I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.

On 1/26/2021 3:31 PM, knuttle wrote:
On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at
the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new
homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is
not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might
not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
Â*For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.



Ask her what height she wants. She likely just needs something to open
paint cans and or simple tasks like that.
Different difficult tasks require different heights. I prefer taller
for assembly, shorter for hand work.

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:36:00 PM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 1/26/2021 3:31 PM, knuttle wrote:
On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at
the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new
homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is
not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might
not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.

Ask her what height she wants. She likely just needs something to open
paint cans and or simple tasks like that.

Asking her what height she wants would be like asking a new driver what size
engine they want. ;-)

Never having had a workbench before and never having done much DIY (previously
lived in rental properties) she's not really going to know what height her workbench
should be. A year from now, maybe, but not yet.

Different difficult tasks require different heights. I prefer taller
for assembly, shorter for hand work.

But how short? Is your hand work station at wrist level?

And yes, it's for opening paint cans, maybe staining a shelf kit, polishing the
antique brass & glass door knobs we just picked up at an architectural salvage
place, etc.

Sounds like "general work" which leads to the "wrist height" standard.

My shop workbench is about 4" higher than my wrist but I also have a large
work area/defacto assembly table in the main part of the basement that
is at my wrist height, but not because of any plan. That just happens to be
the height of a 2 x 4 stiffened sheet of 3/4 plywood on saw horses. ;-)

I stood at both of them today, trying to decide if I would rather work at the wrist
height table vs. the taller workbench, but after 35 years of using the workbench,
it's a tough call. I'll have to play around a bit more.

BTW with my daughter's wrists at 27", that would be a very short work bench
for anyone else. I'm 5'4", her boyfriend is at least 5'9". Maybe I'll build it at 30"
and see if she likes it. This one is just going to be a basic 2 x 4 bench so she
(and I) will have something to use. It can be made shorter quite easily. I plan to
build her a nicer one, but she (we) need something now.

On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 14:31:30 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:36:00 PM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 1/26/2021 3:31 PM, knuttle wrote:
On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at
the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new
homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is
not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might
not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.

Ask her what height she wants. She likely just needs something to open
paint cans and or simple tasks like that.

Asking her what height she wants would be like asking a new driver what size
engine they want. ;-)

TNew driver? hat's easy. *BIG*

Never having had a workbench before and never having done much DIY (previously
lived in rental properties) she's not really going to know what height her workbench
should be. A year from now, maybe, but not yet.

Make it so that it can be easily modified. For general purpose, I
kinda like table height (~29")
Different difficult tasks require different heights. I prefer taller
for assembly, shorter for hand work.

But how short? Is your hand work station at wrist level?

a few inches below elbow? Think of a god planing height.

And yes, it's for opening paint cans, maybe staining a shelf kit, polishing the
antique brass & glass door knobs we just picked up at an architectural salvage
place, etc.

I like mine higher, then I have a drafting chair to sit in. It saves
the legs. I probably should get some rubber mats.

Sounds like "general work" which leads to the "wrist height" standard.

Seems low to me.

My shop workbench is about 4" higher than my wrist but I also have a large
work area/defacto assembly table in the main part of the basement that
is at my wrist height, but not because of any plan. That just happens to be
the height of a 2 x 4 stiffened sheet of 3/4 plywood on saw horses. ;-)

I stood at both of them today, trying to decide if I would rather work at the wrist
height table vs. the taller workbench, but after 35 years of using the workbench,
it's a tough call. I'll have to play around a bit more.

BTW with my daughter's wrists at 27", that would be a very short work bench
for anyone else. I'm 5'4", her boyfriend is at least 5'9". Maybe I'll build it at 30"
and see if she likes it. This one is just going to be a basic 2 x 4 bench so she
(and I) will have something to use. It can be made shorter quite easily. I plan to
build her a nicer one, but she (we) need something now.

Makes sense. It's easier to 2x4s shorter than longer.

On 1/26/2021 4:31 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:36:00 PM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 1/26/2021 3:31 PM, knuttle wrote:
On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at
the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new
homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is
not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might
not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.

Ask her what height she wants. She likely just needs something to open
paint cans and or simple tasks like that.

Asking her what height she wants would be like asking a new driver what size
engine they want. ;-)

Never having had a workbench before and never having done much DIY (previously
lived in rental properties) she's not really going to know what height her workbench
should be. A year from now, maybe, but not yet.

Different difficult tasks require different heights. I prefer taller
for assembly, shorter for hand work.

But how short? Is your hand work station at wrist level?

I do not know. I would not know even if I were considering building
another bench. The Paulk work bench wooed be too high, for me, for hand
work. But it is great at everything else.

And yes, it's for opening paint cans, maybe staining a shelf kit, polishing the
antique brass & glass door knobs we just picked up at an architectural salvage
place, etc.

Then go TS height. A good compromise.



Sounds like "general work" which leads to the "wrist height" standard.

I don't think wrist height will even come into play unless she will be
using a hand plane and or chisels. Staining will be all different
heights so no height will be correct or incorrect.



My shop workbench is about 4" higher than my wrist but I also have a large
work area/defacto assembly table in the main part of the basement that
is at my wrist height, but not because of any plan. That just happens to be
the height of a 2 x 4 stiffened sheet of 3/4 plywood on saw horses. ;-)

I stood at both of them today, trying to decide if I would rather work at the wrist
height table vs. the taller workbench, but after 35 years of using the workbench,
it's a tough call. I'll have to play around a bit more.

BTW with my daughter's wrists at 27", that would be a very short work bench
for anyone else. I'm 5'4", her boyfriend is at least 5'9". Maybe I'll build it at 30"
and see if she likes it. This one is just going to be a basic 2 x 4 bench so she
(and I) will have something to use. It can be made shorter quite easily. I plan to
build her a nicer one, but she (we) need something now.

So 30" is dinner table height. Test there. 36" is kitchen counter
height, and test there.

