Bench Height and Back Issues

[Jim Koepke]

I'm with Steve Newman on this one. Using a stool works great for me too when cutting dovetails.

+1 on that, sometimes my dovetails are cut from a bucket seat:

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?226504

jtk

[Phil Mueller]

I’ll venture to say that if you sit at a desk all day long, that that is the main source of your problem, not the few hours at a work bench. Look into a sit/stand desk, get a good ergonomic chair, and set up your desk/keyboard/monitor/lighting following proper ergonomic rules. At your height, I’ll bet your leaning over all day if using a standard height desk.

[lowell holmes]

I would make leg extensions with 3/4" dowel pins in the top, drill 3/4" holes in the legs and raise the bench to a comfortable height.

[Will Blick]

First, sorry bout your back pain... its horrible, it can take the fun out of anything!!

I had horrible back pain for years, so bad, I would give up ww for long stretches, just hated feeling miserable, pills, etc. After years of injections, pills and docs, I went Gluten Free for other reasons, guess what, its been 4 years, zero back pain. Go figure, huh. Not suggesting that is the answer for you, but wanted to share, as nothing beats getting rid of the problem. Of course at my age, if I bend over all day, I can experience a bit of soreness which rarely lasts and I dont even pop a Tylenol, but regardless, even though the worst pain is behind me, I am still cognizant about bending over excessively, we never forget.

At only 6'3", I have all my tops at about 40", even my TS and router table. I also own two Noden benches, and really like em, cause its not just about the height of the top, its about the height of what you are working on. When I am working on taller projects, I lower the Noden bench, what a relief that is. I have work benches as well, they are about 36" for hand planning. So I pick and choose the height based on the task. You got some great advise here. I would agree with others, raise your bench even if temp. to determine if it will give you some relief. If so, then find a way to make that heigh permanent... I know, it requires being on the floor alot, and that sucks at your height...maybe find someone to help you!!

Sure hope you find a solution!

[steven c newman]

A few numbers about my bench....

I am 5'11" tall. Top of the bench is 33-1/2", and comes up to my wrist....

Top of my shop stool is 24"...

Then figure how thick a board is while sitting on my bench's top.

I tend to keep the baseline of dovetails just a hair above the tops of the wooden jaws in my end vise. I have a goose neck light I can sit right over the work....camera doesn't like the lamp's effect on the colours it sees.


maybe set the height of the OP's bench top to about the height of his wrist. Read the book of Sloyd about how to stand and push a plane. I try to use my back leg to push with, and move my legs instead of bending my back...instead of planting my feet, and leaning forward as the plane goes along.
Computer Desk Hutch, top shelf jointed.jpg
However, when something like this needs done, I clamp the edge as high as I can. Board length here is 49", plane is 24".....took 3 steps...one to start the No.8, second near the middle of the length, last to get to the end....Plane weighs in at just under 10 pounds....Much easier to stand me up, back up a couple steps, and have another go at it....wood is Ash.

On shorter stuff,
Computer desk drawers, 31 front clean up.JPG
I tend to stand right about the middle, maybe a tad towards the starting end..
Computer Desk Drawers, 1 side grooved.JPG
Step forward with the left leg, pushing with the right leg, elbow of the right arm is level. Complete the cut, step back and then repeat as needed.
Computer Desk Drawers, 8 sides grooved.JPG
Afternoon's work...had 4 drawer front to groove, as well...

[Tom Bender]

Definitely two benches for different tasks.

[Zach Dillinger]

I'm 6'5" and work at a 34" bench. I use wooden planes pretty much exclusively so, when planing, it is effectively about 36" tall. for closeup benchwork like dovetails, I sit down on a sawbench to do the work. For chopping mortises, I sit on the work on a low bench and work away.