That old roll top desk is an antique or is it?.. it’s a great piece of furniture in it’s own right… whatever solution you come up with, hope it serves you well… have a small suggestion: if you’re good at welding, have you considered a metal frame with a height adjustment and heavy duty locking rolling wheels that won’t slip when locked? My own bench was made out of 2X4’s and 2X6’s with a hardibacker inset top which is heat resistant…the inset helps it trap filings… best luck on your new bench…
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I wish I had a roll top desk/bench. The cats keep running off with my felt buffs!!
– alonzo
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It’s not an antique. It’s just a particleboard desktop and some shelves above it but it’s turned out to be great!
Yeah, the microscope is a real game changer. I got one of the Chinese clones that are available and I could not go back to just using an optivisor.
Know that the desk is functional I will probably take two or three years to build the weed base I have planned lol!
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Steel, not weed base. 
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Brennan –
What microscope do you have? Are you happy with it? I’m starting to think that I need to go that route soon.
Thanks.
– alonzo
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I have this one:
I would absolutely buy it again and had great customer service from this company. That being said, I think all the vevor ones are the same scopes rebadged.
Hopefully I’ll be able to afford a Leica or similar at some point, but I have no problem using this one to work fairly long hours.
I ended up building my own bench mate to keep my work centered under the scope, and at a lower height than my bench pin. Ergonomics with a microscope are a little bit different, but I find it much easier on the body than extended time at the bench pin.
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I was thinking, “One smokin’ bench coming up” …
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Small update:
I found a large dining table on the side of the road and it joins the growing and adapting frankenbench.
I put the large dining table on the filing cabinet/drawers that originally came with the roll top desk. Then I cut out a matching shape to match the roll top desk cutout, used scrap 2x6 to space the two desks, and slid the roll top desk over.
We’ll see if it needs to be spaced up higher. I’m guessing another inch might help. Heh.
Next I’ll reinstall the filings tray and I might update it to a skin.
Cheers!
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Hi,
keepa getting better and better!
at sone point along the way, edge pieces on the outside of the lower level might be good…keep things from rolling off into the dark abyss!
i like my sweeps drawer for holding tools…
alternately, i like my new detachable skin to catch stones and small parts…
maybe figure out a way to have both!
julie
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You’ve got great ideas! I’ll definitely look into a groove or a ridge to keep things from escaping!
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Brennan,
Looking Great! I really like the “Cockpit” look that it has!
I agree with Julie’s suggestions and would like to add one of my own: I would also Thicken your Bench Tops by at least 1" or more, that will give you a lot more Stability and will also allow you to Drill Holes into the Edges of your Bench. I have Holes in the Edges of my Bench that are great for sticking a Ring Mandrel or Bezel Mandrel into while you’re working on something that needs more support or another “hand” to do what you need to do! You really will notice the difference, especially if you’re having to use any extra force or downward pressure while you’re working at the Bench…
If you don’t want to Thicken the entire Top, you could always just add a 2 x 8" (which is actually 1-1/2" x 7-1/2") Across the Entire Front Edge, using probably (2-3) different boards for the Cut-Out Area to keep the Width all the way around. I would Glue it and Screw it on from underneath for even more strength.
You might also want to make some sort of “Back-Stop” and “Side-Stops” for your Foot Pedals, to keep them from moving around, once you know where it’s most comfortable to use them. They can be as simple as some Thin Strips of Wood or other material that you Screw into the Floor or a piece of 1/4" Plywood with the Strips of Wood Screwed onto it, making a Flat Platform for them to Sit On…
Anyway, Good Luck and keep up the great work!! 
Jonathan
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Great suggestions. I definitely want to add some thickness to the top. I have a thickness planer so I might take some 2x material down to 1-1/8. I’ll have to check my little packrat supply.
Here’s a pic with a stop gap filings drawer made from plywood so I can keep working looks with me in it.
I’ve got a soldering station on a pull out work surface on my right going too.
Fun!
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