just a matter of getting a seat of the correct height that is comfortable for the task at hand. It can be easier cutting dovetails when the work is closer to eye level , kind of like using a Moxon vise while standing

I don't really have a current bench. I've been cobbling around on my automotive (metal) bench. I do plan to make myself a Moxon soon.

[Bob Jones]

I sit on a stool at my roubo all the time, but not when using a bench plane. Doing that while sitting would ware a guy out. In that instance I would find someone locally to mill my lumber to size. No shame in that. Another option may be to make things that don't require bench planes. Think about things that are made using a shave horse. All while sitting.

[Ryan Baker]

I also use a stool at my bench often. That works well for many things. Planing would be hard that way, other than small stuff with a block plane. You might want two levels to your bench -- a normal desktop level and something lower that would let you get "over" the work better. Raising the seating height may achieve the same result. It is hard to lower the surface if your legs have to be under it, and working to the side would be difficult. As Bob mentioned, some adaptation of a traditional shave horse may help solve some of those problems.

[Jack Curtis]

+1 on sitting and planing with Japanese planes, works great. I have to be a bit higher for it to work, and it helps to have a sturdy stop; but work it does.

[Rodney Walker]

Traditional benches generally have stretchers on all 4 sides. For a bench made to accommodate seated work, consider more of an "H" or even "X" shaped stretcher layout to give room for your legs under the bench.
What is the main type of work you do? That will have bearing on the type of bench you build as well.
Rodney

[Tony Wilkins]

Traditional benches generally have stretchers on all 4 sides. For a bench made to accommodate seated work, consider more of an "H" or even "X" shaped stretcher layout to give room for your legs under the bench.
What is the main type of work you do? That will have bearing on the type of bench you build as well.
Rodney

I'm really just starting out. I want to build us a new kitchen table (trestle style) and some campaign style furniture for my son. I'd like ultimately to build chairs (Welsh Stick) so a shave horse would work well for that.

I have one small Kana and a couple of Old Street wooden planes (smoother and Jack). I've found that some days the Western style works better and some days the Kana works better depending on how I'm doing.

[Tony Wilkins]

I'm figuring out the top because if I reckon if I get it to function them the base will follow. Sounds reasonable to me at least. Still thinking eventually I'll build a more traditional 'standing' bench for planing.


So here's what I'm thinking are the requirements:
1. the dimensions should be (a) as wide as arms reach by (b) a minimal lean forward to reach for the depth.
2. I'd like the top to be thick enough to use my holdfast so between 2-3 inches (IIRC).
3. dog holes spaced a holdfasts reach along the back and close to each end near the front.


Does it sound like I'm on the right track? Anything you think I should add?


If that works, then I'd need to find out the best base structure to put under it. It would need to have the front open so a lot of the traditional structures won't work.

I'm still thinking if the angled approach would work for what I'm thinking.

[Zach Dillinger]

I just sit on my sawbench when I'm cutting joinery. It works very well and is quite comfortable. My bench is 34" tall.

[Stew Hagerty]

Tony,

I am permanently disabled and confined to a wheelchair. I have had to design my entire workshop to be accessible. However, my workbench is an heirloom passed down to me from my late father-in-law. It is roughly standard height, but the base in inset from the edges which makes it easy for me to roll up to work. It is comfortable to do many things this way but, I am able to transfer to an adjustable height stool when I need to which makes it much easier for me to work when planing or assembling. I'd be happy to talk further about accessibility. Here is a pic of my bench:

245930245931

[Gordon Eyre]

A chair made for sitting at a kitchen counter worked out perfect for me. It was actually one that a grandchild had tipped over and broken the back on. A repair by me and I had a great workbench chair.

[Tony Wilkins]

Thanks Stew, I'm not constantly in a wheelchair but am when I'm too weak to stand. I have a disease similar to MS where my nerves are loosing their insulation. Some days are better than others. One of the draws of hand-tool woodworking (besides the fact I've always wanted to do it) is that I can leave it when I need to (for the most part) and pick it up when I get back. My main goal in design bench, shop, etc is to extend my ability to do the work.

[Jamie Bacon]

Another saw bench sitter here. Height works out nicely for most operations and it's always handy right close to my bench.

[Jim Ritter]

Here is a bench with a seat built right in. It was on another forum and I generally like the bench so I saved the photo.

http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m628/boatman53/16d14cff2f9bbdf1a431e72d2d5b53f5.jpg

[glenn bradley]

Lee Valley sells a Sjoberg that might give you some ideas:

245989

[Chris Vandiver]

Tony,

I am permanently disabled and confined to a wheelchair. I have had to design my entire workshop to be accessible. However, my workbench is an heirloom passed down to me from my late father-in-law. It is roughly standard height, but the base in inset from the edges which makes it easy for me to roll up to work. It is comfortable to do many things this way but, I am able to transfer to an adjustable height stool when I need to which makes it much easier for me to work when planing or assembling. I'd be happy to talk further about accessibility. Here is a pic of my bench:

245930245931

That is a very sweet bench!!

[Mike Olson]

You might want to take a look at my bench build. it has an open front because I intend on building a roll out tool chest which will also be my bench to sit on. The bench is ugly but very stiff and functional
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?189289-2x-Lumber-Bench

[Stew Hagerty]

That is a very sweet bench!!

Thanks Chris.

If you notice in the first photo, I have it against the wall but, I also have it mounted on a mobile base. There are 3 screws holding it solid against the wall (in addition to the brakes on the base) which make the whole thing rock solid. If I need the bench out away from the wall for a large project, all I have to do is remove the 3 screws, unlock the brakes, and the 300+lb bench can be moved with one hand. I used Rockler's All Terrain Mobile Base:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21257&site=ROCKLER

[Stew Hagerty]

Thanks Stew, I'm not constantly in a wheelchair but am when I'm too weak to stand. I have a disease similar to MS where my nerves are loosing their insulation. Some days are better than others. One of the draws of hand-tool woodworking (besides the fact I've always wanted to do it) is that I can leave it when I need to (for the most part) and pick it up when I get back. My main goal in design bench, shop, etc is to extend my ability to do the work.

I started that way myself Tony so I know exactly how you feel. We're probably a lot alike, from a medical standpoint, I have a form of demyelinating neuropathy as well called Transverse Myelitis.

I go out and work when I feel up to it, and stop when I get too worn out. Actually, I was a contractor and always wanted to do woodworking. I just never had the time. Well, now I have plenty of time, even if I don't have the same capabilities as I used to have. Here is a big plus; woodworking is keeping me sane. I was going nuts laying around all the time. A couple years after I got sick, I finally started feeling good enough to want to do something (anything). So, since I already had most of the tools, I organized my garage, built some stands & cabinets, and here I am. These are some of the things I've built in the last 2 years:
246195246201246202246196246197246198246199246200