"The Ultimate" electronics lab?

[AmmoJammo]

So, I'm hopefully setting up my electronics area soon, and am looking for ideas of what people consider to be "Ultimate"

I often scroll through the "Whats your Work-Bench/lab look like?" thread to get ideas, but have a few questions...

What height benches would people normally go for? I prefer office type chairs, so am more likely to make them desk height, but should I make some standing height also?

How deep should the benches be, and how much area do people think is needed?

I think I plan to have my main PC in this area too, not that it really matters, but should I also aim to have shelves above the benches for storage/equipment?

Any suggestions for what to do, or not to do would be great!

Thanks!

[GreyWoolfe]

My DIY workbench is 30.5" in height, including 1/2" MDF for the surface.  My bench is 33" deep and 8' long.  I would love to have another 4 feet but I don't have the physical space to do it.  I have 2X4 braces extending up behind that have tracks for (3) adjustable shelves that are 12" deep giving me a 21" deep working area.  I use a task chair at my workbench and an office chair at my desk.  I also have under desk mounts for my testing  PC and keyboard/mouse.  I use a desk mount for my monitor clamped at 1 side and I have it raised higher than what people normally set monitor height at but I have to look over the company equipment I am repairing so the height works for my application.

I'm 6' tall but built disproportionately- I am all body with a 30" inseam so my task chair height is probably lower than what most people set theirs at.  My bench height works for me, YMMV.  I also have long arms so the depth of the bench is not an issue for me.  Everyone will have a different opinion at height/depth.  I think a good gauge would be a height that allows you to rest your elbows on the surface comfortably.  I don't like working standing up, but I do take regular breaks to stand and move around.  Right now I only utilize the middle 3 or 4 feet, but I am finally going to upgrade my lighting/ESD mat so I can use the entire 8 foot length, allowing me to have more than 1 project going on at one time and I am planning to have a soldering area at one end.  I hope this gets your creative juices flowing for your bench design.

[mzzj]

So, I'm hopefully setting up my electronics area soon, and am looking for ideas of what people consider to be "Ultimate"

What height benches would people normally go for? I prefer office type chairs, so am more likely to make them desk height, but should I make some standing height also?

Ultimate? Well then you want obviously  motorized table so that you can change from standing height to sitting height. 

I'd say that 1,5 meters is very much the minimum table lenght and optimum is somewhere around 2-2,5 meters. Anything more than that usually just ends up as a storage for "things" and general mess.

Add another table if you need space for mechanical work ie. drill press or similar.

[tszaboo]

So, I'm hopefully setting up my electronics area soon, and am looking for ideas of what people consider to be "Ultimate"

What height benches would people normally go for? I prefer office type chairs, so am more likely to make them desk height, but should I make some standing height also?

Ultimate? Well then you want obviously  motorized table so that you can change from standing height to sitting height. 

I'd say that 1,5 meters is very much the minimum table lenght and optimum is somewhere around 2-2,5 meters. Anything more than that usually just ends up as a storage for "things" and general mess.

Add another table if you need space for mechanical work ie. drill press or similar.

What is up with this standing nowadays? I see images, of "standing offices" and such. is this really something someone desire?

[eas]

Standing desks are a bit of a fad, boosted by, I think, extrapolating too far from some clinical research.

Even so, there are plenty of people who have acute problems from working at a computer all day. A standing desk can provide a lot of relief.

Even better, if you have to work at some sort of workstation all day, is to vary your working position. Adjustable desks make this practical. 

Also, different tasks have different optimal work surface heights and postures, so, easily adjustable desks + easily adjustable chairs + the option of standing can accommodate a lot.

[retrolefty]

So, I'm hopefully setting up my electronics area soon, and am looking for ideas of what people consider to be "Ultimate"

What height benches would people normally go for? I prefer office type chairs, so am more likely to make them desk height, but should I make some standing height also?

Ultimate? Well then you want obviously  motorized table so that you can change from standing height to sitting height. 

I'd say that 1,5 meters is very much the minimum table lenght and optimum is somewhere around 2-2,5 meters. Anything more than that usually just ends up as a storage for "things" and general mess.

Add another table if you need space for mechanical work ie. drill press or similar.

What is up with this standing nowadays? I see images, of "standing offices" and such. is this really something someone desire?

 Ah but it's the healthy generation. 

[KL27x]

Ultimate? Well then you want obviously  motorized table so that you can change from standing height to sitting height. 

This is not a bad idea. One of my buddies has one of these, and it's supposed to support like 2-300 lbs, or something.

Instead of a hutch/shelving on top of the bench surface, you could have racks/shelving against the wall with all your heavy equipment and a movable bench surface in front of that.

I have a 6 foot assembly table in my lab, which I'm thinking of replacing with a couple of adjustable sawhorses and a plank to have an adjustable height.

