It is a very nice looking

It is a very nice looking shop.  

My shop is about 14’ x 14’. and i like it but to me iit is your laser cutter i envy.

it says “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors wife”. it says nothing about thy neighbor's laser cutter….

Covet covet covet.

-Doug M

Bench

Tim

I used flat pack kitchen counter cabinets raised an additional 2 1/4" with a finished work height of 38".  Using a bar stool, I have the option of sitting for extended work sessions or standing for those quick turn-arounds.  The photo shows the set-up with an interim MDF sheet top pending funding for a proper counter surface.  

 Bob

Desk or bench

Hi,

that is a nice space!

A couple of years ago, in my company they got us new desks - with a motor in it and a fancy raising mechanism. I found it good to be able and work standing up from time to time. When I changed the setup at home I took a lesson from that - now my desk/workbench is at a comfortable standing height. If I want to sit down, I do have a high chair (comparable to a bar stool). Which gets me to a comfortable sitting height. It even has a footrest.

Now, with working from home due to the virus thing, I'm very happy I have this desk... There is less space for workbench-ing, though, with all the equipment from my work on the desk...

Have fun and stay healthy.

@ Tim

I used a free kitchen cabinet as the base for my workshop and I think it's 34" above the ground. I took two cabinet bases and slapped a piece of 3/4 plywood on top. 

I wish it was slightly higher (36-38"?) so that I was slightly less bent over when standing. I've also got a bar stool that I sit on when doing fine eye/hand coordination but I find myself standing more often than not. If I could redo the area again, I'd likely make a smaller section even a bit taller (chest high) so I could have a variety of options available. Personally I find myself more focused when standing vs sitting. 

Operations?

A lot depends on how you want to operate and what you would use the desk for.

If you use or make :

• Car cards and waybills
• Model forms
• homemade decals
• Edit videos
• Edit photos
• Scan slides
• Signage for buildings and fascia
• Write articles

Then having a desk might be handy.  The desk would be used as a desk.  If you don't do stuff like that, the desk would be less likely used as a desk, and evolve into another work bench.

Like Darkstar, I had a workspace built into my house and put it at 42", then bought a higher chair to sit at the "desk" portion.  Best of both worlds (PS I generally use it as a workbench and do my hobby computer work at other locations).

Best of both

Tim;

I’m also tall and find sitting becomes uncomfortable so raised my desk so I can stand or use an old drafting stool. It is way more comfortable than a bar stool but that would work as well. At least you have a choice that way. More of us need to stand an move as we get older - well, speaking for myself. Just a thought. 

at 72 years old

it's definitely a desk and a comfortable rolling office chair. That said, a solid desk, like an old oak teacher's desk with the formica top and pull out work surfaces is highly preferred!

Best of Both

+1 on that idea.

At 6' 7" it might not work, but I also have a bench that is a comfortable level for standing to work, then I pull out the old style kitchen step stool for sitting if my legs get tired. It's as tall as a bar stool but the step part enables you to put your feet up a bit while working. Takes strain off the back.

I note that these can be purchased nowadays with padded seating portion.

Best of both +1

I have a 10 ft long desk that is used for electronic work, rolling stock, kit manufacture etc.  In my garage I have an 8ft x 4ft island work bench 39" high on castors.   My layout is modular and this is the perfect spot to work on modules.

That Is A Nice Workspace

But, as I've gotten older, I prefer a more finished look. It's just easier to live with. I like that the machinery is on wheels. I hadn't thought of that, and will have to remedy it. 

Have 'em both

You appear to be a very creative fellow judging by your pictures.  I'm sure you can come up with a way the top of your work table could be "floating" and not permanently attached.  Maybe have two sets of supporting rails that would allow you to slide the table top out from desk top height and lift it up to the higher workbench level.  I like the formica top idea also. I've had mine for over 20 years now.  Consider cutting down a hollow core door.  They are light weight and plenty strong enough for a work table.

Very nice work place

.

I have the chance to have similar area with a view of the back of my  garden with a window just front of the work desk.

Paint an tools  are arranged to be on my left and right side, with cabinets under the model work desk.

