I have not had a good work surface to conduct soldering and other project construction yet. Buying one is a little ridiculous after shopping around, so I began Googling away at DIY projects. I have a lot of garage space, so I aimed at a 8'x3' work surface at a 36" height.
The previous owner of the house left his old wood bench and it has not been practical as the top is made of 2x6s that are not flush to each other. I found some good ideas on the Internet and modified a couple designs to suit my needs. Picked up some heavy 350+ lb. casters from McMaster. Top surface is 3/4" MDF and only screwed to the frame studs, so that it is easily replaceable. The rest of the design incorporates 2x4s and 2x3s assembled with 3" deck screws and PL Premium adhesive. I took my time, measured twice, drilled pilot holes and countersunk the holes for a nice fit and finish.
For my first real project, it came out nice and square, and incredible stout. Casters cost around $45, and lumber was about $100. Plenty of room to mount a serious vice and grinder, with plenty of room to work!