As for depth of my main bench, I happened to settle on a depth of about 2 feet, plus a little, for the main working surface. This just so happens to be the maximum length I can reach one arm across the top and another across the bottom, to pass cables. Then I have an additional structure behind this, giving an additional cubit or so of surface, to hold some shelving, monitors, equipment, etc. The gap in between is good for hanging cables and probes.

[EEVblog]

So, I'm hopefully setting up my electronics area soon, and am looking for ideas of what people consider to be "Ultimate"

One where you have Oompa-Loompa's to do all the work for you. You just come in for the fun bits.

[retrolefty]

So, I'm hopefully setting up my electronics area soon, and am looking for ideas of what people consider to be "Ultimate"

One where you have Oompa-Loompa's to do all the work for you. You just come in for the fun bits.

 The Ultimate lab is one where you get to run out of other people's money to build and equip it.   

[EEVblog]

The Ultimate lab is one where you get to run out of other people's money to build and equip it.   

No, because then they want a say in it. Screw that!

[all_repair]

If you foresee you are going to use many types of test cable, or adapters, plan to organising them well for easy retrieval and storage.  The main gears are quite rigid and there is not many variation factors to play around.  The small things that you use frequently shall slow you down more than you can imagine, and are easily overlooked

[retrolefty]

If you foresee you are going to use many types of test cable, or adapters, plan to organising them well for easy retrieval and storage.  The main gears are quite rigid and there is not many variation factors to play around.  The small things that you use frequently shall slow you down more than you can imagine, and are easily overlooked

 I've found the thing that slows me down the most in my 'lab' is the frequent cobwebs between my ears. 

[ez24]

Does "The Ultimate"  mean cost is no object?  If no object I would set up a lab in a 747 and tour the world with it 

In my case I have a folding Costco table on one side of my room (29" high) and a board (4x6 feet) sitting on some plastic shelves (also from Costco) at a height of 44".  When I walk into the room I have my choice of either.  For most things I prefer the 44" table.  If I am going to work on something for a long time (say 30 min or longer) I will sit down.  I like having both and my set up came about as an accident and I did not know that I would like the 44" table so it was a fun find.    And I am old with bad legs.

[basinstreetdesign]

The ideal lab should be one where you are comfortable.  My bench is at the standard hight of about 30 in. but my chair is a cushioned lab stool with a long vertical adjustment range so that it can be used not only at a bench but drawing table or other place higher than 30 in.  The benches I built which you see are 3 ft deep by8 ft long and have a cantilevered bridge shelf for gear which can hold quite a lot.

Get the equipment that does what you need at a reasonable price.  To that end, shop for used or broken gear that you can fix then use.  Jim Williams was right, there is no better education than fixing your own test equipment.  And high-priced gear which just sits unused is pointless.

There also seems to be some value in an office with library separated from the lab so you can think in peace instead of putting up with a multitude of small fans in equipment.

[mtdoc]

I'd like a lab with a space-time portal so that I can tell my family "I'll be down in the lab for 5 minutes", then walk through the door, spend hours working uninterupted, then return to my family to find that only 5 minutes have passed.

[jitter]

So, I'm hopefully setting up my electronics area soon, and am looking for ideas of what people consider to be "Ultimate"

One where you have Oompa-Loompa's to do all the work for you. You just come in for the fun bits.

You mean become a CEO?

[Deathwish]

So, I'm hopefully setting up my electronics area soon, and am looking for ideas of what people consider to be "Ultimate"

One where you have Oompa-Loompa's to do all the work for you. You just come in for the fun bits.

Ahhh now we know why you have David 2 ...... nice one

[tszaboo]

Does "The Ultimate"  mean cost is no object?  If no object I would set up a lab in a 747 and tour the world with it 

In my case I have a folding Costco table on one side of my room (29" high) and a board (4x6 feet) sitting on some plastic shelves (also from Costco) at a height of 44".  When I walk into the room I have my choice of either.  For most things I prefer the 44" table.  If I am going to work on something for a long time (say 30 min or longer) I will sit down.  I like having both and my set up came about as an accident and I did not know that I would like the 44" table so it was a fun find.    And I am old with bad legs.

Pilot, the shipping is too expensive to the EU, fly there please!

To have some serious comment, the ultimate lab is sectioned, to do different tasks. You have a place for digital, analog and RF, and power, with different tools. You also have a general working area, to do mecanical stuff, with screwdrivers, saws, flies and such. Also a soldering area. Have a whiteboard, and an area where people can sit down to discuss ideas.
Have a bunch of electrical outlet at each desk, you never have enough. And have a rack with fitted rackmount equipment, with nice stuff, it should be on wheels.
I'm dreaming, someone wake me up!

[AndyC_772]

I'm amazed nobody has posted an Iron Man clip yet 

[Brumby]

Why would we?

We've already got labs like that, so there's nothing special about Tony Stark's.



