EEVblog #679 - How To Build A Small Electronics Work Bench

[nixfu]

For those interested in work bench designs there is a great old thread in the General Topics forum, that can provide lots of ideas and inspiration, and is a very fun thread to read.  I have my benches in there as well, come add yours to the thread. 

Here is the thread:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/whats-your-work-benchlab-look-like-post-some-pictures-of-your-lab/


BTW. Those looking for good prices on nice quality ESD mat, check out this guy in Canada. He has good stuff at reasonable prices.  He cut some custom sizes for me, the shipping was fast, and the cost was excellent compared to commercial websites. He also does not charge more than required for shipping, so even in other countries like the UK/EU/etc you might want to check on his rates and prices which could still be better than anywhere else.   

http://stores.ebay.com/canvu00

[free_electron]

allright dave, whats up with the acoustical/rf foam in the background ? you building an anechoic/dead chamber ?

as far as workbenches go : nothing beats Ikea's (discontinued) Jerker. I actually bought another one over the weekend. so i have 3 now. i already ordered another breadcart and a sheet of ESD matting.

[SeanB]

The foam was added to cut the noise in the lab, mostly the echo from the door side when the aircon was running. Been discussed a while ago. It does work, as the noise floor and echo is a lot less after it was done.

[klaus11]

Does anyone know where to get that matting in the EU? Would be happy to buy a 10m roll or whatever.

A little cheaper.  http://www.satkit.com/b2c/index.php?page=pp_producto.php&md=0&ref=5755
You can order the length you need.

[jnissen]

OK how many want to bet that Dave will fill this shelf with more junk and he will be complaining that there is no more space in the lab!  Dave you need to evaluate what your doing with the existing space and possibly throw something out! Sell some of that EBAY stuff you intended to sell but never got around to.

Yeah I better keep quiet or my wife will remind me that I have a big ebay pile of stuff to start moving. 

[SeanB]

My excuse is the PO is on strike........

[sweesiong78]

Hi all,

I can see why Dave never installed lower bars on the legs on most of his benches as you just end up hitting you shins when you go to sit down......however, it's a great idea to put them on the the back and sides and then install a shelf half the depth of the bench for extra storage (i.e. at the back half). Best of both worlds.

Ian.

Actually looks like a good idea what you suggested for Dave's bench, the benchtop looks like it sways a bit when he's moving his Mantis around which cant be good for keeping the part still in the field of view.

[Bored@Work]

OK how many want to bet that Dave will fill this shelf with more junk and he will be complaining that there is no more space in the lab!  Dave you need to evaluate what your doing with the existing space and possibly throw something out! Sell some of that EBAY stuff you intended to sell but never got around to.

Yeah I better keep quiet or my wife will remind me that I have a big ebay pile of stuff to start moving. 

When the last wall is occupied by a shelf, the last corner filled with a bench, and the last square millimeter on the floor filled with junk, Dave will realize that nothing beats cleaning up the sty.
-- Prophecy of the Cree Indians

[LektroiD]

Regarding ESD mats, it was mentioned that you need double sided (conductive side and static dissipative side). I have this ESD kit on my bench & floor, it is only one sided (just black rubber). Is this ok for general use?

[Smokey]

My comment on the English vs Metric distance thing is, it seems to have the same problem as the "uF" vs "nF" vs "pF" thing.  At what point do you switch up to the next units.
With English, you usually only hear up to around 24inches before converting to feet.  Then it's x-feet y-inches or fractional feet.  With metric you routinely hear people talking about hundreds (or thousands) of mm instead of tens of cm or fractional meters.  It is much more rare to hear something described as hundreds of inches, and you almost never hear thousands of inches.  But in the end like it has been said above one isn't better or worse than the other, it's all just a scale and as long as Google keeps doing conversion in the search box I'll still be able to get my work done

[LektroiD]

My comment on the English vs Metric distance thing is, it seems to have the same problem as the "uF" vs "nF" vs "pF" thing.  At what point do you switch up to the next units.
With English, you usually only hear up to around 24inches before converting to feet.  Then it's x-feet y-inches or fractional feet.  With metric you routinely hear people talking about hundreds (or thousands) of mm instead of tens of cm or fractional meters.  It is much more rare to hear something described as hundreds of inches, and you almost never hear thousands of inches.  But in the end like it has been said above one isn't better or worse than the other, it's all just a scale and as long as Google keeps doing conversion in the search box I'll still be able to get my work done

Odd analogy... I'm English, we measure in metric - how are you getting English "vs" metric when English people measure in metric. Decimalisation was the best thing to happen to the world, just a shame not everyone has caught up...

[nanofrog]

Regarding ESD mats, it was mentioned that you need double sided (conductive side and static dissipative side). I have this ESD kit on my bench & floor, it is only one sided (just black rubber). Is this ok for general use?

Yes. Just make sure there's a 1M resistor in the path between each mat and ground (FWIW, seen posts of using 2M in the UK; had something to do with a ground plug adapter that's available). 

