Home Improvement : Create a Basic Workshop for Home : Do-It-Yourself: Workbench is the heart of a functional workshop. If space is a problem, a fold-down unit may be a good choice to build.

If you dream of an efficient, functional place to work on projects and store tools, here are some hints to help you get started on your ideal home workshop.

A workbench is the heart of a workshop. A sturdy 2-by-4 frame topped by a double layer of three-quarter-inch plywood will serve as an excellent, easy-to-make workbench.

If a full-sized bench takes up more space than you have, you can build a fold-down unit. Use a solid-core door for the bench top; fasten it to a wall, using a piano hinge. Support the front edge with 2-by-4 legs attached with hinges and folding leg brackets that lock open.

For most people, the correct height for a workbench is 34 to 36 inches. If you need a different height, choose one midway between your hips and your wrist when your arm is hanging straight down.

Because concrete is hard on the feet and damages tools that are dropped accidentally, cushion the workshop floor with plywood or an old carpet.

Here are some tips for expanding storage space:

--A back-of-the-door tool rack is great for storing small tools and supplies.

--You can store tools on wall hooks or on a peg board. Paint the outline of each tool on the surface to remind you and others where to replace it.

--To make a handy rack for screwdrivers and other small tools, drill a series of one-half to 2-inch holes through a 1-by-3. Mount the rack on the wall with L-brackets.

--Need a storage receptacle for sharp or pointed tools? Cut a block of plastic foam from the packing material in an appliance carton.

--Use the unfinished stud spaces of your workshop walls. To make shelves, nail old boards horizontally between the studs.

--A good way to organize washers and nuts is to hang them according to size on large safety pins or on wire coat hangers whose necks have been untwisted.

--Jars with screw tops are ideal for storing small items such as nails, screws, nuts and bolts. You can double your shelf capacity by screwing some of the jar lids to the undersides of the shelves. Place a lock washer under the head of the screw so that the lid won’t turn when you unscrew the jar. Or attach the lid with two screws.

--If you need a rack to store abrasive sanding disks, cut off one-third to one-half of an aluminum pie plate and fasten it to the wall, bottom side out.

Set your workshop up with safety precautions in mind.

--When working with any power tool--large or small--use only a heavy-duty, grounded (three-prong) extension cord that is 14-gauge or larger.

--To keep power-tool cords out of the way as you work, hook the slack on a long spring screwed into the ceiling above your workbench.

--Store discarded toxic chemicals such as solvents in a separate, sealed trash container. Ask your local carting company, recycling center or sanitation department about how to dispose of them properly.

--Because linseed oil is prone to spontaneous combustion even in cold weather, quickly discard any rag used with linseed oil or with a product containing linseed oil.

--If you have small children, store all tools in locked cabinets or drawers. As the children grow up, gradually introduce them to the safe use of hand tools, but continue to lock up power tools.