On 1/27/2021 11:43 AM, Leon wrote:

I don't think wrist height will even come into play unless she will be
using a hand plane and or chisels.Â* Staining will be all different
heights so no height will be correct or incorrect.

Everything has a different ideal height, so the only perfect height is
an adjustable one. Finishing kitchen cabs is not the same as finishing a
mantle clock. If you don't want "perfect" for each task, then the best
imo is table saw height.

So 30" is dinner table height.Â* Test there.Â* 36" is kitchen counter
height, and test there.

All my bench's are a tad under 37". When I built my main work bench in
1975, I built it the same height as my Table saw for use as an in-feed
table. Years later I moved into another house, and it had a "bench"
around the walls of half the shop. The height was slightly under
37",perfect for a "wing" extension support on my Tsaw. A few years later
my kids bought me a steel 13 drawer mechanics work bench with a maple
top. It is just under 37", perfect for my Tsaw out feed table.

Other than my original workbench, this height was totally unplanned, but
works fine for me.This to me means the people building my steel
mechanics bench, and the guy that built the wood "bench" around the
walls of my garage, and the guy that built my original tsaw bench were
ALL uncannily on the same page.

The correct answer to me then is the same height as her table saw. Also,
the standard height of a kitchen counter is 36". That would also be the
correct height for a workbench unless the person has special
circumstances, as in project specific or other issues like wheel chair,
or super short/tall person, or of course owns a tsaw.

--
Jack
Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.

On 1/26/2021 4:31 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:36:00 PM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 1/26/2021 3:31 PM, knuttle wrote:
On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at
the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new
homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is
not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might
not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.

Ask her what height she wants. She likely just needs something to open
paint cans and or simple tasks like that.

Asking her what height she wants would be like asking a new driver what size
engine they want. ;-)

Never having had a workbench before and never having done much DIY (previously
lived in rental properties) she's not really going to know what height her workbench
should be. A year from now, maybe, but not yet.

Different difficult tasks require different heights. I prefer taller
for assembly, shorter for hand work.

But how short? Is your hand work station at wrist level?

And yes, it's for opening paint cans, maybe staining a shelf kit, polishing the
antique brass & glass door knobs we just picked up at an architectural salvage
place, etc.

Sounds like "general work" which leads to the "wrist height" standard.

My shop workbench is about 4" higher than my wrist but I also have a large
work area/defacto assembly table in the main part of the basement that
is at my wrist height, but not because of any plan. That just happens to be
the height of a 2 x 4 stiffened sheet of 3/4 plywood on saw horses. ;-)

I stood at both of them today, trying to decide if I would rather work at the wrist
height table vs. the taller workbench, but after 35 years of using the workbench,
it's a tough call. I'll have to play around a bit more.

BTW with my daughter's wrists at 27", that would be a very short work bench
for anyone else. I'm 5'4", her boyfriend is at least 5'9". Maybe I'll build it at 30"
and see if she likes it. This one is just going to be a basic 2 x 4 bench so she
(and I) will have something to use. It can be made shorter quite easily. I plan to
build her a nicer one, but she (we) need something now.


Have you considered making the legs adjustable?

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:31:27 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.

That's nice to know, but it doesn't address the "proper height of a workbench"
question nor does it even remotely apply to the situation I asked about.

DerbyDad03 wrote:

[...]

That's nice to know, but it doesn't address the "proper height of a workbench"
question nor does it even remotely apply to the situation I asked about.

In the spirit of "not even remotely applying to your situation"

Roy & the Schwarz offer a height alternative with the Low Roman workbench:
https://www.pbs.org/video/woodwrights-shop-roman-work-bench/

A short treatise:
https://lostartpress.files.wordpress.com/2019/07/roman-workbenches-1.pdf

A Sculptors Version of the Low Roman Workbench
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vc9D0WAX7o

On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:31:16 -0500, knuttle
wrote:

On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.

I would talk to the person and find out if she had any preferences and
any other considerations or pet peeves. Also when you say "general
purpose" that can cover a lot of territory. What does she actually
envision herself doing with it?

If you need a starting point ask her about the heights of the kitchen
counters and the dining room table. Are they "just right" or "a
little high" or "a little low" or is it "whatever beeping MORON
designed this beeping kitchen needs to be horsewhipped"?

On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 19:13:03 -0500, J. Clarke
wrote:

On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:31:16 -0500, knuttle
wrote:

On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.

I would talk to the person and find out if she had any preferences and
any other considerations or pet peeves. Also when you say "general
purpose" that can cover a lot of territory. What does she actually
envision herself doing with it?

If you need a starting point ask her about the heights of the kitchen
counters and the dining room table. Are they "just right" or "a
little high" or "a little low" or is it "whatever beeping MORON
designed this beeping kitchen needs to be horsewhipped"?


+ 1

It seems like a personal preference and task-related thing -
rather than a rule-of-thumb.
Sitting or standing at the bench is another variable ..
some people are not comfortable sitting on a tall stool.
John T.

Check out this adjustable height headboard, noting the T nuts 2" apart. Make each work bench leg using two boards connected by T nuts and bolts. Three 3/8" nut/blots per leg should be plenty strong for any work bench. .... Or some similar build.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/438361...in/photostream

Sonny

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 7:13:07 PM UTC-5, J. Clarke wrote:
On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:31:16 -0500, knuttle
wrote:

On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.
I would talk to the person and find out if she had any preferences and
any other considerations or pet peeves. Also when you say "general
purpose" that can cover a lot of territory. What does she actually
envision herself doing with it?


I can pretty much tell you that she doesn't have a vision. She didn't
even know that she needed a workbench until I asked her where she
wanted me to put it.

It's my 30-ish YO daughter. She just bought her first house. She had
mentioned getting some shelving units so she could get her stuff
off the basement floor. I said "Just make sure you leave room for a
workbench. You currently have no place to open a can a paint or stain
a shelf or anything like that." She's more of a bookworm than a DIY'er
so the idea of workbench just wasn't something she has even considered.

