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  1. #1
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    Default Small machinery height?

    Happy 2020 to all here, and many thanks for any wisdom that can be shared!

    I'm in the process of designing some mobile carts to hold various small machines I have in the workshop. I'm looking to build a separate cabinet for each machine so they can all be put at the right height to work on. The machines are:

    Belt Sander (model is a Jet), looks exactly like this: Saber 375W Belt and Disc Sander | Total Tools
    Mortiser: (Powermatic PM 701: Powermatic PM701 Benchtop Mortiser - FineWoodworking
    Drill Press (benchtop Bosch PBD40)
    Mitre Saw (Kapex 120)

    To date, I've only used a couple, and had them temporarily popped up on a temporary workbench, hence I don't have a lot of use/experience to draw on.

    What I am wanting to do is figure out the right/best height to have these machines at. I understand that it's not the base of the machine that needs to be figured out from, rather, it's the working position of the machine (e.g. the belt sander working position is 370mm from the base of the machine).

    In case this is of any help - I know the table saw I have has a height of 870mm. The temporary workbench is around the same height, and this allows me to put my hands flat on the table surface without bending over.

    I would love to hear any input that will assist me in positioning the right height for these machines so I can complete the designs for these cabinets, and thank you for any ideas and input!

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  3. #2
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    Feb 2006
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    Default

    My take on heights is that it should most of all suit the specific individual using the machinery.

    Some examples.
    With a DP I like to be able to easily look down onto the locating mark of the hole about to be drilled. ie I find it's not good having eyes level withe the workpiece so have to to reach up to see the mark.
    Likewise with a mitre saw and like to (if required) be easily able to lock my right arm in an extended position.
    With a belt sander I like to be low enough to be able to be able to apply pressure downwards like a hand plane ( mine is at one end of my 900 mm high workbench but this is too high but I have nowhere else to put it)
    Not really sure about the mortiser but once again vision is important.

    I'd suggest trying them all out on a low bench first and just stack some boards underneath until they feel right.
    Then maybe construct the carts with adjustable height wheels for fine adjustment.

  4. #3
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    The top of the workpiece is best to be somewhere between your hips and your elbow, aiming to be closer to your hips rather than elbow. For me its about 880mm - 940mm.

  5. #4
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    Default Timely Post

    Timely Post, MM. I am going through almost the same thought processes, but silly me never thought of posting.

    Most bench heights are c.900 mm and I had always assumed that this was the ideal or most functional height for most people. Now I am not so sure.

    Back in October I used a friend's drill press and I have now followed his example. I have temporarily relocated my drill press so that it is at "boob height" - the DP table is actually 1250 mm above floor level. My eyes are still above the drilling surface but are close enough that I do not have to squint to see fine lines and I do not have to bend over the table. It is much nicer to use the press at this height, and I think it will become its permanent height.

    Am starting to rethink my approach to other machines as I use them; building up impressions. Still very early days.

    I will be watching this thread with much interest.

  6. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by GraemeCook View Post
    Most bench heights are c.900 mm and I had always assumed that this was the ideal or most functional height for most people. Now I am not so sure.
    Same, but I had some internal doubts myself.

    Quote Originally Posted by GraemeCook View Post
    I have temporarily relocated my drill press so that it is at "boob height" - the DP table is actually 1250 mm above floor level. My eyes are still above the drilling surface but are close enough that I do not have to squint to see fine lines and I do not have to bend over the table. It is much nicer to use the press at this height, and I think it will become its permanent height.

    Am starting to rethink my approach to other machines as I use them; building up impressions. Still very early days.
    I very much liked BobL's idea of sticking the various machines on a bench and raising them up with planks - it's something that I never thought of, and whilst it means I can't design my cabinets immediately, I know it will result in a better end product, so am going to bide my time until I can get some tests set up. The workshop is a work in progress that has been on hold awaiting more progress - i.e. time to make that progress - no power etc for now, but we're picking the ball up again for more in the coming months

    Your setting of a height of 1250mm on a drill press is interesting, that would put it around 150mm above elbow height - not something I'd have thought of "out of the box", but an interesting idea, and I can certainly see benefits in having it at that height - thank you for sharing!

  7. #6
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by GraemeCook View Post
    I have temporarily relocated my drill press so that it is at "boob height" - the DP table is actually 1250 mm above floor level.
    You're either very short, or you should consider a more supportive brassiere.

  8. #7
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    Being that your carts are going to be mobile, this may not necessarily apply, but as most of us are hobbyists we quite often struggle to make do with what space we have. When I am setting things up, wherever possible on machines that have a fixed height working surface, I will try to keep them all at the same height. Then if you are working on a large piece and it extends past the next piece of machinery, it will still have a surface to sit on, without having to find blocks or packers or move a piece of machinery.

  9. #8
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    There is usually (sometimes quite a large) a difference between optimum bench heights and machine working surface heights.

    I knew I wanted my bench tops at more than 900 mm high so I made my first bench with adjustable height feet to determined what I liked and now my two main benches (WW and Assembly) tops are 910 mm high.

    Just be a bit wary of determining DP height based on a nominal table position since it's going to move when different size work pieces and different length bits are used. I also don't like using DPs that are too low so's I have to bend over too far. I worked out the height of mine by putting a short CS bit bit in the chuck and made sure I could comfortably see a marked spot on the work piece I would be drilling. Every drill bit longer than this is easy to see down onto. The net result of this was I made a platform that lifted my DP up off the floor by about 120mm and then I added adjustable height feet the DP base is about 140 mm above the floor and the height to the underside of the chuck is about 1300 mm above the floor.

    The top of the belt of my Belt Sander is 1240 mm above the floor but based on using the BS at the mens shed that is too high by about 300 mm. This would mean making a bench for the sander that is about 600 mm high. The belt sander actually came with a really nice steel framed base that is 650 mm high, but that is outside on the brick paving holding up the horse apparel washing machine. I'd like to have the sander on its stand inside my shed but don't have any space for it.

  10. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by cjbfisher View Post
    You're either very short, or you should consider a more supportive brassiere.

    Neither; They are quite pert.

    Sorry for the delay, but I had to check some measurements. I am 185 cms tall, and nipples are at 1300 mm. Definitely no 50 mm of gravity!

  11. #10
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    Gday mate I went through the same recent thinking.

    One thing I ended up deciding is to make the surface tending to be a bit higher. My reasoning was that it is very hard to raise up a heavy machine or bench, once it is on, and even if you can lift it, you often need something quite bulky.

    But the advantage in erring in making them too high is... you can always raise yourself by standing on a thick safety mat, or standing on something sturdy like a couple of ply panels, or one of those safety steps, to raise yourself a few centimetres and hit an optimum working height (perhaps for something intricate, or to fiddle with something at the top of the machine), with the option of then stepping off for any tasks where you want to be lower (eg where you want to bring more force downwards). On the other hand, you can't lower yourself below the floor!

    Depends on the machine of course, but for me I made my work bench a little higher and I just have a couple of carpet squares underneath (where you can't see), and pull them out to get a few centimetres up when I want to bear down on something or deal with the top of something tall.

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