Question for all -

How tall is the table you use to cut your fabric? How tall should it be?

We just got a new one at work and it is too low! Not good for my back!!! The mgrs keep telling me there is nothing they can do to raise it up and still keep it safe.
I say there is and so does others that I've talked to. We sell bed risers that go under the legs of beds - why can't they use that? If it's safe to sleep on I'm sure it's safe for cutting fabric on.

Also our new table has the marking yard stick insert about 5 inches from the edge. The former one was only a 1 1/2 inches from the edge.
Between the two by the end of a shift my back is in a lot of pain and it has been out of alignment for 3 weeks now as it is.

Anyway - how tall is your table?

Mine is 38" and perfect for me. I don't have to bend over any more to cut!

my table is 2 kitchen cabinets with plywood on top, perfect.

if they don't want to use bed risers they could use 2X4s or even concrete blocks, they just don't want to get along nicely :cry:

Mine is 32 inches , but I am 5ft. 2 in. tall. It is perfect for my height. Just high enough so I am not bending.
You may want to look at some fabric stores and see how high their cutting tables are and see how that hieght would work for you.
Now if I could just lower my kitchen counter tops and inch or two!!

Although I'm no expert, I suspect it could very well depend on the height of each individual using it. The taller we are the more we bend over to do the job. Making the cutting table higher may not work for other employees. Now, what to do??? (Your employer may want to be careful about causing back injury to you.)

mine is a banquet table, to short for me, and I'm 4' 11"! Hurts my back if I cut for long periods of time.
Nice to see you back Grannie, hope you're feeling better

I think the height of your cutting table should be the height that you are comfortable with...not everyone is the same height and there fore your table should be adjust to be whats comfortable for you..If on the other hand you just an employee you will just have to go with the flow of whats there for you to use.

My cutting table is 36". It is on the bed risers. I'm 5'5" and the table is perfect for me. I have two other tables in my sewing room and both of them are on bed risers, as well. I have never had a problem with them not being secure. IN fact, my sewing table is on two sets of bed risers in order for it to be the height I want it. I sew standing up. Someone on another quilting forum introduced me to sewing standing up. My feet swell up when I sit too much. Standing has proved to be ideal for me.

All of us that work there and use the table are tall. Even when I was talking with some of the customers and some were shorter than me, they said it was way to short for them!

Yes, they do NOT want to injure my back anymore than it is! The other lady that works there has bad knees and I don't see that it is good for her either.

We will see IF they made any changes since Sun. I doubt it.

Just when my back is starting to behave and feel better!

Still not sleeping more than 4 hours at a time, but at least it's some sleep.

link for a site with some great information

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/sewi...ign.html#Table

hope you are okay and miss our chats

Mine is a banquet table also, my hubby added extensions to the legs. He used 4 x 4 post pieces that were left over from another project and attacked them to a piece of wood so they were more stable. It works great for me.

Thanks - yes it did.

I do all my cutting and sewing on a kitchen divider island and the height is perfect for me. When I'm standing I can keep constant pressure on the ruler so it doesn't move. Also I can keep my body aliened with my cutter to keep it perfectly perpendicular with the ruler.

Mine is kitchen cabinets also with a counter top my hubby made to give me a nice 5x8ft island.
not sure what kitchen counter height is but higher than my tables and much better for my back
and I am only 5'5"

I custom built my sewing/cutting table and it is adjustable in 5" increments from 30" to 45" depending on whether or not I'm in a chair to sew or standing up to cut. Right now I keep it at 30" for no particular reason (and it does hurt my back at this setting), but I want an adjustable chair so I can set it where I want and be comfy. Standing up it seems to work best at either 35" or 40", but again I am 6'1" and that might make a difference. Hope you get it worked out. Lower back pain is nothing to laugh about.

"Lower back pain is nothing to laugh about"

No, it isn't and these last 3 weeks have nearly done me in with my back being out. Near tears and in tears at times. And that started BEFORE they changed the table on us!

I unfortunately have to use my kitchen table its too low. I would love to have something about the height of my kitchen counters.

The managers should be able to raise the cutting table using concrete blocks or a riser of some sort. The question is do you work for a chain fabric store or an independent store. If you work for a chain the company usually has standards set for uniformity and appearances to the public. If you managers are saying there is nothing they can do that rising it is dangerous that would be my guess for their responses to you and your co-workers. They would probably get in trouble from corporate if they made changes.

