Bench Height?

[CoalCrackerAl]

I changed my chair style. It helped very much. Its a gaming chair.

Amazon.com: High Back Gaming Chair PC Office Chair Racing Computer Chair Task PU Desk Chair Ergonomic Swivel Rolling Chair with Lumbar Support Headrest for Back Pain Women Adults Gamer (White) : Home & Kitchen

 

[thorswhisper]

Im 6'1" . Built my own bench from scratch. Mulled over the height for quite some time.
Finally decided on 40" bench height and 29" chair height.
Gives good task control and ability to see the cartridges throughout the process.
Plus more room underneath for storage. You wont ever have ENOUGH storage.
No way Im standing for a full reloading session.

 

[HowieG]

My shop work bench is 36" high. My reloading bench is 34.5" high, but I put a block under my press to get it to 36". My kitchen counters are standard, which is 36". I am 6'1" tall. The reason I like 36" work benches is I can stand up straight and look down on a project or lean over and look behind it. I can also get full leverage if I need to. In the kitchen, I also like to look down on what I am cooking. At the reloading bench, I am usually sitting on an adjustable height stool.

My test of counter/bench height is I stand in front of it and place my hands palm down on the counter/bench top. If my arms are hanging straight down or very nearly so, that is the correct height. For me, that is 36 inches.

Having too much height on a bench is just like trying to work in the engine bay of a 4x4 pickup. You are always trying to work over a fender, and it isn't comfortable.

 

[GW Staar]

I'm short....bench is 42" where I can sit or stand....doesn't matter. because I'm short I don't use press stands...they bolt direct. My drafting stool is adjustable, I mostly use it high as pictured below:



This is an old picture, before adding 4 more collators and a Lee APP.

 

[Airborne Falcon]

My bench is 36”. I am 6’2”. I have an adjustable stool with backrest but getting quite a bit of soreness in the colder weather. Thinking about trying 40”. Anyone found the ideal height for seated. Press is RCBS Rock Chucker. Thanks, Bill

I'm 6'3", wear a size 16 shoe and have an extra vertebrae in my back ... so I feel your pain.

I have two benches in my man cave. One standard and one high which I alternate between the two during the course of the day. Along with an expensive lumbar support chair with a foot hoop .... the only solution to your problem is to keep moving. Up and down, up and down.

 

[squarepants33889]

I may be a bit of an outlier here.
I love to stand while at my reloading bench.
Being 6'5", I have a lifelong hatred of the sore lower back from working at short counter tops and workbenches.
I have built 3 benches in my heated garage for various purposes; general workbench, drill press/mitersaw workbench and reloading bench.
I have found that I really like building a worktop that is parallel to my forearms when bent at the elbow with my biceps in a vertical position.
I like working this way as I'm not hunched over and my components are at a nicely visible height.
Good lighting and an anti fatigue mat have made it a perfect setup for me.
Do you guys all like to sit at a stool?
I've really never even considered it, and I honestly can't say why.
I'm never really standing at it for more than an hour or so at a time.

 

[dh1633pm]

My made my bench tall enough so I don't have to bend over to work. I use a tall stool with a backrest and have a place to put my feet so they don't have to rest on the floor. It measures 41 inches from the floor. I am 6'1. I bet as other have suggested 40 inches give or take is about right.

 

[Blue68f100]

I set my bench height up for setting down, and used Inline Fabrication stand's. On my sit down location, is the low profile mount. On the standing mount I used their highest profile and added almost 2" under the stand to raise it. I also have adjustable chairs/stools that allow me to sit at the standing station if I want too. The adj height chairs can compensate for small variations in height. The main thing is have room for your feet and legs if you slide under the bench. I have casters on my chairs/stools but found I prefer one without when setting down.

 

[Kaldor]

Presses are mounted 43" from the floor on my bench. I stand on strain relief mats or sit on a tall stool. Doesnt hurt that Im 6'7".
I also run Inline fab handles on my presses for less shoulder dip. Shoulder dip is the real killer for long sessions in front of any press.

 

[Bfh_auto]

It all depends. On your height. On the bench height. I have several benches for reloading (a couple are drill press tables) and they all require different height stools (of which I have several). This comes down to personal trial and error.

