Need help on bench height

[encoreman]

Hi, A newbie question I'm sure. I just began casting and am trying to find the best height for a bench to place my furnace. I'm using a bottom pour Lee. I know this probably sounds crazy, please advise. I am looking for something that is both safe and comfortable. Thanks Mac

[oneokie]

Will you be standing or sitting while casting? Bench height needs to be such that you can see the alloy flowing into the mould, and you are comfortable in whatever position you are in while casting.

[Pepe Ray]

Comfort is good.
Speed of mobility is better.
You can always rest your feet by using a TALL stool. As has been said, the view must be elevated or your back will give out soon.
Pepe Ray

[Sprue]

Smelting or Casting myself I prefer to stand. That allows for more reflex time plus I don't want molten lead to puddle in my lap or on johnson. Everyone has their own procedures & preferences though.

When casting I usually work off my table saw, I have a board that I normally keep over it anyway just to make more work space. The table saw top, is 3 feet off the floor.

have fun

[markinalpine]

...that standing is safer, for the reasons they stated. :drinks:
I have my casting table set up so I only have to bend a little to see the lead flowing through the sprue plate, in fact I adjusted the height by fashioning a small table of 4X4 pieces covered with left over ceramic tiles to bring the bottom pour pot up a little. I've also made sure the pot is secure on top of this table by holding it in place with a few decking screws between the joints between the tiles that just catch the edge of the bottom plate of the Lee pot.
Good Luck, and Happy Casting! :Fire:
Mark :coffee:

[Char-Gar]

I am afraid there is no real answer to your question as we are all different. We cast sitting and standing, are of different heights and have different length of arms, etc.

I would suggest you get a low table and put your furnace on it (cold of course) and start adding material under it until it is at the height that is right for you. Measure and you have the right height for your bench.

Me, I like to cast sitting. I really don't think it is that much safer to stand . If you dump a pot of molten lead, you are in a world of hurt, standing or sitting. I dont see that is much of a problem. I sure don't sit my pot on the edge of the bench and these pots don't move around much anyway without some effort. Just keep your mind and eye on what you are doing, and you will be OK.

[jsizemore]

I got one of those plastic top tables with the metal legs. I c-clamp a piece of plywood to the top and screw or clamp stuff to the top with my battery drill. Easy to make any changes. Finally settled on plywood on the table with pot screwed to it, like goatlips does, and a folding chair from Wally-World since my outside casting setup is portable/temporary.
Smelt off the tailgate of my pick-up on a piece of plywood with a 4 quart dutch oven and a 22" high turkey fryer and the good old plastic table for a wind block. 3'x4' piece of scrap plywood works great. Same piece of plywood works on the plastic table for the 'equipment holder'.

[encoreman]

Thanks everyone, Chargar I think your idea was best, you would think I could have thunked that one Huh? I guess that is sort of like asking what is the best deer caliber and you get 356,987 answers and only 3 are the same. All responses appreciated. Macd

[454PB]

I'm 6 feet tall, and I build all my benches 40" tall.

[9.3X62AL]

Mac D, I'm in Chargar's corner on this question. My bench tops are 39" from the floor on both the casting bench and the reloading bench, and this gets along with the bar stools or workshop stools I've used for many years. As said above, stack stuff to gauge the best height for YOU according to your method and related equipment/furniture.

I should add that I'm 6'2" tall, and one's own height likely has an effect on ideal bench top elevation.

[lathesmith]

I think my bench top is 36", I am 5'10" and this seems pretty comfortable for me. It's easy to for casting to space the pot up a little if necessary, but I usually don't need to. I like to cast while perched on the edge of a stool; I consider a full sitting position too dangerous with a pot of molten lead sitting above me just inches away. I can still jump pretty fast if I need to, and much faster from this position rather than fully seated! Standing works OK too, sometimes I alternate positions. Just kinda restless I guess... as always, YMMV.
lathesmith

[BD]

I'm also 6' tall. My casting bench is at 40" and my reloading bench is 36". I can stand at the casting bench when I'm "in production", but most of the time I sit in an ancient adjustable office chair and wind it up or down as needed. Most of my casting and reloading happens in the evenings, or on weekends, when I'd just as soon sit down to work.
BD

[Bret4207]

I'm barely 5'10", if that, but my favorite bench tops are 42" high. That way I can see what I'm doing.

[kendwell]

I'm short, 5'1, but havelearned as both carpenter and millwright bench work, standing, about wrist high is a good starting place. Start with a set-up there and do a few dry runs, then build the bench.

[7br]

I cast on my reloading bench. I have an old saeco pot where the spout is more towards the center of the pot. I set an old milk crate on the bench top when I cast. It puts the spout a little less than chest high. I can see the the pour very well. I put an old sauce pan to catch the sprues on the bench and have a 5 gal bucket of water with the mouth about 5 inches below bench top. I pour the lead. Move a little down and to the right. Knock the sprue into the pan. Turn a little more to the right and drop the bullet into the bucket. I generally cast about 30-45 minutes at a time and never have had problems with fatigue. The bench top is a couple of inches below waist height.