The one I am using at the moment in my shared block house (3 officers same house) is 6ft long not enough space, I am planing one 10ft long made from a kitchen counter top and some 2x2 for legs and backing material considering I am hear for 2 years and it's only going to cost in the region of €100 to build its nothing much.
And wildside that was epic, when it snows over hear again I'll have to record it last year 2ft of snow in half a hour according to what I was told and the lightning storm not long after I got here was massive to hit a 150 year old oak tree and turned it into a smoking stump and lots of match sticks.