Great stuff Bri. Glad I could help a little.
I'm lucky enough to have a shed that's big enough for a couple of benches and a Mrs that didn't think she was on Grand Designs when we moved here and try to claim it as a 'space'
One of mine is just an old garden table. I braced the legs and screwed a sheet of ply to the top. You could use mdf etc . Whatever you can pick up.
I use that for lots of stuff. I have my grinders and that bolted to it. I also have another 'bench' that was an old school table with a metal frame. I have my vices bolted to that and that's where i file away a bit of bronze when I get a bit of time spare every once in a while.
Meanwhile my woodworking bench is a big lump of glued together (cheap) hardwood that still sits on the aldi trestles I bought to make it on because I've never got round to fitting the legs...
Criminal but it works.
I could use the vice sometimes but I get round it for my limited needs.
The bench works as it is for most stuff.
When I get this round of work done on the house I'd like to finish the bench this winter.
My point is you have a place to do your work. Why worry about flattening the top with a plane? Screw a bit of mdf down you are good to go.
Good work bad work or indifferent? Doesn't matter as much as you are doing the work because you have a space to do it. At least in my mind.
Cheer Bri
One beginner to another mind,
Regards,
Chris.