On the other hand, there's a lot of work to do at the house and *I* need
a place to work when I'm there. It's 2.5 hours away, so it's going to be
a weekend here and there.

If you need a starting point ask her about the heights of the kitchen
counters and the dining room table. Are they "just right" or "a
little high" or "a little low" or is it "whatever beeping MORON
designed this beeping kitchen needs to be horsewhipped"?

I've decided to throw together a basic 2 x 4 workbench to get her
started. She's 5' -1". I'm going with about 31". Easy enough to make
it taller or shorter once she's had a chance to use it. I just finished
cutting all the pieces, creating sort of a kit. Eventually, if it makes
sense, I'll built her a nicer one, with drawers, etc. She'll have to prove
that she deserves it by beating this one up. ;-)

I'll toss it together Friday night so it'll be available for my weekend
projects:

- Install the drawers I made for her kitchen base cabinets.
- Install a garbage disposal
- Replace some beat-up receptacles with new ones.
- Whatever else she has on her list, if I have time.

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 10:48:45 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 7:13:07 PM UTC-5, J. Clarke wrote:
On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:31:16 -0500, knuttle
wrote:

On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.
I would talk to the person and find out if she had any preferences and
any other considerations or pet peeves. Also when you say "general
purpose" that can cover a lot of territory. What does she actually
envision herself doing with it?

I can pretty much tell you that she doesn't have a vision. She didn't
even know that she needed a workbench until I asked her where she
wanted me to put it.

It's my 30-ish YO daughter. She just bought her first house. She had
mentioned getting some shelving units so she could get her stuff
off the basement floor. I said "Just make sure you leave room for a
workbench. You currently have no place to open a can a paint or stain
a shelf or anything like that." She's more of a bookworm than a DIY'er
so the idea of workbench just wasn't something she has even considered.

On the other hand, there's a lot of work to do at the house and *I* need
a place to work when I'm there. It's 2.5 hours away, so it's going to be
a weekend here and there.
If you need a starting point ask her about the heights of the kitchen
counters and the dining room table. Are they "just right" or "a
little high" or "a little low" or is it "whatever beeping MORON
designed this beeping kitchen needs to be horsewhipped"?
I've decided to throw together a basic 2 x 4 workbench to get her
started. She's 5' -1". I'm going with about 31". Easy enough to make
it taller or shorter once she's had a chance to use it. I just finished
cutting all the pieces, creating sort of a kit. Eventually, if it makes
sense, I'll built her a nicer one, with drawers, etc. She'll have to prove
that she deserves it by beating this one up. ;-)

I'll toss it together Friday night so it'll be available for my weekend
projects:

- Install the drawers I made for her kitchen base cabinets.
- Install a garbage disposal
- Replace some beat-up receptacles with new ones.
- Whatever else she has on her list, if I have time.

Scratch this:

I'll toss it together Friday night so it'll be available for my weekend
projects.

Change it to this:

She and I will toss it together Friday night so it'll be available for my
weekend projects:

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 9:48:45 PM UTC-6, DerbyDad03 wrote:

- Install the drawers I made for her kitchen base cabinets.
- Install a garbage disposal
- Replace some beat-up receptacles with new ones.
- Whatever else she has on her list, if I have time.

Installing drawers in kitchen cabinets is done at the drawer height of the kitchen cabinets. About 30" high. Garbage disposals are installed laying on your back underneath the sink cabinet with your hands reaching up to the underside of the sink. About 20" high. Electrical receptacles are about 12" high in the wall. You always install those in the wall. Generally you are down on one knee working. Some outlets are up at counter height. About 40" high above the countertop. To be honest, all you are talking about are tables in the basement. Just buy some heavy duty folding tables and set them up.

Woodworking benches are different than tables. Tables are what you are needing. Woodworking benches have vises and are made to assemble and work on wood. Power or hand tools. Vises on the bench to hold wood. I have a tall woodworking bench. Its great for most things. But is really too high for hand planing. It has vises at both ends.

The idea of asking about the dining table height and the kitchen counter height being correct is good.

On Wed, 27 Jan 2021 11:58:48 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 9:48:45 PM UTC-6, DerbyDad03 wrote:

- Install the drawers I made for her kitchen base cabinets.
- Install a garbage disposal
- Replace some beat-up receptacles with new ones.
- Whatever else she has on her list, if I have time.

Installing drawers in kitchen cabinets is done at the drawer height of the kitchen cabinets. About 30" high. Garbage disposals are installed laying on your back underneath the sink cabinet with your hands reaching up to the underside of the sink. About 20" high. Electrical receptacles are about 12" high in the wall. You always install those in the wall. Generally you are down on one knee working. Some outlets are up at counter height. About 40" high above the countertop. To be honest, all you are talking about are tables in the basement. Just buy some heavy duty folding tables and set them up.

Woodworking benches are different than tables. Tables are what you are needing. Woodworking benches have vises and are made to assemble and work on wood. Power or hand tools. Vises on the bench to hold wood. I have a tall woodworking bench. Its great for most things. But is really too high for hand planing. It has vises at both ends.

If one is looking to buy a bench, for the price you can't do better
than these, IMO:

https://www.samsclub.com/p/height-adj-workbench-ultrahd/prod22651720?xid=pdp_carousel_rich-relevance.rr0_1
https://www.samsclub.com/p/workbench-height-adjustable/prod21252021?xid=plp_product_3
https://www.samsclub.com/p/72-inch-workbench-height-adjustable/prod22000197?xid=pdp_carousel_rich-relevance.rr0_4


The idea of asking about the dining table height and the kitchen counter height being correct is good.

On Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 2:58:51 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 9:48:45 PM UTC-6, DerbyDad03 wrote:

- Install the drawers I made for her kitchen base cabinets.
- Install a garbage disposal
- Replace some beat-up receptacles with new ones.
- Whatever else she has on her list, if I have time.
Installing drawers in kitchen cabinets is done at the drawer height of the kitchen cabinets. About 30" high.

