A few years back, we decided we had too many benches in our shop, so I hired movers to transport and get my “Gluebo” into my basement. (Its weight almost killed us moving it from my former workplace to Lost Art Press in 2017.)
Then we decided we had too few benches, and that we should have a commercial bench on site so that we could try it out and perhaps recommend it to those who didn’t want to (or have time to) make their own bench. (And OK… we did the math, and realized our time was better spent on editing and things other than making a new bench.) So we asked Benchcrafted to make me a 30″-tall version of the 84″-long “Classic” (the standard height is 34″). At 5’6″ (OK…I’m a little shorter these days), 34″ is too high for me to comfortably plane atop for long periods of time – and I spend a fair amount of time at the bench. So I was happy that Benchcrafted agreed.
And it is an excellent bench; we do recommend it – though I wish it were about 2″ wider. (It would be easy to add a piece of maple to the back edge…I just haven’t done it.)
Now we need to move a bench over to our new storefront, so folks have one handy on which to try out Crucible tools (and so that we have one on site for photography). Kale is a couple inches shorter than am I…and I must have had on Birkenstocks the day we measured for that bench height. In my work boots (which I wear about 10 months out of the year), 31″ is a better height. So Kale is taking my Classic, and we have once again begged Benchcrafted to make a custom-height bench for me. We’re moving Kale’s current bench, the Holtzapffel, to the Anthe building
This time, we’re getting the Split-top Roubo, because people ask about it a lot. And having worked on one for only a couple weeks on and off while teaching at the Florida School of Woodworking, I don’t have an informed decision about it. So I’m about to find out.
It’s easier for Benchcrafted to do a run of benches at one time – and they don’t typically do custom. So if anyone else needs a 31″-high bench, get your Split-top Order in ASAP (I’d say by no later than Dec. 11), and send the Benchcrafted guys a note immediately afterword stating that you want the shorter height.
– Fitz
p.s. How do you know the right bench height? The way we figure it is to stand straight and let your arm hang down loosely by your side. Have someone measure the distance from the knuckle joint on your dominant hand’s pinky to the floor. That’s the ideal height for the top of your bench, if you do a lot of handplaning with metal planes; those who use wooden-stock planes might prefer a slightly shorter bench. To raise things to a comfortable height for sawing, I use a twin-screw vise.
p.p.s. We also plan to film a video in 2025 on making the Anarchist’s Workbench at 31″ tall. That one will likely become my bench (unless I fall in love with the split top), then I’ll take home my “petite Roubo” that found its way over here when we were still a bench short. I miss having that one at home. It is white pine – no need to hire movers (which is why we brought it here instead of bringing back the Gluebo). Then we’ll have enough benches for all our classes, and at various heights so that we can more easily match them up to people. Plus, lots of different styles so that folks can try out the different “models.”
I made a Roubo Split Top with hand tools as my first woodworking project. I know know…it came out just fine.
I love the split in the middle which allows you to clamp from the middle of the bench should you choose, or to slide a tool in for storage while it’s in use. But what I don’t love is how stuff drops through the gap when it’s open.
I suspect that I might have the same reaction – but easy enough to drop a solid piece of wood in there, and problem solved (is what I’m thinking)
Just wondering…with all the ergonomic “standing” desks on the market, has anyone thought about building an adjustable height workbench?. I realize that the desks are lighter duty…but there must be some industrial strength gear systems (or hydraulic) in existence that can take a pounding. Might be advantageous to anyone who currently has to reach (or bend) to work on their project, or to a veteran who is wheelchair-bound. Just a thought…
There are lots of options available. I’m not overly fond of any I’ve tried, but if I did get one, it would be this one: http://www.adjustabench.com/shop_cb.asp
The only reason I can think of for needing one would be if I did a lot of carving and wanted to stand while doing it…in which case I’d more likely just make something like this: https://www.finewoodworking.com/2008/03/21/a-benchtop-bench?srsltid=AfmBOopE7-OapZyNZ9CLT_gHLaZ0Q-SjlUkS5oZ8KnARvvd52UQNuqD0
I saw Chuck Bender using an Adjustabench at a woodworking show several years ago and I asked how he liked it. He said it was surprisingly steady and good to work on. I don’t know if he’s had time to form a longer term opinion.
Why don’t you move the plywood glue lam bench to Anthe? It’s the one that would generate the most interest.
Because it’s the one I use at home, and I want to keep it there.
I found that a lower bench was good for long sessions of hand planing but tough on my back for all other hand tool work. Lie Nielsen kindly sent my “boots” to raise my bench. With a rubber pad on the floor, the bench will be 40” and I’m 6 foot tall. It has made life better on my back but if I do more than two or three boards, my shoulders ache from the hand plane work. In a perfect world I’d have three benches of different height like Jim Tolpin has in his awesome shop (YouTube somewhere has a brief tour of it). I don’t have the room for that. What I’m going to do is make a platform for when I need to do longer sessions of hand plane work. Similar idea to what you do but has the default high for joinery work and the temporary fix for hand plane work. And yes, it looks weird being this tall but my back is happy.
My pinky has three knuckles. Do you mean the middle one?
“from the knuckle joint …”
I’m the guy that convinced Jameel that his split-top workbench needed to be at least 29″ high after he gave his first class at Kelly Mehler’s school in 2012. My 28″ bench has a side stretcher that is an obstruction for the vise nut. (Jameel was kind enough to have a special nut made for me.
A 3/4 rim.) I love the bench (I was 5’4½”, now 5’1″ with boots on-spinal scoliosis) but the one problem I find is that the front and back tops are the same width. If I had it to do over again, I would follow Bob Lang’s workbench for the 21st century (course given in 2010-2011 was Chris) and place the split farther from the bench front. Maybe 15″ & 7″. You still have the split for clamping and making a tool rest to fit in the split but a wider work area. I can’t add on to the front of mine because of the leg vise plus CrissCross. Maybe some day I will add to the back section. But you or your followers might want to consider an asymmetric bench top. I did this with the bench I made for our local woodworking club and I liked it although I have never had any of the other members say anything to me about whether they like it or not.