Well, Well, Well. Who needs it?

I have an antique maple bench I picked up over 20 years ago that has served me very well (no pun intended). However, it has a tool well that, for the most part, simply acts as a catch all and limits the amount of usable space I have to work on.

How many of you have a bench with a tool well? Does it serve a purpose for you? Are you primarily a hand or power tool user? Does it make a difference?

That's one nice old bench Rennie, if it's the one I remember.

You always could just make a filler strip to fill it in. No damage and completely reversible....

Rennie, I've had the same bench for over 25 years. Simple, bought at an auction. I've had a tool well, then took it off, then made a new one a few years ago, which remains on. It does get full of all sorts of stuff. Thing is, the stuff would be on the bench even more in my way without the well. I like it, but it isn't a necessity. It is good for holding a glue bottle, bench dogs, little things like that.

i think brent is on to something there,, would work great for a storage area of your go to chisels or a maybe a plane or two..

MY bench has 4 wells the have trays in them...take out the tray and turn it upside dow...ad you have a flat surface.

Works well

+1 on filler strip with a hand finger hole to lift it out.