After working on my bikes on the floor for years, I snagged a used Park Professional PRS-6 stand.
Got new pads for it, and tried it out today. Whew, it was NICE.
It should be a bit taller if I want to snag the seatpost, but I think I can snag the main tubes with most of my bikes without worrying about damage.
Anyway, in my browsing, the Park clamps are a relatively low portion of the cost of the whole stand.
Amazon.com : Park Tool 100-9C Adjustable Clamp, Fits PRS-6, PRS-7, PRS-8 : Bike Workstands : Sports & Outdoors
Amazon.com : Park Tool Professional Micro-Adjust Repair Stand Clamp (PRS-2, PRS-3, PRS-4, PRS-2 OS, PRS-3 OS, PRS-4 OS, and PRS-4W) : Bike Workstands : Sports & Outdoors
It wouldn't take much to build a custom stand to that lifted up and down using a boat hoist, and connecting to one of the Park arms.