Woodworking Benches - What Features?

Nomad

I currently have one of these Clarke woodworking benches in my garage...

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/workbench/

Had it for years, and barely used it. When I get my home workshop sorted out (major reworking), I plan to move it in and make use of it, at least as an interim thing. The rigidity is okay, but it's a bit lightweight - it tended to slide about the garage floor. I had planned to make some sort of brackets to clamp it to the garage wall, but my interest in general woodworking in the garage never took off and the brackets never happened.

Eventually, I'd like to make a better bench, both for guitar making and medium-sized woodwork stuff (like a wooden tool chest and other storage), at which point the Clarke will probably go back into the garage. I'm thinking of something of similar size - about 1500 x 500mm, although not sure of height yet. I don't have room for something much larger than that.

I'm generally happy with the arrangement of the vices on the Clarke bench, although I'm not convinced that they work all that well - never felt that confident in the bench dogs, for example, and they're a bit small for holding bits vertically (like a batten, end-up).

I've been looking at lots of benches online, and trying to work out what features are useful. Like a tool well - is it really needed, or just somewhere for crap to collect? There are a few designs for the tail vice - half width, full width, L-shaped, and some sort of slot affair with a dog in it. Do any of these stand out as better for guitar building? Some have a sliding deadman (panel on the front with holes for dogs), which looks better than the simple holes-in-leg on the Clarke (which only makes it useful for a certain minimum length of board).

What about under-bench storage? At first blush, it seems like a good idea, but I once put a board on the front of the Clarke and then wanted to get something out of the drawer and had to take the board off (not really a hassle, I guess, but something that might need to be planned around at times). What about clamping around the edges? If it has an apron, it'll get in the way of the clamps - is an apron (with dog holes) more useful than clamping space?

If you use a woodworking bench, what features do you find useful, and what don't really work?

GSPBASSES

I use this one  its every think you want a bench to be and do.

   http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+woodworking-workshop-equipment-work-benches-woodwork-benches-1500mm-professional-joiners-workbench-dakota+dk2700

octatonic

I have a Sjobergs Elite 2000.

It was expensive- even though I got it on sale it was still about £1500 but absolutely worth it.

The main thing is it is heavy- when you are working the wood the bench doesn't move, something that has pissed me off in the past.

The vices are absolutely first rate- you need to line them with cork yourself, either buying Sjobergs ridiculously overpriced adhesive cork pieces. I bought some cork flooring tiles and glued them on and saved myself about £80.

Dog holes are plentiful and excellent although I tend to clamp an mdf board to it and work on that.

The storage is fine- I don't keep anything I need often in it- you want that stuff on the wall, where you can get at it.

I keep my less used hand planes in the main cupboard and various bits and pieces in the drawers, especially abrasive.

Chalky

Made my own out of 2x4 with four 18mm x600x1200 plywood panels stacked as the work surface and one 6" metal vice. Nowhere near as fancy as those above but only cost a few quid and stays still when I use it. Tools are on the wall rather that under the bench as I then don't have to bend down and ferret to find them.

I made it because I could hear my dear old Dad saying "If you're going to be a carpenter why wouldn't you make your own wooden workbench!" )

Nomad

Thanks chaps. No wells, I see.

The Sjobergs look especially nice - really like the big vices and thick tops.

How do you find the heights? At the moment, I've been using my machine bench, which is about 940mm high, and I find that quite comfortable. I've got a lower bench (a Clarke metal cabinet with thick wooden top) that's 850mm high, and I never use it other than for doing stuff on a belt sander. I like the add-on height adjusting things that Sjobergs do - neat idea.

Went to the local wood place yesterday, and he has plenty of 3" thick rough sawn beech boards about 10" wide (and 8' long),  so food for thought.