Installing slides is done on a workbench. It's nice to have a solid, dedicated spot to work.
Maybe like a workbench.

Garbage disposals are installed laying on your back underneath the sink cabinet with your hands
reaching up to the underside of the sink. About 20" high.

Attaching the cord for the garbage disposal can be done on a workbench. Cutting pipes for the drains can be
done on a workbench. It's nice to have a solid, dedicated spot to work. Maybe like a workbench.

Electrical receptacles are about 12" high in the wall. You always install those in the wall.

Really? *Always*? Ever heard of surface mount wiring? Boxes and tracks that need to be cut? See: "workbench".

Generally you are down on one knee working. Some outlets are up at counter height. About 40" high above the countertop.

Some receptacles (this one) are under sinks. Some of them (this one) are surface mounted and will need to be
tapped into for a switch.

https://i.imgur.com/6Ro7gHB.jpg

To be honest, all you are talking about are tables in the basement. Just buy some heavy duty folding tables and set them up.

No, I'm not talking about tables in the basement, you are.

I'm talking about a workbench. A workbench that will have a vise. A workbench that will have a sturdy work surface and a lower shelf
for storage. A workbench that can be hammered on, sawn on, soldered on, drilled on. A workbench with a peg board back for hand
tools, rolls of tape, etc. A workbench that will have a power strip for power tools and other items that need electricity.

You know, a bench upon which work will be done.

Woodworking benches are different than tables.

No ****.

Tables are what you are needing.

Already addressed.

Woodworking benches have vises and are made to assemble and work on wood. Power or hand tools. Vises on the bench to hold
wood. I have a tall woodworking bench. Its great for most things. But is really too high for hand planing. It has vises at both ends.

Why are you telling me this? Show me where I used the words "woodworking bench".


The idea of asking about the dining table height and the kitchen counter height being correct is good.

Well, at least you got one thing right.

On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 19:48:42 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 7:13:07 PM UTC-5, J. Clarke wrote:
On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:31:16 -0500, knuttle
wrote:

On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.
I would talk to the person and find out if she had any preferences and
any other considerations or pet peeves. Also when you say "general
purpose" that can cover a lot of territory. What does she actually
envision herself doing with it?


I can pretty much tell you that she doesn't have a vision. She didn't
even know that she needed a workbench until I asked her where she
wanted me to put it.

It's my 30-ish YO daughter. She just bought her first house. She had
mentioned getting some shelving units so she could get her stuff
off the basement floor. I said "Just make sure you leave room for a
workbench. You currently have no place to open a can a paint or stain
a shelf or anything like that." She's more of a bookworm than a DIY'er
so the idea of workbench just wasn't something she has even considered.

On the other hand, there's a lot of work to do at the house and *I* need
a place to work when I'm there. It's 2.5 hours away, so it's going to be
a weekend here and there.

If you need a starting point ask her about the heights of the kitchen
counters and the dining room table. Are they "just right" or "a
little high" or "a little low" or is it "whatever beeping MORON
designed this beeping kitchen needs to be horsewhipped"?

I've decided to throw together a basic 2 x 4 workbench to get her
started. She's 5' -1". I'm going with about 31". Easy enough to make
it taller or shorter once she's had a chance to use it. I just finished
cutting all the pieces, creating sort of a kit. Eventually, if it makes
sense, I'll built her a nicer one, with drawers, etc. She'll have to prove
that she deserves it by beating this one up. ;-)

I'll toss it together Friday night so it'll be available for my weekend
projects:

- Install the drawers I made for her kitchen base cabinets.
- Install a garbage disposal
- Replace some beat-up receptacles with new ones.
- Whatever else she has on her list, if I have time.

That sounds familiar ;-)

However, that daughter has now progressed to diagnosing and replacing
a bad pump in the dishwasher and retubing the fluorescent fixture in
the kitchen with LED "bulbs". I did install the gas logs in the
fireplace in place of the gas lighter but that's an advanced project
for a lot of DIY people.

On Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 6:12:01 PM UTC-5, ads wrote:
On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 19:48:42 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 7:13:07 PM UTC-5, J. Clarke wrote:
On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:31:16 -0500, knuttle
wrote:

On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.
I would talk to the person and find out if she had any preferences and
any other considerations or pet peeves. Also when you say "general
purpose" that can cover a lot of territory. What does she actually
envision herself doing with it?


I can pretty much tell you that she doesn't have a vision. She didn't
even know that she needed a workbench until I asked her where she
wanted me to put it.

It's my 30-ish YO daughter. She just bought her first house. She had
mentioned getting some shelving units so she could get her stuff
off the basement floor. I said "Just make sure you leave room for a
workbench. You currently have no place to open a can a paint or stain
a shelf or anything like that." She's more of a bookworm than a DIY'er
so the idea of workbench just wasn't something she has even considered.

On the other hand, there's a lot of work to do at the house and *I* need
a place to work when I'm there. It's 2.5 hours away, so it's going to be
a weekend here and there.

If you need a starting point ask her about the heights of the kitchen
counters and the dining room table. Are they "just right" or "a
little high" or "a little low" or is it "whatever beeping MORON
designed this beeping kitchen needs to be horsewhipped"?

I've decided to throw together a basic 2 x 4 workbench to get her
started. She's 5' -1". I'm going with about 31". Easy enough to make
it taller or shorter once she's had a chance to use it. I just finished
cutting all the pieces, creating sort of a kit. Eventually, if it makes
sense, I'll built her a nicer one, with drawers, etc. She'll have to prove
that she deserves it by beating this one up. ;-)

I'll toss it together Friday night so it'll be available for my weekend
projects:

- Install the drawers I made for her kitchen base cabinets.
- Install a garbage disposal
- Replace some beat-up receptacles with new ones.
- Whatever else she has on her list, if I have time.
That sounds familiar ;-)

However, that daughter has now progressed to diagnosing and replacing
a bad pump in the dishwasher and retubing the fluorescent fixture in
the kitchen with LED "bulbs". I did install the gas logs in the
fireplace in place of the gas lighter but that's an advanced project
for a lot of DIY people.

