More like a work area

I have a bench in an L shape made of plywood and 2x4s.  Stacked shelves and bins on top of that and storage boxes below the bench.   Behind the main work area is a rack for 4 modules.   Well later I setup a couple of the modules in another room and build a spray booth to fit in the space.   The rest of the empty racks was used by a pack rat to store more kits and parts. 

My Work Space

I built this model bench 7 years ago right after I bought my house, it was suppose to be temporary (only 2 to 3 years)........but it might be in place for another 2 to 3 years until I redo my basement with radiant heat and get set up for my new layout and model bench.

As you can see I used 2 kitchen counter tops 6 foot long with a 45* bevel........3 lower shelves 2 foot square, 1 shelf up from the model bench surface is a 1 x 12, then 2 shelves above that being 1 x 8..........the test/program track on the left is an oak board 1 x 6, and the smaller shelf on the right is now a full length shelf that is 1 x 6.

The main construction is 2 x 4's and some 1/2" plywood, along with a few 1 x 3's for additional shelf supports.

I also have two fluorescent light fixtures with LED replacement bulbs installed.

This is what it used to look like until I built a project organizer to clear off the bench and replace the crap with my tools.

Interior Door Use.

I have three cabinets about 26.6" tall.  Across these I use two interior doors to make a desk.  I bought the doors at Lowe's.  No hardware no the hole drilled for handles.  Makes a nice desk that can be taken down quickly and moved to another location.  I put block under the two doors where the doors are butted together and screwed the two together.  Makes a cheap solid L -shaped work desk.

Den

Workbenches

I built modular workbenches with storage underneath. Right now they're in an awkward L-shape configuration. I'd like to eventually have them possibly in a regular L, although I accidentally discovered one configuration where I had one in front and one behind, and I actually really liked that setup. They're 48" tall for standing use. If I get into more detailed model-building I may add a sitting workbench, but for general layout, track, and rolling stock construction and maintenance, I love the standing setup and not having to constantly stand up and sit down as I grab this or that to do this or that. I have foam mats with old rugs, passenger, and rear car mats (the drivers one were worn out, requiring buying a whole new set) in key places where I stand. They're not over-engineered at all. 

Talk to any

local kitchen reno company, or demolition team.  They're forever hauling old kitchen cabinetry to the dump as part of their projects.  I'd bet you'll have all you can use pretty quick, though you may find you have to mix-and-match to come up with what you want.  They may be happier, though, if you take a larger volume, so if you can use some in your garage, friend's garage, or your wife's playroom, etc., then think big.

I came across a steal 8 years ago - 16 1' wide IKEA lower cabinets, another 5' of misc. widths, and 50-odd feet of countertop, in varying lengths and condition, from a small lab operation that folded.  They've been used in several morphs of my workspaces as I've built-out the basement empire; right now I have a 13' long scenery bench where the team builds trees and stores all their "scenic stuff", a 10' leg holds model building projects, etc, and another 7' serves as the electronics shop.  Believe me, there is nothing like having dedicated workstations; the only downside is "where did I last use that...".  The next morph will see all of these change locations in the basement, as the RR construction order has changed due to crew availability.  Another 20' exists as two 10' benches in my woodworking shop.  The final instance will see them arranged as a three-wall workshop in the mechanical room, probably sometime this winter; the excess, if any, will finally see the street, unless a friend can use them in his shop.  

Blair

Portable

Mine is 2x4 ft. 1x4 frame with 2x2 legs to which I added casters after it kept getting a new home in our basement. 1x2 cross braces and a1/4 inch sheet of plywood. This was my wife's first so it also has some stick on vinal floor tiles.

The shelf on top came later and is made from scraps. 1x6 supports and 2    1/2 in scrap pieces of plywood. I used little L brackets to hold to the work bench.

Turns out the size works pretty good for portability. We had our carpet replaced in this room a couple of months ago and I was able to roll it through a 30" doorway and turn it 90 degrees and through another doorway without taking anything off.

Jack 

Finally got the cabinets up

We finished building the house less than a year ago, and I've finally gotten the salvaged kitchen cabinets up. While I wouldn't call the space organized, you can see kind of the flow process for my projects. The room has HVAC to it, but there is no return. This means that I can cut off and isolate the room from the rest of the house (noise or fumes). There's also two steel doors leading into the room; one leading from the garage, and one into the rest of the house. The next room over holds a plastic laundry sink, always a good place to clean up modeling messes.

The back right wall has my 3D printers and paint booth (clear tub with exhaust line to outside). The storage rack holds spraypaints, solvents, chemicals, and household tools.

The left wall has my modeling stuff, and kits are assembled on the two desks. The cabinets hold kits and scenery items, while the organizers hold detail parts for locos and cars. LED strip lighting on a dimmer (5000K) completes the area.

My Ultimate Bench... Kind of...

After working with my desk height bench for modeling in my studio, I finally bit the bullet and bought a sit/stand riser kit for my new work station.  I built the work bench from a door slab and have 3 2'x2' 5000K LED Troffers overhead. I will add a fourth LED panel above the side board for the paint booth and soldering station.  I custom laser cut my own paint and tool holders and used Ikea GodMorgen drawers underneath the paint holders.  The 3 white Ikea letter trays make great work in progress storage for various kits being worked on at the same time.

The electric sit/stand linear actuators are very solid and make it super easy to go from desk height right up to about 5 feet which is way to high, but is everything my bad back and knees wanted. Now I can pretty much work all day with out much back pain. Especially handy when working on really small parts and details. I can raise the desk at the push of a button so the parts are closer to my eyes and my arms are rested firmly on the bench.