Main issue with single layer mats, is they tend to be made of PVC (usually just stated as vinyl), which dissipate the static charge, but immediately melt when poked with a hot iron or hit with molten solder. Rubber can take the heat, though is more commonly found in 2 or 3 layers (3 layer typically adds a vinyl layer on the bottom for greater impact absorption).

[LektroiD]

Regarding ESD mats, it was mentioned that you need double sided (conductive side and static dissipative side). I have this ESD kit on my bench & floor, it is only one sided (just black rubber). Is this ok for general use?

Yes. Just make sure there's a 1M resistor in the path between each mat and ground (FWIW, seen posts of using 2M in the UK; had something to do with a ground plug adapter that's available). 

Main issue with single layer mats, is they tend to be made of PVC (usually just stated as vinyl), which dissipate the static charge, but immediately melt when poked with a hot iron or hit with molten solder. Rubber can take the heat, though is more commonly found in 2 or 3 layers (3 layer typically adds a vinyl layer on the bottom for greater impact absorption).

Mine was supplied with 2M cables. These all connect to the grounding plate which has a common ground. There was no cable to tie it to mains ground, so I soldered a ground cable to one of the studs on the back of the panel and wired it direct to the ground pin of a standard mains plug.

[Smokey]

...
Odd analogy... I'm English, we measure in metric - how are you getting English "vs" metric when English people measure in metric. Decimalisation was the best thing to happen to the world, just a shame not everyone has caught up...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_units
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_units
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_customary_units

Whatever you want to call it.  But I have never once heard a person say "United States customary units".

[nanofrog]

Mine was supplied with 2M cables. These all connect to the grounding plate which has a common ground. There was no cable to tie it to mains ground, so I soldered a ground cable to one of the studs on the back of the panel and wired it direct to the ground pin of a standard mains plug.

Didn't realize you got the entire kit. Was thinking you only got the bench mat.

BTW, this is what I was thinking of regarding the UK ground adapter: Anti-Static ESD, Grounding, Earth Bonding UK Plug (1M ground cord + 1M in the adapter for 2M)

Here, all we need to do is use ring terminals under the outlet cover screw (screw is safety earthed, assuming it's properly wired).  Just have to remember to scrape the paint off the bottom side of the screw to get good contact.   

[Fungus]

... possibly throw something out! Sell some of that EBAY stuff you intended to sell but never got around to.

More competitions/prize draws!

[VK3DRB]

It might be strong, but it looks a bit like a Texas gurney with the sideboards missing. Maybe a coat of paint on the legs would make it look more pleasing to the eye. My opinion only, but if you spend so much time doing electronics, it is worth doing it around aesthetically pleasing furniture.

[PP7BB]

Good source of ESD mate is TME:

http://www.tme.eu/en/katalog/#search=MATY&s_field=accuracy&s_order=DESC&id_category=112759&page=1

[sleemanj]

When the last wall is occupied by a shelf, the last corner filled with a bench, and the last square millimeter on the floor filled with junk, Dave will

... build a false floor above the first layer.  Way more interesting than cleaning, and there's nothing so satisfying as leaving a good archaeological record.

[mzzj]

It might be strong, but it looks a bit like a Texas gurney with the sideboards missing. Maybe a coat of paint on the legs would make it look more pleasing to the eye. My opinion only, but if you spend so much time doing electronics, it is worth doing it around aesthetically pleasing furniture.

I can't see the point of making the tables from "timber" at least with my local prices.
Even here "in the middle of nowhere" 2-hand office tables cost pretty much next to nothing and new  table legs(steel) are like 3usd per piece.  Steel frames for heavy duty use are bit harder to find.

[neslekkim]

I can't see the point of making the tables from "timber" at least with my local prices.
Even here "in the middle of nowhere" 2-hand office tables cost pretty much next to nothing and new  table legs(steel) are like 3usd per piece.  Steel frames for heavy duty use are bit harder to find.

Same here, reaadymade stuff is often way cheaper than buying timber.
But for some years ago, an local contractor used to make desks for me, just welded an frame of 1"x 1" square stell tubing, and I used an old door for the top. This contractor was building houses and stuff, and doors was often used as packaging for other doors, to keep them from getting destroyed in transport, often these extra doors was good enough for this kind of use, so I had couple of desks like that.
Now I don't have room for this anymore, but those was very sturdy and good desks at the time.

[nfmax]

The big advantage of building benches from timber is that while cheap 2nd hand furniture comes in standard sizes, rooms rarely do.

[LektroiD]

... possibly throw something out! Sell some of that EBAY stuff you intended to sell but never got around to.

More competitions/prize draws!

Sounds like a plan!

Being a newcomer, it appears I missed the boat with the weekly competitions. It would be great to see it reinstated.

[EEVblog]

The big advantage of building benches from timber is that while cheap 2nd hand furniture comes in standard sizes, rooms rarely do.

Yep. Nothing can beat purpose building something that fits perfectly.

[mattinx]

No-one else seems to have mentioned it, but 900mm is near enough to 36", which is standard kitchen countertop height