* Nobody wake me *

[tautech]

So, I'm hopefully setting up my electronics area soon, and am looking for ideas of what people consider to be "Ultimate"

U shaped "wrap around" work station 3M x 3M. Std table height (30", 750mm). Chair area ~1M wide x 2M deep. All bench widths ~1 M

Multi monitors, PC and bookshelf on one side, Test equipment in the middle section and soldering/inspection/parts area on the other side.

Swapping the TE and soldering area MIGHT remove TE from reach of the PC with USB cabling, but could be overcome with LAN if your TE supports it.

Roller feet swivel chair.

Got close to this myself, L shaped and in a corner so with 2 walls with added shelving.
Now where's my hammer and tools. 

[Sbampato12]

Why would we?

We've already got labs like that, so there's nothing special about Tony Stark's.



* Nobody wake me *

At least ours labs are a little bit more 'real'...

[Brumby]

Now I'm awake.

[pmbrunelle]

The ultimate lab must have a large enough drafting table.

Right now I'm the schematic of my latest project is on a D-size paper on my kitchen table, and I'm trying not to get coffee/strawberry juice spills on it like the last schematic I did...

Other essentials:

Beer fridge

Compressed air, for blowing boards dry after rinsing the flux with alcohol.

[stmdude]

I can tell you what's _not_ ultimate..

Spending a lot of time soldering under the microscope, but having the microscope at a height that makes your back hurt like a offspring-of-a-female-dog after 20 minutes..
So, yea, my tip: Figure out what you'll be doing the most, and optimize the height for that. I don't think that one size fits all.

[nanofrog]

So, yea, my tip: Figure out what you'll be doing the most, and optimize the height for that. I don't think that one size fits all.

To try and deal with this issue, I incorporated adjustable leveling feet into my benches (welded a nut in the end of each leg).  Not expensive either; spent ~$30 for the heavy duty set, and ~$25 for the medium duty set IIRC from Zoro.



They don't give you 6"+ of adjustment, but they really do help IME (4" on the heavy duty bench, 2.5" on the medium duty bench, which is a couple of inches taller).

I'm also incorporating an adjustable keyboard tray and monitor arm to get those heights right for me, and simultaneously help keep the table top clear. I'll put photos up in the Let's see your bench thread once I get it all finished.

[free_electron]

two palmtrees with a hammock positioned such a way i can dangle one foot in the warm water.
i'll do my designing directly in the sand.

[retrolefty]

two palmtrees with a hammock positioned such a way i can dangle one foot in the warm water.
i'll do my designing directly in the sand.

 Just a different format of silicon. 

[free_electron]

two palmtrees with a hammock positioned such a way i can dangle one foot in the warm water.
i'll do my designing directly in the sand.

 Just a different format of silicon. 

EXACTLY !

[ez24]

I'd like a lab with a space-time portal so that I can tell my family "I'll be down in the lab for 5 minutes", then walk through the door, spend hours working uninterupted, then return to my family to find that only 5 minutes have passed.

  beats my 747 !

[kwass]

You can get some good ideas by looking at what's commercially available.  Techni-Tool has a good assortment:  http://www.techni-tool.com/Workstations

[SeanB]

two palmtrees with a hammock positioned such a way i can dangle one foot in the warm water.
i'll do my designing directly in the sand.

 Just a different format of silicon. 

EXACTLY !

Palm trees suggests tropical island, where the most common sand is ground up calcium carbonate coral, so not silicon dioxide sand.

[ez24]

Big Bang Theory Lab

[Deathwish]

Let me see, Tautech's , then I can make  huge mess and tell his SWMBO it was him and watch him get a good telling of for it whilst he stands there looking all soppy eyed and dog eared.

[tautech]

Let me see, Tautech's , then I can make  huge mess and tell his SWMBO it was him and watch him get a good telling of for it whilst he stands there looking all soppy eyed and dog eared.

Merry Christmas to you too Garry.

Na , she knows much better than to come onto my space......I won't criticise her kitchen and she leaves me alone.
BTW, my setup is in our large 4 car garage and I could make it even bigger of a bigger sized mess. 
Where's my hammer....

BTW 2, was gunna wish Santa looked after you....then remembered you're a Santa hater, so I won't.
Anyway have a nice time mate, hope somebody spoils you and you have a nice day.
Take care Garry.

[TiN]

Since this thread likely going to nowhere anyway (sorry, OP)..

tropical island, where the most common sand is ground up calcium carbonate coral, so not silicon dioxide sand.

Carbon nanotubes and graphen, man. free_electron works on the edge of modern technology there. Bit lack of precision though, all those airflows, typhoons, lurking crabs no good for design stability

[AmmoJammo]

Since this thread likely going to nowhere anyway (sorry, OP)..

And yet, I got exactly the input I was looking for.

I reckon, two different height benches, most suitable for standard office chairs.

Shelves mounted on the wall, rather than being part of the desk.

And "too much" desk space, even if it does just get  used for storage...