Store bought vs. homemade bench

[Jim-Iowa]

One other thing I might mention, A lot of the nicer workbenches have a tool drop in the work surface a cool concept I thought.
The first bench I had I built one into the top.
Never again! The best purpose I found for that was to fill with chips and sawdust and lose small items in the mess. My last one has a flat surface that can be brushed off or vacumed.

[Dennis Taylor]

I happened onto a drafting table someone was tossing out, took it home, took off the top, got 2 solid core doors from Home Depot someone had drilled out wrong, contact cemented them together, purchased a vise and that is what I have used with great success for about 20 years now, it has held up great, you could also put 1/4 surface on it, that could be changed out when it is worn or damaged.....it was cheap!.....Dennis