The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word WORKBENCH
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
W
O
R
K
B
E
N
C
H
Buddy explains!

The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does WORKBENCH mean?
WORKBENCH noun- A sturdy bench or table at which manual work is done by a carpenter, machinist, etc.