Whoa! There is a big difference between slicing onions and washing dishes,
and grinding the valves on a engine head. The onions and dishes tend to be
either at or below the height of the countertop, while the head (or other
hunk of metal) is going to wind up at some height above the bench top. So
let's not get carried away with comparisons. Yes, kitchen counters are
almost always too low for average adults (but it is a very simple matter
to merely raise them up a couple of inches when installing them - 2x4's on
edge at the bottom make all the difference). But you might want to think
before raising your benches so high that you have to reach up to work on
some parts. Another problem for us older guys is that bifocals have you
looking down at things that are about where your hands want to be, so you
don't want to have to tilt your head back to look at what you are working
on. I guess my point is that you have to adjust the height of you bench
depending on what kind of work you will be doing, not some general "rule
of thumb". You might want to seriously think about two benches with
different heights for different work, i.e. a high one for rebuilding carbs
and cutting gaskets and a low one for working on transmissions and
engines.
Mike
Dave Williams wrote:
> -> A good workbench should be about the same height as your elbows. if
> -> you're over 4' 6" tall, anything from Sears will cause major back
> -> problems.
>
> I've built benches that high before, but my current ones are a bit
> shorter. All of my benches are taller than the "recommended" height,
> which is evidently adjusted for midgets.
>
> When we remodel the kitchen we're going to move the countertops and
> range up. My wife is only 5'4" and she complains about having to bend
> over the sink; it practically kills my back, it's so low.
>
--
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Mike Sloane
Allamuchy NJ
(msloane@att.net)
<http://home.att.net/~msloane>
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