Work bench height?

[Viking357]

I am curious as to what height your reloading or gunsmithing bench is. I have a bad back so I like to have everything at a regular desk height so I can use an office chair. Pictures are welcome.
If this needs to be moved, Moderator please do so.
Thanks

 

[RKRCPA]

I like a workbench that allows my forearms to be parallel to the ground when I am working on something. Since I prefer to sit on a tall stool I sized my bench while sitting on said stool. If I stand it is not overly short for me. I think mine is right at 38" from the ground, short suckers and tall mofo's will need other dimensions.

 

[George P]

i have one height for reloading benches where I sit on a bar stool height chair and another for workshop/gun cleaning where I stand.

IIRC, standard height is ~29" for using a standard height chair (easily verified somewhere on the Net) so go accordingly. One thing to account for is whether or not you'll be using something like a press riser that Dillon or Inline fabrication sells. That might mean lowering the area where the press sits. You want to keep your arms at chest height or below to avoid any shoulder/tendon issues.

 

[Deus Machina]

Why not buy a desk, then?
I'd buy a Craigslist find and bolt a sheet of plywood on top. Save time and money.
And it'd be likely to have shelves or drawers to keep supplies in.

 

[bullseye308]

Depending on if you plan on standing or sitting, the height will vary. Even standing and being 6’3” you will have a different height top from someone 5’2”. You will have to think about how you will load, then determine which height works best for you.

I had a friend have me build him a nice bench to go with a comfy stool he had, and about 3 months later the stool broke. He couldn’t find anything that was comfy and close enough to the height he needed, so we shortened the legs of his bench to fit the new stool.

At my height I built a bench that I’m comfortable using with common height stools and standing and there was only about 1.5” difference between the two so I split the difference and it works for me. I load more standing than I do sitting, and have 1.5” of foam to stand on when I load.

Not trying to be difficult, but everyone is different and has different comfort zones. Stand next to a wall and hold your hands at a comfortable working height. Mark that spot and measure how high it is. Probably the easiest way to do it.

 

[Speedo66]

As mentioned, it's the bench to stool to person height that's important, differs for us all.

The available bench I was using was a little high, using a regular chair I was getting shoulder pains reaching up. Got a higher stool, and not only did the pain disappear, but I was getting more leverage.

 

[reloaded_in_pa]

Mine is 36". I use an office chair and it's the perfect height for me and the boys. My wife says it's too high for her.

 

[samtron]

Mine is 49 inches tall, I stand or use a barstool

 

[TimRB]

Two rules of thumb I have read: for a mechanic's/general purpose bench, the bench should put the top of your vise at elbow height. A woodworker's bench should have the vise top at wrist height. YMMV

Tim

 

[herrwalther]

My workbench is tall enough so I can comfortably work on something while sitting or standing. I can also put a laptop on the empty space if I need to use it for something. 35 inches tall. I can mount my vice or my reloading press depending on what work I am doing that day.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I like 34" +/- for standing and sitting at a work-bench stool. 29" for sitting like reloading. I don't like re-loading standing or on bench/barstools.

I used to use old oak teachers' desks for reloading with a rolling, back-less stool. That was a great setup but I ended up long-term loaning both desks to family members for covidiocy home officing.



Todd.

 

[Viking357]

Thanks for all the feedback.!

 

[Bacon buster]

Waist high

 

[BigBlue 94]

40" I believe. Bar stool height. Its my reloading and gunsmithing bench.

 

[mjsdwash]

33-36 is pretty standard for framing, by the time you top it, it gets higher. My personal suggestion for a reloading bench, and yes i do it, and yes it looks trashy... Go to a junkyard, and get some seats from a luxury car, or the rear row from a minivan or suburban, frame that to a comfortable height, and build a bench to match the height.

Car furniture is much more durable, and usually more comfortable, especially if your sitting a while. It also is much more upright, and weighs less, and therefore easy to move out of the way than traditional comfortable Charis.

I have a bench approximately 35" and a chair about 20", and this allows me to comfortably run a loadmaster, looking into each case before seating a bullet, and to run a Lee 4 hole for about two hours comfortably.

 

[BigBlue 94]

33-36 is pretty standard for framing, by the time you top it, it gets higher. My personal suggestion for a reloading bench, and yes i do it, and yes it looks trashy... Go to a junkyard, and get some seats from a luxury car, or the rear row from a minivan or suburban, frame that to a comfortable height, and build a bench to match the height.

Car furniture is much more durable, and usually more comfortable, especially if your sitting a while. It also is much more upright, and weighs less, and therefore easy to move out of the way than traditional comfortable Charis.