Good for her!

That's kind of the point of all this. If I (we) build a workbench, she'll
have a spot ready made when the urge hits her to build or fix something.

If she has to work in the kitchen or dining room or on a rickety table in the
basement, constantly pulling tools out of the tool bag she has now, it won't
be as much fun and may not even get done. However, if she has a sturdy,
dedicated spot for her tools, both hand and power; a spot that doesn't have
to be cleaned up immediately; a spot where she doesn't have to have to
worry about damaging the *spot*, she may someday become a DIY'er
like your daughter.

On Wed, 27 Jan 2021 18:11:54 -0500, ads wrote:

On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 19:48:42 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 7:13:07 PM UTC-5, J. Clarke wrote:
On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:31:16 -0500, knuttle
wrote:

On 1/26/2021 4:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

I made my work bench on wheels, and the same height as my table saw.

This permits me to use the workbench as an extention table for the saw.
For ripping it is an out feed table, and moves around the saw as I
work on different things and make differenct cuts.
I would talk to the person and find out if she had any preferences and
any other considerations or pet peeves. Also when you say "general
purpose" that can cover a lot of territory. What does she actually
envision herself doing with it?


I can pretty much tell you that she doesn't have a vision. She didn't
even know that she needed a workbench until I asked her where she
wanted me to put it.

It's my 30-ish YO daughter. She just bought her first house. She had
mentioned getting some shelving units so she could get her stuff
off the basement floor. I said "Just make sure you leave room for a
workbench. You currently have no place to open a can a paint or stain
a shelf or anything like that." She's more of a bookworm than a DIY'er
so the idea of workbench just wasn't something she has even considered.

On the other hand, there's a lot of work to do at the house and *I* need
a place to work when I'm there. It's 2.5 hours away, so it's going to be
a weekend here and there.

If you need a starting point ask her about the heights of the kitchen
counters and the dining room table. Are they "just right" or "a
little high" or "a little low" or is it "whatever beeping MORON
designed this beeping kitchen needs to be horsewhipped"?

I've decided to throw together a basic 2 x 4 workbench to get her
started. She's 5' -1". I'm going with about 31". Easy enough to make
it taller or shorter once she's had a chance to use it. I just finished
cutting all the pieces, creating sort of a kit. Eventually, if it makes
sense, I'll built her a nicer one, with drawers, etc. She'll have to prove
that she deserves it by beating this one up. ;-)

I'll toss it together Friday night so it'll be available for my weekend
projects:

- Install the drawers I made for her kitchen base cabinets.
- Install a garbage disposal
- Replace some beat-up receptacles with new ones.
- Whatever else she has on her list, if I have time.

That sounds familiar ;-)

However, that daughter has now progressed to diagnosing and replacing
a bad pump in the dishwasher and retubing the fluorescent fixture in
the kitchen with LED "bulbs". I did install the gas logs in the
fireplace in place of the gas lighter but that's an advanced project
for a lot of DIY people.

I'll take on most things but for some reason gas scares me.

DerbyDad03 writes:

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

It really depends on what you're using the bench _for_. The wrist rule
likely derives from the ideal height for planing lumber. I have both
a traditional height woodworking bench with face and tail vise, and two taller
(40")[*] benches for general assembly, electronics, tool boxes and a disk sander.

For non-woodworking tasks, I'd recommend higher, closer to the
eyes for detail work without bending over.
[*] for someone 195 cm, adjust as appropriate for end-user.

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 5:28:36 PM UTC-5, Scott Lurndal wrote:
DerbyDad03 writes:

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)
It really depends on what you're using the bench _for_. The wrist rule
likely derives from the ideal height for planing lumber. I have both
a traditional height woodworking bench with face and tail vise, and two taller
(40")[*] benches for general assembly, electronics, tool boxes and a disk sander.

For non-woodworking tasks, I'd recommend higher, closer to the
eyes for detail work without bending over.

[*] for someone 195 cm, adjust as appropriate for end-user.

195 cm = 76.8"

40 / 76.8 = 0.52

0.52 * 61" = 31.7"

That's 4.7" higher than her wrists and certainly seems more reasonable than a 27"
workbench.

On 1/26/2021 2:19 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at
the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new
homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is
not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she
might not
always use the right bit.



I don't know about all of that. I like a desk height for sitting work
(I don't care for working on a bar stool) and higher for standing work.
That being said height is also a function of what I am working on.
Overhauling a big block V8 is better done on a low bench, but mostly I
just use my engine stand for that.

I suspect he answer is going to be similar to, "What's the best height
for an anvil?" For old school smiths who did everything most liked
knuckle height. More modern smiths seem to prefer wrist height. I've
been known to use the flat on my bench vise for smaller parts for
delicate metal beating because its much higher and easier for light
work. For a power hammer it might be much different than for hand
hammering even with similar size work. It depends.

--
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
https://www.avg.com

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:19:13 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

The workbench is done. My daughter drove at least 80 of the 100+ screws used.
I took over when her hand started cramping up. ;-)

It turns out that my guess at a good height for her 5'-1" frame was just right, at l
east for now. The work surface is at 32".

She is pretty proud of her handy work.

https://i.imgur.com/5WJjvFh.jpg

Thanks for all the ideas.

DerbyDad03 wrote in
:

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:19:13 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at
the wrist level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for
specific types of work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new
homeowner, would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have
in mind is not a woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to
use, but she might not always use the right bit. ;-)

The workbench is done. My daughter drove at least 80 of the 100+
screws used. I took over when her hand started cramping up. ;-)

It turns out that my guess at a good height for her 5'-1" frame was
just right, at l east for now. The work surface is at 32".

She is pretty proud of her handy work.

https://i.imgur.com/5WJjvFh.jpg

Thanks for all the ideas.



Good job to you both!

