Table saw height


tim0625

Recommended Posts

I'm building a unit where my table saw and router table will all be in one mobile unit. I guess 36" from the floor is the generally accepted height but before I commit, I was wondering if there is any other thinking amonst you? Better mouse trap? By the way, I'm 5'9".

Thanks

Tim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine is 34" off the floor. I am 6' and it is a decent height. If I could change it I might like it an inch or two higher but it's not critical.

You should try to get it least as tall as, or a little taller than, any nearby cabinets or benches. This way you can manage longer or larger pieces without hitting the other things - or even better, using them for auxiliary support.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

figure out what you want to do for a outfeed and infeed table. as well as router/shaper if you decide to incorporate it into the tool. if you want the plainer to feed onto your outfeed table, possible a outfeed table/assembly table. think about if its possible to incorporate everything into a single height so you can save back strain and you can use all you counters and tables as surfaces for you different tools.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think as long as you are between the 34 to 36 ish range you should be fine. One trick is to stand strait up with your arm at your side. Lock you elbow and keep your arm perpendicular to the floor, then bend your wrist so your palm is parallel to the floor. The height from the floor to your palm is the quote comfortable working height. I built a similar unit for my old delta contractors saw I got the plan from the Danny Proulx book Building Woodshop Workstations...good stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm 5'9" and mine is dead nuts 34". I like that height...any taller and it could start getting to be a reach to the back of it.

Here in MO the walnuts are losing their leaves already, hickories are turning bright yellow, the red maples are orange, ashes are deep purple, and the dogwoods are going red. I'd say in a couple weeks we'll be at peak color. But it sure doesn't feel like fall out here...hot and DRY since June.

The Smokies are gorgeous, but I've only seen them in spring.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Eric...man the colors sound awesome! The Smokies in fall are beautiful...I want to see the hardwoods of the northern part of the US in fall though. I'm sure TV doesn't do it justice.

On the height, the 34" is a good thought. With a height that's a little shorter, I get the waist bend and I'm working just a little more over the table. I'm sure I could make 36" or 38" work if I needed to. Usually, if you stretch your arms out parallel to the ground, in opposite directions, fingertip to fingertip is usually your height. If you have ever noticed, the guy (say 6' tall) who is more narrow across his shoulders, has arms a couple inches longer than most 6' tall guys. That's one reason M.Ali was such a great boxer, he had broad shoulders and his arms were each 2 inches too long. My shoulders are fairly broad (and I tell my wife "and MASCULINE AND POWERFUL AND IMPRESSIVE" and she says "yeah yeah yeah")...so my arms are average or just below average length so shorter table saw height could be better. As the years go on, it's harder to impress her...now.... maybe maple inlays in walnut?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Eric...man the colors sound awesome! The Smokies in fall are beautiful...I want to see the hardwoods of the northern part of the US in fall though. I'm sure TV doesn't do it justice.

It was always a dream of mine when I was younger to hike the entire Appalachian Trail starting in the south in spring and ending up in Maine by fall to see those world-famous colors. But alas life got in the way and now I'm too old and fat and family committed. :) I was able to hike the Smokies for 5 days several years ago...we did Mt. Sterling and just about died in an ice storm while we were up there. Fun stuff.

I think 38" would be a little high for me personally, and I would probably try to keep it 36" or less unless you were trying to match it up to other nearby work surfaces. Surely there are no hard and fast rules on height, except for what works specifically for you and your shop.

I'd like to see pics of your setup when you're done...outfeed table with incorporated router table is high on the project list for me, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My cabinet saw is 34 3/4" ish on the mobile base. I have most of my other carts/tables and bench at a similar height. I'm 6'4" and the height is fine, I am used to working at that height now.

My backbench is around 40" high due to some construction constraints, which I find a bit too high to do much work on confortably.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh yeah....terms take on different meanings as we get older...

Young man - "hiking" the Appa what? Appa something..copy/paste... Hiking the Appalachian Trail ALL THE WAY TO MAINE!!!

Older Man - "hiking" ......taking the leaves to the back of the property

"Younger Tim" did a lot of things. Fortunately, my girlfriend (now my wife of 28 years) was a photographer and DOCUMENTED things cause it's the only way my teenagers believe I used to have an exciting life - camping trips, zip lines, falling out of the boat while duck hunting, barefoot water skiing, screw in the shoulder from snow skiing, karate tournaments, owned a karate dojo, the 10 point buck on the wall attests to the fact that I USED TO BE a fair hunter, pictures of the big fish and strings of fish say I had at least a few good days fishing....now? Extreme sports equals things like getting the trash can to the road DURING THE ICE STORM and keeping digits out of the spinning bits....extreme sports is STAYING AWAY FROM the emergency room. Extreme sports are screwy anyway. A day where "I survived" is not my idea of 'living' - the guy on youtube in the flying squirrel suit, the guy dropped out of a helicopter on TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN and snow boards down while outrunning the avalanche. He's interviewed at the bottom, ans says "THAT WAS OFF THE HOOK MANNNNN"....oh no....not Tim....gimmie some wood, project plans in my head and the family all together (like yesterday) with a huge $60 "frogmore stew" ...that's extreeeeeme mannnnn!! Y'all have a good Sunday....be thankful and GO MAKE SOME DUST!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LOL Tim. Yep, pretty much.

I'm still able to get outdoors pretty often...I can get deep into the Ozarks in about an hour. But now all my "hiking" is done the easy way...floating down small rivers in my canoe with a cooler of beer, and getting out once in a while to whip the fly rod around.

Thread officially derailed...sorry buddy. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey 418 views and just a few of us commenting.....shucks let the thread go where it will! :) Table saw height, how to figure out a wife, or your best fish stew recipe! It's all good and I appreciate the advice from you guys who commented. We figured out the TS AND floated down the river. Works for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.