Dave in Indy wrote:
....
Thanks for all the information! I was actually looking at a couple
workbenches the same guy was selling. One was a homemade wooden bench,
the other was a steel bench with hardboard top that was in bad shape,
but replaceable. I'd like to buy something to start out with, and then
make one later on. I know I need a bench, but haven't been too
impressed with some of the Sjoberg benches I've seen, esp. for the
money. Was considering a Grizzly bench top and maybe Shopfox leg set.
What about the Kobalt type benches at Lowes with MDF top? All thoughts
appreciated. Thanks!

Why not just make something serviceable but inexpensive initially and
then make a better one one of your first "real" projects? Or, like me,
20 years later, the "temporary" is still working just fine...of course,
I had some 8/4 x 16' clear (nearly) yellow pine I planed down for the
top and built a table for it and mounted the vise my f-i-l gave me and
it's now as comfortable as an old shoe...