I have cut the desk in a circular shape; to be somewhere ergonomic and to reach easily the model paints storage on left and right of the desk; a small one is just disposed under the windows too

A paint boot is on the left beside these paint storage with numerous cabinets suspended and under

Unfortunately it's still in a stage of construction because of very few free time until now

Just a suggestion if you have place, put a second little workbench where you put sandbelt machine , drilling machine and sort of these.

I make machine work on this desk and build my model on the other desk; so I have room and working area  not disturbed by these machines

Like You,  the work place will include laser and 3D printer area and computer, even if I don't ask to program and drawn my model in the work shop

Until now just cabinets are in place and parts of the work model desk with  a nightmare of accumulate stuff like paint tools and all you know to build models still in box not open since my move in Canada

Desk or workbench?

I have multiple work areas of various  heights . A desk in the house in the spare bedroom with my Pennsy TT scale layout and another desk and a work bench in my shop with the CCT S scale layout. I find however that I do a lot of my work on the large outfeed table of my table saw, it's a comfortable height and has lots of room to spread out the tools and materials. I'd suggest starting with a desk height surface and a standing height surface and see how that works out. If you find you need to change the heights later then do it, no reason to not be comfortable during your hobby time. ....DaveB

Standing workbench

I built three standing workbenches 48" tall and 26" deep, and I really like them, but I have not ruled out an old desk for a sitting workbench in the future for detailed modeling tasks. For tasks where I'm constantly reaching for materials or tools, something on the layout, or doing a little of this and that, standing is much easier than sitting and then deciding I have to get up to get this, that, or the other thing.

I am going to separate the space used for benchwork and woodworking from the layout, however, as the dust is terrible for the trains. When I have the space, the layout will be in the basement, and the dirt and dust producing tools in the garage.

Depends on the stage of the

Depends on the stage of the build,  work bench early on,  later on I prefer a desk for the other things to be done aster the layout is built.  At the moment I just use some Husky Brand 4 Leg job sight work benches.  once I'm done with them I can store or garage sale etc.  but the work desk is now coming into it's own.  I just upgraded from a smaller one in the train room to a larger one in the office.  Just that change has made a world of deference for modeling.

Neither

The very idea of having extra space for a large workbench is, well, laughable for me. If I had that much room for something like that in the layout room, the layout would have been bigger than it is by using that space. I don't have room for even conventional workbench out in the garage as my wife demanded we put shelves all around. There's no room under the layout as I have so much stuff that has to fit there that can't go anywhere else

Now that we're apparently working from home for good, I find myself fighting my wife almost daily for her demands to put my work desk in the layout room which would fill every inch of aisle space and make the layout totally unusable and block access to everything in the room (I pointed that out. She couldn't have cared less). I often have to fight her for wanting to use the aisles for storage for whatever project she thought up that week. I can't get out of using it for storage when we do the kitchen remodel in a couple of weeks, though, but that is a short term issue.

So, when I do anything hobby related, it's on the dining room table. I have to break out what I need, take it in there, do what I need, them back into the containers stored under the layout.

@Tim

Have you considered getting both heights in one unit?

Home Depot carries the height adjustable Husky workbenches. They can be raised via a crank from 26" to 42". They are 24" deep. They're available in 52", 62", and 72" widths. They come in black or white. You can opt for getting one with two full width (almost) drawers or no drawers. 300 pound work capacity. And yes, they have lockable casters to be able to move them around. I do regard the depth to be a tad shallow, but you can't have everything. (unless you're rolling in the money)

Cost? Relatively cheap. Especially compared to what my trio of Kennedy roller carts would cost me to replace, not to mention the exceedingly overstuffed contents of them.

What do I currently use to work on? I've got a wooden desk my grandfather made. I don't ever remember that desk not being in his home, and I'm post retirement age. Then there is a 30" high folding banquet table where I do a lot of work. I do airbrushing on a newsprint covered 48" round patio table (limiting factor, it has to be a calm day). And then there is getting down on the floor to work. 

The reason I know about the Husky's is that I've been seriously thinking about one, probably without drawers.