I have made several carving lap-top work stations over the years. The First was a very simple and very portable one.

But

- As my colection of tools has increased, with the addition of many home-made special purpose tools - Plus bargain, good quality vintage tools. - Plus particularly nice-looking versions of tools I already have. - Plus not-so-good in quality, but otherwise very cheap and able to be improved or re-purposed, tools. - Plus tools and materials for the maintaining of tools... And all of this further compounded, with my natural tendency to keep adding. Adding both functionality, and my favourite attribute to a design or to a workspace... 'opulent visual complexity', all added, in the spirit of maximalism...

I had built to the zenith of this design brief with a 'portable' workstation of great size, and weight! That particular work station has now been re-set in form to the more moderate one shown. This is the lap-bench I mostly use now, and the one I take to shows and wood craft demonstrations. I use it, in conjunction with the original small one, for times when I am in a more restrained and sensible 'travel light' mode.

Both of these workstations are loosely based on a jeweller's bench and feature an attatched-from-beneath cloth or towel for catching chips. Towels and some rope, cover and bind everything for transport to shows etc.