I'd get a truing stand if I had the table space for one and wanted to build a bunch of wheels.

In the meantime, if I just need to true a wheel, I just put the bike on my repair stand (which folds out of the way against a wall) and use the brake pads. I'd probably use the same method when building a wheel from the ground up (or "from the hub out").

I understand why a truing stand is useful -- and I think its best place is on a workbench with a stool -- but it still needs to be checked for being properly centered anyway.