Glad you took a picture of it clean. It will never be that way again.
:0)

Puckdropper

On 1/29/2021 10:38 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:19:13 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

The workbench is done. My daughter drove at least 80 of the 100+ screws used.
I took over when her hand started cramping up. ;-)

It turns out that my guess at a good height for her 5'-1" frame was just right, at l
east for now. The work surface is at 32".

She is pretty proud of her handy work.

https://i.imgur.com/5WJjvFh.jpg

Thanks for all the ideas.





Is that cherry? What color are going to paint it. GOOD JOB!

On Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 9:18:05 AM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 1/29/2021 10:38 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:19:13 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

The workbench is done. My daughter drove at least 80 of the 100+ screws used.
I took over when her hand started cramping up. ;-)

It turns out that my guess at a good height for her 5'-1" frame was just right, at l
east for now. The work surface is at 32".

She is pretty proud of her handy work.

https://i.imgur.com/5WJjvFh.jpg

Thanks for all the ideas.



Is that cherry? What color are going to paint it. GOOD JOB!

The hardest part was not getting frustrated at how gentle she
was when driving the screws. She would drive them real slow
and then stop when they bottomed out. She really wasn't driving
them home. I just bought her the drill for Christmas so she hasn't
had a lot of practice.

She's going shopping with SWMBO soon so I'm going to crank them all down
after she leaves. Between the brackets and the screwed down shelf and bench
top it's very solid, but I know that some of the bracket screws are barely tight.

Then it's on to installing the garbage disposal, the pots and pans drawers in the
base cabinets and a couple of new switches. (It looks like I measured the cabinets
correctly the last time I was here so I'm pretty sure that the drawers should fit just
fine. I hope.)

There's no 3-way switch for the 2nd floor hallway light. Just a 2nd floor switch.
Lutron has a Caseta line of wireless switches that has some good reviews. I plan
to replace the 2nd floor switch with the Caseta receiver switch and mount the
remote switch at the bottom of the stairs. They use Decora style wall plates, so
they will match the rest of the switches in her house. I really don't want to pull
wires in 1935 plaster & lath house.

https://www.casetawireless.com/

On Sat, 30 Jan 2021 06:38:32 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 9:18:05 AM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 1/29/2021 10:38 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:19:13 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

The workbench is done. My daughter drove at least 80 of the 100+ screws used.
I took over when her hand started cramping up. ;-)

It turns out that my guess at a good height for her 5'-1" frame was just right, at l
east for now. The work surface is at 32".

She is pretty proud of her handy work.

https://i.imgur.com/5WJjvFh.jpg

Thanks for all the ideas.



Is that cherry? What color are going to paint it. GOOD JOB!

The hardest part was not getting frustrated at how gentle she
was when driving the screws. She would drive them real slow
and then stop when they bottomed out. She really wasn't driving
them home. I just bought her the drill for Christmas so she hasn't
had a lot of practice.

She's going shopping with SWMBO soon so I'm going to crank them all down
after she leaves. Between the brackets and the screwed down shelf and bench
top it's very solid, but I know that some of the bracket screws are barely tight.

Then it's on to installing the garbage disposal, the pots and pans drawers in the
base cabinets and a couple of new switches. (It looks like I measured the cabinets
correctly the last time I was here so I'm pretty sure that the drawers should fit just
fine. I hope.)

There's no 3-way switch for the 2nd floor hallway light. Just a 2nd floor switch.
Lutron has a Caseta line of wireless switches that has some good reviews. I plan
to replace the 2nd floor switch with the Caseta receiver switch and mount the
remote switch at the bottom of the stairs. They use Decora style wall plates, so
they will match the rest of the switches in her house. I really don't want to pull
wires in 1935 plaster & lath house.

Ah, where's the fun in that?

https://www.casetawireless.com/

The only thing that stops me from home automation is that they seem to
come out with a new "standard" every year. I once used X-10 but gave
that up long ago. Now it seems like a different app for every device.

On 1/30/2021 9:42 AM, wrote:
On Sat, 30 Jan 2021 06:38:32 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 9:18:05 AM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 1/29/2021 10:38 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:19:13 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

The workbench is done. My daughter drove at least 80 of the 100+ screws used.
I took over when her hand started cramping up. ;-)

It turns out that my guess at a good height for her 5'-1" frame was just right, at l
east for now. The work surface is at 32".

She is pretty proud of her handy work.

https://i.imgur.com/5WJjvFh.jpg

Thanks for all the ideas.



Is that cherry? What color are going to paint it. GOOD JOB!

The hardest part was not getting frustrated at how gentle she
was when driving the screws. She would drive them real slow
and then stop when they bottomed out. She really wasn't driving
them home. I just bought her the drill for Christmas so she hasn't
had a lot of practice.

She's going shopping with SWMBO soon so I'm going to crank them all down
after she leaves. Between the brackets and the screwed down shelf and bench
top it's very solid, but I know that some of the bracket screws are barely tight.

Then it's on to installing the garbage disposal, the pots and pans drawers in the
base cabinets and a couple of new switches. (It looks like I measured the cabinets
correctly the last time I was here so I'm pretty sure that the drawers should fit just
fine. I hope.)

There's no 3-way switch for the 2nd floor hallway light. Just a 2nd floor switch.
Lutron has a Caseta line of wireless switches that has some good reviews. I plan
to replace the 2nd floor switch with the Caseta receiver switch and mount the
remote switch at the bottom of the stairs. They use Decora style wall plates, so
they will match the rest of the switches in her house. I really don't want to pull
wires in 1935 plaster & lath house.

Ah, where's the fun in that?

https://www.casetawireless.com/

The only thing that stops me from home automation is that they seem to
come out with a new "standard" every year. I once used X-10 but gave
that up long ago. Now it seems like a different app for every device.



Home automation and wireless stuff is col,,,,, until it stops working.
Then you struggle with how to get it all running again.

On Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 10:42:09 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Sat, 30 Jan 2021 06:38:32 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 9:18:05 AM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 1/29/2021 10:38 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:19:13 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

The workbench is done. My daughter drove at least 80 of the 100+ screws used.
I took over when her hand started cramping up. ;-)

It turns out that my guess at a good height for her 5'-1" frame was just right, at l
east for now. The work surface is at 32".

She is pretty proud of her handy work.

https://i.imgur.com/5WJjvFh.jpg

Thanks for all the ideas.



Is that cherry? What color are going to paint it. GOOD JOB!

The hardest part was not getting frustrated at how gentle she
was when driving the screws. She would drive them real slow
and then stop when they bottomed out. She really wasn't driving
them home. I just bought her the drill for Christmas so she hasn't
had a lot of practice.

She's going shopping with SWMBO soon so I'm going to crank them all down
after she leaves. Between the brackets and the screwed down shelf and bench
top it's very solid, but I know that some of the bracket screws are barely tight.

Then it's on to installing the garbage disposal, the pots and pans drawers in the
base cabinets and a couple of new switches. (It looks like I measured the cabinets
correctly the last time I was here so I'm pretty sure that the drawers should fit just
fine. I hope.)

There's no 3-way switch for the 2nd floor hallway light. Just a 2nd floor switch.
Lutron has a Caseta line of wireless switches that has some good reviews. I plan
to replace the 2nd floor switch with the Caseta receiver switch and mount the
remote switch at the bottom of the stairs. They use Decora style wall plates, so
they will match the rest of the switches in her house. I really don't want to pull
wires in 1935 plaster & lath house.
Ah, where's the fun in that?

https://www.casetawireless.com/

The only thing that stops me from home automation is that they seem to
come out with a new "standard" every year. I once used X-10 but gave
that up long ago. Now it seems like a different app for every device.

X-10 sucks. I'd read about all these complex installations that people would
have, then I'd try a simple 1-sensor, 1 light installation and it would barely work
50% of the time. I'd ask questions in forums where the "experts" hung out and
I'd get answers like "Yeah, that happens sometimes".

How the heck were people running their entire houses with X-10 knowing that
"Yeah, that happens sometimes"?

On 1/30/2021 8:38 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 9:18:05 AM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 1/29/2021 10:38 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:19:13 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

The workbench is done. My daughter drove at least 80 of the 100+ screws used.
I took over when her hand started cramping up. ;-)

It turns out that my guess at a good height for her 5'-1" frame was just right, at l
east for now. The work surface is at 32".

She is pretty proud of her handy work.

https://i.imgur.com/5WJjvFh.jpg

Thanks for all the ideas.



Is that cherry? What color are going to paint it. GOOD JOB!

The hardest part was not getting frustrated at how gentle she
was when driving the screws. She would drive them real slow
and then stop when they bottomed out. She really wasn't driving
them home. I just bought her the drill for Christmas so she hasn't
had a lot of practice.

Impact drive should be next on the gift list. ;~)




She's going shopping with SWMBO soon so I'm going to crank them all down
after she leaves. Between the brackets and the screwed down shelf and bench
top it's very solid, but I know that some of the bracket screws are barely tight.

Then it's on to installing the garbage disposal, the pots and pans drawers in the
base cabinets and a couple of new switches. (It looks like I measured the cabinets
correctly the last time I was here so I'm pretty sure that the drawers should fit just
fine. I hope.)

Fingers Crossed!


There's no 3-way switch for the 2nd floor hallway light. Just a 2nd floor switch.
Lutron has a Caseta line of wireless switches that has some good reviews. I plan
to replace the 2nd floor switch with the Caseta receiver switch and mount the
remote switch at the bottom of the stairs. They use Decora style wall plates, so
they will match the rest of the switches in her house. I really don't want to pull
wires in 1935 plaster & lath house.

https://www.casetawireless.com/

That looks pretty cool, kind's like a wireless door bell switch.

On Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 11:33:49 AM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 1/30/2021 8:38 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 9:18:05 AM UTC-5, Leon wrote:
On 1/29/2021 10:38 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:19:13 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

The workbench is done. My daughter drove at least 80 of the 100+ screws used.
I took over when her hand started cramping up. ;-)

It turns out that my guess at a good height for her 5'-1" frame was just right, at l
east for now. The work surface is at 32".

She is pretty proud of her handy work.

https://i.imgur.com/5WJjvFh.jpg

Thanks for all the ideas.



Is that cherry? What color are going to paint it. GOOD JOB!

The hardest part was not getting frustrated at how gentle she
was when driving the screws. She would drive them real slow
and then stop when they bottomed out. She really wasn't driving
them home. I just bought her the drill for Christmas so she hasn't
had a lot of practice.
Impact drive should be next on the gift list. ;~)

She's going shopping with SWMBO soon so I'm going to crank them all down
after she leaves. Between the brackets and the screwed down shelf and bench
top it's very solid, but I know that some of the bracket screws are barely tight.

Then it's on to installing the garbage disposal, the pots and pans drawers in the
base cabinets and a couple of new switches. (It looks like I measured the cabinets
correctly the last time I was here so I'm pretty sure that the drawers should fit just
fine. I hope.)
Fingers Crossed!

The food waste disposal is in and disposing of food waste as expected.

The drawers fit perfectly. Drawer fronts going on tomorrow.

https://i.imgur.com/Os9SQ9X.jpg


There's no 3-way switch for the 2nd floor hallway light. Just a 2nd floor switch.
Lutron has a Caseta line of wireless switches that has some good reviews. I plan
to replace the 2nd floor switch with the Caseta receiver switch and mount the
remote switch at the bottom of the stairs. They use Decora style wall plates, so
they will match the rest of the switches in her house. I really don't want to pull
wires in 1935 plaster & lath house.

https://www.casetawireless.com/

That looks pretty cool, kind's like a wireless door bell switch.