Arm length plays into it also. I'm 5'9" and my arms are longer than a friend who is 6'2". It makes shirt shopping difficult. But it gives me a lot of flexibility in how close things need to be. I use an old teachers desk on 4 inch risers. It's low. But a standard chair works with it. I stand if I'm resizing brass. It puts the bottom of the throw just shy of full extension of my elbow.

 

[Kingcreek]

My benches are 36” but some mounts are higher.
Best thing I ever did was buy a “teller’s chair” at a surplus auction when a local bank was merging. Originally a $400 chair with foot rest and vertical height adjustment up to standing level. Cost me $10.

 

[Zahn]

I'm frankly impressed with this discussion. I expected a lot of people saying how benches needed to be 'standard height' or some such. I've read that in woodworking and garage forums so many times, and I feel like I'm tilting at windmills when I say otherwise. Clearly a whole bunch of guys here understand you match your bench to your size.

Edit: You also have to factor in the work you plan to do on the bench. Working on an automotive transmission and/or reloading will require very different bench heights - both need to be brought up to where your hands and eyes are comfortable doing the work.

 

[Archie]

As mentioned, much depends on body style (height, reach, distance of eye focus). I'm roughly five foot five inches. My reloading bench is just under waist level (never measured), Have a Dillon progressive and an old CH three hole (similar to a single stage) press. None of them give me a problem. My bench is as many shown with storage underneath and no place to put knees. I don't sit down to reload.
I suggest not being stooped over, either standing or sitting. That kills my back and tires me out fast.

 

[Varminterror]

My reloading bench is 36”, but I’m only 5’10”. I’d assume for every inch taller than me, a similarly proportioned user would want 1/4-1/2” more bench height. I’m not sure of the height of my chair, but I do alternate between sitting and standing, and my stool is adjustable. I also have a 4” riser (inline fab) which I can insert under most of my interchangeable reloading presses and tools on the baseplates, so I can raise and lower my chair while sitting, stand, and work either on the bench level or on the elevated baseplate. I typically use my conventional “bottom lever” presses on the elevated plate, but work with my Co-ax on the bench height itself, and I go back and forth on the platform or bench with some of my tools like bench primers, trimmers, bench vise, etc, just depending what I need to do on that day, and how I feel.

 

[Atavar]

I have found that the best height for a bench is at the bottom of your belt if you wear normal pants. That with an adjustable stool works great.

 

[kmw1954]

I have a disability with my legs so standing for long periods of time is not really an option when I can sit comfortably. The bench I am using now was built to fit me, it is mine, I am the one to use it so it needs to fit me. Each of us are of different proportions and dimensions in height, torso, arm reach and leg length. What fits me most likely will not fit you.

So what I did is found the chair I will be using and adjusted it so while sitting up straight my feet are level and flat on the floor. From there I adjusted the height of the bench top to where I can fully move my legs under the work surface while making a fist and placing it on each thigh. At this height I can operate the handle on the press and not have to stretch up or down. I can also easily see into a pistol case to check powder levels. Lastly my bench top is 48" wide and 24" deep and there is not a place on this bench that I cannot reach while having to stretch.

Now this is a reloading bench. it is not a multi-purpose or work bench. It has one function and that is to reload on. I have comfortably sat at this bench for hours at a time only to get up for potty breaks. I can also easily use my Lee Quick Trim die and cutter or my RCBS collet bullet puller. Lastly I will add that it is too low to cast bullets on. I would be bending way down to see the molds under the pot.

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

One of my tasks in my profession is workstation ergonomics evaluation and hazard mitigation. As a general rule a higher bench height is better because shorter workers can be provided several options to raise them higher to provide a sound relationship to the bench height. If the bench height is too low it may fit the shorter workers well, but the taller worker is in jeopardy because they will be hunched over. I am 5'8" and have my bench height 42" and I can reload sitting or standing. A high quality chair is an expensive outlay, but consider what your health is worth and how much $ we spend on our hobby. For maximum flexibility get an adjustable height chair or stool so you can fine tune your work heights.

https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/...-26336-sh4_Ergonomic-Assessment-Checklist.pdf

https://www.grainger.com/content/general-catalog