Im 5'2" and I also use a kitchen island. It has to be about 32-34" tall and is perfect.

I am also 5'2" and my table is 36" and perfect for me, my dh built it for me and measured it

Guessing it's 36" tall - regular kitchen countertop height.

I work for Walmart! 'nuff said????

I have heard that the proper height is three inches below your elbow. So bend your elbow and measure three inches below that point.

We have two kinds of cutting tables in our shop. One is 37" high (being short, I prefer that one). The other is actually made from a plywood sheet that's set on top of four identical wide 3-drawer file cabinets, and it's 40" high. Only the taller of us gravitate toward that one.

Will keep this bit of information in mind! Thanks!

Where I work they use lenghts of metal pipe on each table leg to raise them. They can be easily removed to accomodate others.

Somewhere I saw a formula for determining the height of your cutting table according you height. I'll look to see if I can find it.

Mine is 32 1/2 inches high. I have a 6ft x 30" folding Samsonite table elevated 3 inches by placing a decorative bricks under each leg. Perfect for my 5 ft 4 1/2 inch height.

I saw somewhere that if you are using a banquet table, you could use PVC pipes that are a bit bigger than the table leg. You cut the PVC pipes however many inches your table is too short, and then use them as leg extensions. (like Spudgm) The PVC pipes can be spray painted so that it blends in to the color of the legs.

I am 5'7" ( just about) When I had tops made for my kitchen cabinets, they were made 1 1/2 inches thicker than normal counter height. I have an island type divider counter that is 30 inches wide and about 57 inches long. I do my cutting on that( after removing the computer and junk!!LOL)

So sorry about your back pain. I recently discovered just how awful it is to experience it. Take care of yourself.

My cutting table is 36" and I'm 5'9". My table is really the counter area of a 1949 oven. I lean into my "table" and trust me that giant oven's not going anywhere when I do it. Ask Walmart to hit up Sears for all their old ovens. Now that would be a sight. j/k

Love the notion of 3" below the elbow. I've gotta test that out!

I'm 5'9" although the latest DR appt said 5'8 ¾"???? The best place for me to do my cutting is on the kitchen counter, anything else is way too low....hmmm...interesting they're only 36" I would have presumed them to be higher!

That what I have. I took a 4 ft folding and raised it up. It was easy enough I did it myself. Well expect cutting the pvc pipe. I had the very kind gentleman at Home Depot do that for me when he was puzzling over why I was trying to do. Here's a photo of it. He also suggested the caps, he wanted me to glue them on. But they are such a snug fit, I've never had a problem with them coming off. One of the things you can't see well is the nut and bolt system that goes through each leg to support the tables legs inside the pvc. You measure up, or down, the leg and drill a hole for the nut and bolt.

Mine is base cabinets with a countertop, just like in a kitchen. I discovered my glass topped dining room table is much easier to cut on and much easier to hold the ruler and it doesn't slip as easy as when I use the above countertop. I'm 5'7" and it does hurt my back a bit, after about 6 hours, back stops when I stop cutting. I'm going to use the table from now on when cutting pieces for any quilt.

I had the same problem with my back and i bought the bed risers. The 5 inch ones were perfect and now my back doesn't hurt any more.

That's some good information. I think employers should be aware of these tips.

My table is 33", but I am 5'3.

Hey, thanks for getting this information. Learned a lot about correct posture, etc.

Mine is an old dresser that I covered the top of with batting and teflon for iroining then add a large sutting mat when cutting. I use the dresser drawers for storing my quilting tings in.

This is a great height FOR ME but I am only 5'2 also.

Like many have said, it depends on your heighth and what YOU are comfortable with.

Good luck

they can use the rizers that are used for holding the deck in place? there about 10-12 inches and wont move on there own! Since Im also tall, 6'3 to be exact, and have had a fusion on my back already. I cant bend as much as normal ppl do, so I use a utilty cart with a metal top, bought it at Sams, its 39"with the wheels, and I also made a cover for it so I can remove cutting mats and iron on it. ( I am using the metaliac surface, with padding Fleece) Its great both my sisters come over here to cut and press once a week, both wish they had one. I keep it in the Kitchen so I can use it as a extra surface when cooking.