Works fine too. At least for the time being. This wireless stuff can
be finicky, but this a pretty simple installation. No hub, no app, just
a receiver switch where the old toggle switch used to be and a
remote switch that is just surface mounted.

https://i.imgur.com/0VZP93E.jpg

Strange part is that the original toggle switch was a 3 way switch,
but only being used as a single pole switch. The source wiring is
really old cloth covered wiring but the load wires to the fixture is
modern day Romex. I can't imagine that anyone would have
removed the other switch and patched the wall at the bottom
of the stairs where it should have been. That would have been
a strange thing to do. The new wiring to the fixture seems to
indicate that the ceiling fixture wasn't always there, but I still
have no idea why there was a 3-way switch used to control it.

On 1/30/2021 9:38 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
The hardest part was not getting frustrated at how gentle she
was when driving the screws. She would drive them real slow
and then stop when they bottomed out. She really wasn't driving
them home. I just bought her the drill for Christmas so she hasn't
had a lot of practice.

She's going shopping with SWMBO soon so I'm going to crank them all down
after she leaves. Between the brackets and the screwed down shelf and bench
top it's very solid, but I know that some of the bracket screws are barely tight.
Amazing! After the second screw I'd have instructed her on how to use
the clutch etc etc. Watching 80-100 screws and just letting her continue
on sounds like child abuse to me...

--
Jack
Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions.

On 1/30/2021 11:29 AM, Jack wrote:
On 1/30/2021 9:38 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
The hardest part was not getting frustrated at how gentle she
was when driving the screws. She would drive them real slow
and then stop when they bottomed out. She really wasn't driving
them home. I just bought her the drill for Christmas so she hasn't
had a lot of practice.

She's going shopping with SWMBO soon so I'm going to crank them all down
after she leaves. Between the brackets and the screwed down shelf and
bench
top it's very solid, but I know that some of the bracket screws are
barely tight.
Amazing!Â* After the second screw I'd have instructed her on how to use
the clutch etc etc. Watching 80-100 screws and just letting her continue
on sounds like child abuse to me...




I think the child is 30 something. ;~)

On Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 12:29:21 PM UTC-5, Jack wrote:
On 1/30/2021 9:38 AM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
The hardest part was not getting frustrated at how gentle she
was when driving the screws. She would drive them real slow
and then stop when they bottomed out. She really wasn't driving
them home. I just bought her the drill for Christmas so she hasn't
had a lot of practice.

She's going shopping with SWMBO soon so I'm going to crank them all down
after she leaves. Between the brackets and the screwed down shelf and bench
top it's very solid, but I know that some of the bracket screws are barely tight.
Amazing! After the second screw I'd have instructed her on how to use
the clutch etc etc. Watching 80-100 screws and just letting her continue
on sounds like child abuse to me...

Amazing! It's almost like you were right there while I stood around watching instead
of coaching, teaching, helping. When I didn't explain to her how the clutch would stop
her wrist from twisting. When I purposely didn't tell her that applying pressure in direct
line with the screw would stop the bit from slipping. When I didn't offer to take over
(multiple times) only to have her say "No, not yet. I've got this."

Man, you called it exactly right! Amazing.

On Fri, 29 Jan 2021 20:38:34 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:19:13 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)

The workbench is done. My daughter drove at least 80 of the 100+ screws used.
I took over when her hand started cramping up. ;-)

It turns out that my guess at a good height for her 5'-1" frame was just right, at l
east for now. The work surface is at 32".

She is pretty proud of her handy work.

https://i.imgur.com/5WJjvFh.jpg'

You done good.

Thanks for all the ideas.

On Friday, January 29, 2021 at 10:38:37 PM UTC-6, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:19:13 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)
The workbench is done. My daughter drove at least 80 of the 100+ screws used.
I took over when her hand started cramping up. ;-)

It turns out that my guess at a good height for her 5'-1" frame was just right, at l
east for now. The work surface is at 32".

She is pretty proud of her handy work.

https://i.imgur.com/5WJjvFh.jpg

Thanks for all the ideas.

So you built her a table. OK. Which is exactly what I told you she needed to work on in her basement. No vise, so its hard to call it a workbench. Its a table she can work at. So its a worktable, not a workbench. 32" high. My dining table is 30" high. My 6' folding table is 29" high. Your worktable is pretty close to the same height as my tables. Good job.

On Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 6:32:20 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Friday, January 29, 2021 at 10:38:37 PM UTC-6, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 4:19:13 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)
The workbench is done. My daughter drove at least 80 of the 100+ screws used.
I took over when her hand started cramping up. ;-)

It turns out that my guess at a good height for her 5'-1" frame was just right, at l
east for now. The work surface is at 32".

She is pretty proud of her handy work.

https://i.imgur.com/5WJjvFh.jpg

Thanks for all the ideas.
So you built her a table. OK. Which is exactly what I told you she needed to work on in her basement. No vise, so its hard to call it a workbench. Its a table she can work at. So its a worktable, not a workbench. 32" high. My dining table is 30" high. My 6' folding table is 29" high. Your worktable is pretty close to the same height as my tables. Good job.

There you go again with the table crap. Where are those folding legs you said I should buy?
How many tables have a lower shelf and pegboard back?

Since when does the height of something determine what it is? If I built a workbench at 36",
the same height as a kitchen counter, would it suddenly become a base cabinet?

No vise...jeez, we just put the thing together 10 minutes before I posted the pic. No vise, so
it's not a workbench. Give me a frigging break.

On Tue, 26 Jan 2021 13:19:10 -0800 (PST), DerbyDad03
wrote:

I've been doing some reading about the proper workbench height. A lot
of sources say that for "general work" the proper height is right at the wrist
level of the user. Adjustments are made from there for specific types of
work.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Vx94zSkRWBU/maxresdefault.jpg

If you were going to build a general purpose workbench for a new homeowner,
would you follow the wrist height rule? The person I have in mind is not a
woodworker. She knows which end of a screwdriver to use, but she might not
always use the right bit. ;-)


I thought I'd keep my eye on this one, at a local auction -
but it's already close to what my max. would be ..

https://tinyurl.com/yytjwvd7

John T.