EEVblog #228 - New Lab Progress...

[EEVblog]

Dave why you don't apply the bench with water based lacquer, i use it all the time. It has no smell and is dry to touch in 10 minuttes.

Your benches will degradation and wood will be sensitive to any mechanical damage (especially soft pine) and if you spill something on it it will go in the wood creating an ugly show.

Sounds good. What brand?, and where can I get it from in Oz?
I looked at dozens of different products at Bunnings (big local hardware store), and every single one of them had dire recommendations for  good flow ventilation etc when applying.

Dave.

[DrGeoff]

There's some stuff that is used for flooring that works well. It's a 2-part acrylic compond that is a satin finish and is very durable. The brand of stuff I used was 'Bona', and is available from several places in Sydney (I know of one paint place in Collaroy that has it).

BTW, are you leasing the new space or did you buy it?

[Zad]

Rather than get a Makerbot thing, how about a laser cutter? I believe AdaFruit made quite a bit of $$$ laser etching laptops, that could be a nice bit of income in quiet times, and a handy way of making your own enclosures.

[PeteInTexas]

Dave why you don't apply the bench with water based lacquer, i use it all the time. It has no smell and is dry to touch in 10 minuttes.

Your benches will degradation and wood will be sensitive to any mechanical damage (especially soft pine) and if you spill something on it it will go in the wood creating an ugly show.

Sounds good. What brand?, and where can I get it from in Oz?
I looked at dozens of different products at Bunnings (big local hardware store), and every single one of them had dire recommendations for  good flow ventilation etc when applying.

Dave.

They all have dire warnings but how inconvenient is it to coat them outside and leave them out for a day or two?

[EEVblog]

They all have dire warnings but how inconvenient is it to coat them outside and leave them out for a day or two?

Very inconvenient.

Dave.

[PeteInTexas]

They all have dire warnings but how inconvenient is it to coat them outside and leave them out for a day or two?

Very inconvenient.

Dave.

It would be awhile before the draw backs of not coating them manifest themselves.  And by then you will likely want something different.

[amspire]

You can treat the wood with mineral oil, or Liquid Paraffin B.P. as it is called in Australia. The B.P. means that it is food grade. Available from any chemist in 200mL bottles for something like $5, and it it almost odorless and it is non-allergenic and non-toxic. It can be mixed with beeswax, but the beeswax will have a slight odor. Probably not objectionable though.

I gather that mineral oil sinks into the wood pretty successfully and dries quickly. It is used a lot on wooden cutting boards and children's toys. Does not go rancid which is a potential problem of the vegetable-based oils.

Richard.

[Zad]

Strange you should mention beeswax, I was only thinking about that the other day in relation to someone who is sensitive to modern chemicals. My dad used to make turpentine + beeswax polish to restore old furniture, I loved the smell of it! I'm not sure it is a perfect choice for lab furniture but it works fine with domestic woodwork.

[amspire]

There are a number of options using turpentine, but I was avoiding that because of the fumes.

Mineral oil and/or beeswax will not be as tough as paint or polyurethane, but that may be OK as Dave has the antistatic mats for a lot of the assembly/disassembly work. It is enough to make the bench and shelves water resistant.

[DrGeoff]

Here's the link to the water-based 2-part polyurethane floor coating that is very good. It's low odour and dries reasonably quickly, although you'd want to leave it a few days to really harden fully (as with any coating).
http://www.bona.net.au/HomeOwners/Products11/Traffic2.aspx?cat=Coatings

I guess you are sharing the bulding with dentists, doctors, chiropractors etc, so odour would be a problem!

[steff]

I can highly recommend Osmo brand wax/oils. My other half's whole flat has oak flooring we did with it as well as the kitchen work tops. Not hard to apply, smells of linseed oil rather then unpleasant solvents, seems to last very well. You could probably make something pretty similar just by dissolving a wax in a small amount of a reasonably mild solvent and a lot of something like boiled linseed.

[simmonmt]

What's the brand name and model number for the ESD mat?  I see the link to the Oritech site, but they don't list the manufacturer -- assuming, of course, that Oritech doesn't make it themselves.  I'd like to see if I can find that mat from a supplier here in the US.

[plunger]

What's the brand name and model number for the ESD mat?  I see the link to the Oritech site, but they don't list the manufacturer -- assuming, of course, that Oritech doesn't make it themselves.  I'd like to see if I can find that mat from a supplier here in the US.

I was just watching a video on some matting yesterday. 3M brand though. 

[jens75]

I would put a big whiteboard on the wall and/or a smaller one on wheeled frame that would fit near the "video corner". And maybe some kind of permanent camera mount for the former, it would save time setting up the camera every time the camera is moved somewhere.

And thanks for mentioning those Border IKEA shelves, I was looking for some vertical storage system for my new house, I have very limited space there.

The shelves are actually called Broder. Broder translates to brother in english

[McMonster]

I would put a big whiteboard on the wall and/or a smaller one on wheeled frame that would fit near the "video corner". And maybe some kind of permanent camera mount for the former, it would save time setting up the camera every time the camera is moved somewhere.

And thanks for mentioning those Border IKEA shelves, I was looking for some vertical storage system for my new house, I have very limited space there.

The shelves are actually called Broder. Broder translates to brother in english

I know, it was just a typo.

[ronwoch]

Or you could put say, some kind of formica like top on the benches. Then again, who cares if the workbench gets stained and dinged? Adds character, right? But that's just me.

[Jimmy]

Dave Just paint them on a friday afternoon before you take off and it should be rite most aircons vent to fresh air somewhere

[jipihorn]

Hi,

Is somebody know if the ESD mat kits from Oritech (like the HTM2406B) are the same kind than the roll version ? There is no information on the web site, although the roll version is well described.

Good ESD mats are quite expensive (and difficult to find) here in France and international shipping costs are usually ridiculous (the last one was $146 shipping cost for two 600x1200 mats from Canada...). But as it seems that Oritech offers free shipping even for international orders...

Thanks in advance,

J.

[G7PSK]

The finish material that you need here in the UK would be labeled low VOC content and would tell you to wash your brushes in water, brand names here are Ronseal and Sadolin both of them come in clear, stain or colored finish.
They both touch dry in twenty minuets. have a very low odor and clean off while still wet with water. 

[ivan747]

The center of that room is calling out for a Pool Table to compliment the arcade machine

You mean another work bench with a green felt top? 

Dave.

You mean abit like mine

I think your wife/mother is not happy with this.

[RRobot]

Here in Canada, my local Ikea says they are discontinuing the Broder system or at least not stocking the current parts, by October. Its already hard to get the 204 cm posts which tie the system together. They may be mistaken, but I stocked up anyway. Love the Broder system. Don't know if this applies to the rest of the world.

[duskglow]

Dave, what model shelving did you use?  I'm specifically interested in the metal shelving and supports that you have in the back.  I know you said you got it from Ikea (and there's one near me) but it'd be much easier if you know what model you got.

Of course that was a couple of years ago, so I understand if you don't remember.

[EEVblog]

Dave, what model shelving did you use?  I'm specifically interested in the metal shelving and supports that you have in the back.  I know you said you got it from Ikea (and there's one near me) but it'd be much easier if you know what model you got.

"Broder"

[duskglow]

Excellent, thanks.