One of the challenges in doing hand tool work is that for some processes (planning, sawing) you need a lower bench height, and for others (cutting joinery, carving) you need a higher bench height.
Folks get around this in a variety of ways. Some build smaller “bench on bench” items, which sit on their normal bench to raise its height. Others have multiple benches for multiple processes. That is the direction I went.
This bench is based on a design from the Renaissance Woodworker www.renaissancewoodworker.com and is 34” wide and 20” deep, while being about 42” high. This brings the bench up to just below my elbows, and allows me to get much closer to the work.
Another benefit of the design is that it is easily taken apart and put back together again (the base has 4 parts, and then there is the single bench top). Its great for Craft Shows and demonstrations, and I hope to start using it for that.
Like most benchtops, I finished it with boiled linseed oil (2 coats) to help preserve it. I didn’t apply any sort of polyurethane or smooth finish, as you don’t want a slippery bench top.
Kevin