I guess I have to post in old guy thread too
I'm 43 this month and from the very beginning of dNano'ing (we call it "diddling" which is a slightly different version of 'fiddling") I do all of my work in/on a cafeteria tray. Go to your local fast food place and long-term "borrow" one when they're not looking
Those plastic trays are great huge size for spreading out toolbox and sub-assemblies and they have a nice lip all the way around to catch parts that try to escape.