I have a bench approximately 35" and a chair about 20", and this allows me to comfortably run a loadmaster, looking into each case before seating a bullet, and to run a Lee 4 hole for about two hours comfortably.

I concur! I sit in a chair made from one of my old Bronco bucket seats. Super comfy

 

[doubleh]

Since there is a large oak desk just across the room from me I measured it and it's top is 31 1/2" above the floor.

 

[KeeperOfScrolls]

I enjoy being comfortable while reloading, and working on any of the blasters. With my press, I can operate it whilst standing, but I do have a stool that sits high enough to operate it very comfortably as well, which is what I use 98% of the time. The side that I clean the blasters and work on them is a more normal height for sitting down, and comfortably at the bench similarly to normal desk with leg room, which is important to me. I have a center table in my gun/reloading room that I primarily do the most of my work on as it's accessible from all sides -- I never knew I'd like a center table so much until I set a temporary one up while I was building my bench, and then built a center table to replace the temporary one. I'm perhaps a bit lazy about it, but I can really get going on my reloads and such when I'm comfortable, and don't need to move or set anything up.

 

[jmorris]

I too use a chair in my reloading room, unfortunately presses are all over the place as to height. So a bench that might be right for one press is too high or low for others. Even the same brand of press, just a different model. I use an adjustable chair that I can raise and lower to put the handle in the location I want relative to my shoulder. So with something like one of the 1050’s or the co-ax I might be up almost as high as the chair goes, then something like a little Lee, I might be down towards the bottom of its range. I made my reloading bench height so it covered the range and when I roll it to the opposite side of the room, to the work bench, the right height is in the middle of its range.

All of that is specific to my body and equipment so there is no right number of inches really.

 

[GBExpat]

I am curious as to what height your reloading or gunsmithing bench is. ...

The first bench that I built here has a 37½" high top. It is 8' wide and 32" deep and is setup for both reloading and 'smithing. Barstool-height is required for seated press-action.

7-8 years ago I added an additional, standing-height "island" bench to the area; 43½" high, 48" wide and 35" deep.

Both polyurethane-finished tops are made of 2 pieces of ¾" plyboard, glued & screwed.

 

[daniel craig]

I like a workbench that allows my forearms to be parallel to the ground when I am working on something. Since I prefer to sit on a tall stool I sized my bench while sitting on said stool. If I stand it is not overly short for me. I think mine is right at 38" from the ground, short suckers and tall mofo's will need other dimensions.

This is generally the recommended height. At my last job we had standing desks. Each came with instructions saying that the height should be such that your forearm is parallel to the ground.

If you like office desk height maybe you can find a big sturdy one at good will or the the ReStore and use that?

 

[swg1]

Depends on the task and whether I'm sitting or standing.

One dimension I am particular about is when I'm running any of my reloading presses. The chair/stool height relative to the mounted press is such that I do not bend over on the down stroke of the press, the full arc of the press handle can be controlled with me sitting up straight. And since I'm literally built like a chimp, long trunk, short legs-- any dimensions that work for me are meaningless to most everyone else.

One bench height standard to start with is how high are your kitchen counters. Work from there.

 

[12Bravo20]

Mine is 34" high. I can sit comfortably on a stool with 24" seat height or stand and work if I want.

 

[earlthegoat2]

This won’t answer your question but it will give some points to ponder on the difficulty of selecting a bench height for any given task. I know my own anatomy quite well and I still have difficulty with it.

So, I work at a bench or various benches everyday. I have read 4 books on woodworking bench building. I have personally built 17 workbenches for myself and others out of wood and/or welded steel. I have experimented with different heights for woodworking, metalworking, drawing, reading, reloading, leatherworkimg, wood carving, upholstery, sharpening with stones, sharpening with a Tormek, ad nauseam.

The answer is....it depends.....for any and every different task you use a bench for. For example, my woodworking bench is 33”. My metalworking bench is 35”. I leather work at my wife’s upholstery bench which is 37”. I reload at the woodworking bench but I sit on an adjustable stool.

I sharpen chainsaws with a file on the metal working bench but when I sharpen with a chain grinder I mount my grinder so the chain is at the same height as my chin with a shop made riser I clamp to the metal bench.

There are many variables affecting what will be most ergonomic. Your height, the ratio of your arm length to the rest of your body. How long your upper arm is compared to your lower arm. The same with your upper and lower legs as well as the length of your legs compared to your torso. Whether you will be sitting or standing. Some of these variables can be manipulated such as with an adjustable stool.