One big lesson I’m taking away from all my work on wooden fixtures for shoemaking—this stand, a lasting jack, the IKEA saddler’s clam—is that it really pays to be able to adjust dimensions to suit your body. I’m set up to do that in wood, so wood has really been the ticket.
I fully expect that I’ll keep fiddling with the heights of all these things. I’ve learned to expect that, too. But I wouldn’t trade any of my DIY contraptions for a prettier, pro-made model. I’d rather have the flexibility to keep customizing and learning by experience where things should be to keep me comfortable.