Workbench ideas?

Don't discount the "simple backyard stuff," either. One of the absolute handiest things I've ever ended up with was something I built to jig up a couple of recumbent bike frames to keep them in line. It's a big 'ol piece of angle, I guess about 3/8" thick x 3 x 3" or so and about 4-5' long. I ended up mounting a vise on one end. It is supported on the vise end by one leg with an upside down "T" bottom, and a straight single leg on the other, so it will sit "firm" on uneven ground.

This thing is a jig, a bracket, a welding table, a vise, clamp, fixture, it quite simply gets USED.