Ergonomics assistance please?

[mhorowit]

What's considered an ideal height for a workbench? waist high?- MIkeH

[birdlegs]

Re: Ergonomics assistance please?

I think its an individual choice Rob, for me I'm over six foot w/ a bum back,so I need mine about even with my bottom ribs and a depth that I can reach the back with a little leaning.I like copious area under the bench for hand tools with an edge on the shelving to stop avalanches of loose articles.
And I will tool them for the craft, so my vise bench is heavy and will support a heavy component and the wrestling thats goes with it.
My sheet metal bench is lighter built,shelves for fasteners and overhead power cords,I hate power cords on the floor or the bench so I hang 'em over the sheet metal bench on light bungees,look up and you'll see several,pull out a drill and plug it in.
All this flies in the face of whats here in Montana after I've moved cause I gotta do it all over again.But each time I do it gets more innovative
Brad

[mhorowit]

Re: Ergonomics assistance please?

... w/ a bum back...
Brad

Not to hi-jack my own thread, but I get a pain in my siatica when I bend a lot; anyone have a favorite back warm-up exercise for us maturing pilots? - MikeH

[high time cub]

Re: Ergonomics assistance please?

http://www.amazon.com/Pain-Free-Revolutionary-Stopping-Chronic/dp/0553379887

http://www.egoscue.com/global/where_pain.php

Good Luck Mike.

[flyguy]

Re: Ergonomics assistance please?

When I was a technician I spent long hours sitting on a workstool at a bench. Had a lot of back discomfort. Started doing backbends over an inclined bench with my other workout at the gym and the problem went away.
Don't know if you have seen them but it is a rest "bench" at 45 degrees that is adjustable for length. It supports your legs, up to your waist, and you do forward backbends over the upper end. Been doing them for about 30 years, still works.
Darryl

[high time cub]

Re: Ergonomics assistance please?

What's considered an ideal height for a workbench? waist high?- MIkeH

Elbow height... good for a short snooze!

http://www.empirehobbies.com.au/images/Gepetto's%20Workshop1.jpg

HT

[Pearson]

Re: Ergonomics assistance please?

Mike,

If you are building a workbench try to make it so that your feet have room to go under it. I built a workbench with a cross piece almost at floor level. My feet bump into that piece causing me to not be able to belly up to the bench unless I lean over slightly.

Also, if you build your bench a little on the high side, just make a long low step stool 4"-6" high for when you are working on very small projects and need to get up close to your work. Maybe you could even build it into the bench so that it can just fold down. Depends on how compicated you want to make it. I generally use the KISS principal on most of my projects.

A soft mushy rubber mat or a piece of thick carpet helps keep the fatique away if you are standing there for long periods of time. Also helps keep the feet warm in winter.

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Ergonomics assistance please?

Do a Google search for workbenches. You will find a fount of designs there, free. Yes make a place for your feet and if you are going to sit once in awhile have a place for your knees too. I have built several over the years so speak from experience here on having a place for your body to fit. As for height, 32" to 36" is a standard range, however your height and intended use will dictate what you pick. Look around at some of your friends, the local maintenance shop, the wife's kitchen, etc. walk up to them and see how it feels. I have one bench now with the power cord above and behind a bit on a cheap recoil along with an air hose on a recoil too. I like that about the best but also have one with the power strip mounted in front just below the top, also very handy as I do not have the cords drug across the work surface. We have several at work where we plug in at the back on top, the cords are always in the way and getting tangled in the project at hand. The cord above and behind me while standing at the bench is placed in the middle of my shop and will reach all 4 corners of the shop so I never need to drag out a drop cord, the same goes for the air hose. The benches I do small stuff on (electronics, etc.) are at 36", the low bench is at 32" I use that when I have big bulky items (furniture, cabinets, etc.) or need to get down and dirty with a lot of force. However, if I am working on something small it will hurt my back after a bit. My grandfather was a short man and all his benches were 32", my brother in law on the other hand is 6'5", all his are 36" or more! I am only 5'10" but I like my benches high enough that I do not get a back ache. LOL Larry

[Len Petterson]

Re: Ergonomics assistance please?

38 inch is standard height
widht as you need it.
Or as far as you can reash comfortly.
Cosco has soft rubber matts with 1 hole in $ 16 for a 4 * 4 mat exelent none fatige matts.(;f
Don't spill oil on them!
If you make wide workbench make a fold out step Max 7 " high what you can fold out and down to step up to reach the far side.
It also comes in handy if you working on someting high on the bench.
Workbences are customiced more when anything I can think of.
What ever you do : DO NOT PAINT THE SURFACE ON THE BENCH.
NOTHING WILL SLIDE ON IT! WO0D OR STEEL TOP!
Vise mounting : a part held vertical in the vise shall be able to go past the edge of the bench and down to the floor!

[Paul Hester]

Re: Ergonomics assistance please?

All of my work tables (benches) are on locking casters. All are 36" tall, and one has a stainless top.

Ihad to tear down the boy's 7.3L diesel pick up truck engine 2 years ago, and the stainless top work table was real handy.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Ergonomics assistance please?

I use 40" I am 6-2. I use a step up around it to put one foot up to relieve back. OR sit at a high shop stool. I only do this two days a week ( work in shop) so I don't ahve any great problems yet. Soft pads are good on the concrete floor. and at the shop machine tool area.