So I’ve got an outdoor workbench that has a surplus-to-requirements office chair sitting in front of it. The only problem is that the workbench is at standing height, so the chair’s just not high enough.

I originally thought I’d have to get a whole new chair… but it actually turns out that most gas-lift struts for office chairs come in standard sizing - something which actually surprised me as a software developer.

A bit of measurement with calipers showed that the bottom of the strut measured 43mm, and that the top was 28mm. A quick search of eBay then revealed this one with very similar looking measurements. I ordered the HC200 model, and it arrived a few days later, somewhat amusingly with the top section sticking out the side of the package (something had pressed the button in shipping and the strut expanded).

Unlike the kind of hardware I usually deal with, the disassembly process can be summed up as “hit it with a hammer until it comes loose”. If this proves especially difficult, a larger hammer may help.

Reassembly, as they say, is the reverse of removal - reassemble, then sit on the chair to push both ends into place.

(you may wish to place the chair upright before use…)

(also, you may wish to purchase a foam mat in a better colour…)

With the taller strut, I probably wouldn’t lean back on the chair all the way - but it’s now the right height to sit at the workbench for extended soldering sessions, and I didn’t have to buy a whole new chair.