Whats your Work-Bench/lab look like? Post some pictures of your Lab.

[trophosphere]

I think I need a new stronger table. That or a brace underneath the load.

[c4757p]

Wow. I think you need one now. That table's already bending in the middle, right above the existing brace structure! You are going to come home one day and find your nice equipment in a pile on the floor...

[ElektroQuark]

You have centered all the weight. Put it above the table legs.

[metalphreak]

Started the OCD labelling of my parts bins

Found some DYMO label printer labels online that are the perfect size. The actual printer connects via USB, and the DYMO software is pretty good for generating labels. Makes labelling so much easier than those standalone units where you have to type stuff in. New ones are about $100 I think, but mine was only ~$20 second hand. Best investment ever

[JoannaK]

Hi

Instead of taking a picture I decided to make a short youtube video (In 1080P HD ) of my electronics bench and the instruments I have at the moment. The 6 minute video is uploading right now, and I hope it'll be ready on ... say an hour from now. 

Note though that I have apparently misplaced my frequency counter, since it was not at the desk (you shoudl have seen the mess before I did cleanup). I'll need to make another video of it someday. Also all microncontroller tools (programmers etc) are on another room, near this desktop PC... (need yet another video  )

Also if you'll like to see a teardown video of russian scope or some other stuff I have, please leave a comment at the Youtube.. Also extra motivators (likes, subcsribes, donations & sponsorship deals) are preciated. 

PS: The link: 

PS2: I attached a screen capture for those who don't want to waste 5 minutes of their life listening me.. 

[Sigmoid]

Super-mini stowable lab for my tatami room style apartment...

[nanofrog]

Super-mini stowable lab for my tatami room style apartment...

Repurposed metal TV cart?

[Sigmoid]

Super-mini stowable lab for my tatami room style apartment...

Repurposed metal TV cart?

Actually it's an IKEA metal coffee table. XD
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90208449/

[nanofrog]

Actually it's an IKEA metal coffee table. XD
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90208449/

I like it!

Price is decent too. Now where to find a place to put one... 

[free_electron]

i bought wire shelves for my lab. best investment ever. these things are incredibly tough and sturdy.
i'm rebuilding right now. got the first one installed. tomorrow the next one.
i also beefed up my fuse box and installed a few extra circuits.

[SLJ]

i bought wire shelves for my lab. best investment ever. these things are incredibly tough and sturdy.
i'm rebuilding right now. got the first one installed. tomorrow the next one.
i also beefed up my fuse box and installed a few extra circuits.

If running more than one circuit to the bench you might want to make sure they are all on the same phase. (every other breaker in most U.S. fuse boxes).

[free_electron]

i bought wire shelves for my lab. best investment ever. these things are incredibly tough and sturdy.
i'm rebuilding right now. got the first one installed. tomorrow the next one.
i also beefed up my fuse box and installed a few extra circuits.

If running more than one circuit to the bench you might want to make sure they are all on the same phase. (every other breaker in most U.S. fuse boxes).

why ?

i like to have my phases balanced.
all my equipment is galvanically isolated. so common mode currents are not a problem.
for equipment under test is use a medical grade isolation transformer so i don't have the ground loop problem.

[bingo600]

Super-mini stowable lab for my tatami room style apartment...

Repurposed metal TV cart?

Actually it's an IKEA metal coffee table. XD
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90208449/

How wide an instrument will it accept between the legs "narrow side" ?
Ikea says 42cm , but isn't that an "outside" measurement.

I'we been looking @ this one as my "Surgery table" , for fixing those huge HP instruments.
A bit pricey though ....
http://www.ikea.com/dk/da/catalog/products/00058487/

And a bit to high to put anywhere under a working table , that's where the other little neat one would come in. I have a HP5370A (sick ... Err 02)    & a HP3324 that i need to "seat"


/Bingo

[JeanF]

Nice table !

wow, I almost had a seizure when I saw the price... These kroner are kind of frightening ! It's a bit more reasonable in euros 

[free_electron]

Be carefull with all metal operating tables... Before you know it sparks will fly..
Or you will pull out a board conataining configuration memory held by a nicad, put it down because you are occupied with a problem and realise only too late the table is metal.... Poof goes the data...

[nanofrog]

Be carefull with all metal operating tables... Before you know it sparks will fly..
Or you will pull out a board conataining configuration memory held by a nicad, put it down because you are occupied with a problem and realise only too late the table is metal.... Poof goes the data...

Good point. Relying on the paint to insulate wouldn't be that great an idea IMHO.

At least Sigmoid has an ESD mat on it, so that should help considerably in his case (I presume the ground cords are connected when in use). 

[flolic]

Messy mess 

[JoeO]

For what do you use the aluminum foil with the centers cut out? 

[mrflibble]

Maybe to put it on a board during rework to heat shield the surrounding area?

[bingo600]

Be carefull with all metal operating tables... Before you know it sparks will fly..
Or you will pull out a board conataining configuration memory held by a nicad, put it down because you are occupied with a problem and realise only too late the table is metal.... Poof goes the data...

I'll get a rubber mat , but it seems like you doesn't recommend an ESD type or ??

I mean would the ESD mat also make the config go "poof" , or is the conductive ability of an ESD mat not enough to worry about  ?

/Bingo

[rdl]

I mean would the ESD mat also make the config go "poof" , or is the conductive ability of an ESD mat not enough to worry about  ?

It probably depends on what type of mat. I think some are a lot more conductive than others. I have the blue top/black bottom type similar to what Dave uses (see EEVblog #250). I can not measure any conductivity at all on the top side, but the black layer on the bottom is about 6000 ohms per 0.1 inch.

[Sigmoid]

How wide an instrument will it accept between the legs "narrow side" ?
Ikea says 42cm , but isn't that an "outside" measurement.

I'we been looking @ this one as my "Surgery table" , for fixing those huge HP instruments.
A bit pricey though ....
http://www.ikea.com/dk/da/catalog/products/00058487/

And a bit to high to put anywhere under a working table , that's where the other little neat one would come in. I have a HP5370A (sick ... Err 02)    & a HP3324 that i need to "seat"


/Bingo

The opening at the narrow end is 13"1/4 wide, and 10"1/2 high. However, as you can see the legs are L-shaped, so you could in fact put in a larger instrument from the side.

Be carefull with all metal operating tables... Before you know it sparks will fly..
Or you will pull out a board conataining configuration memory held by a nicad, put it down because you are occupied with a problem and realise only too late the table is metal.... Poof goes the data...

Good point. Relying on the paint to insulate wouldn't be that great an idea IMHO.

At least Sigmoid has an ESD mat on it, so that should help considerably in his case (I presume the ground cords are connected when in use). 

Yep. As I only put the thing together yesterday, the wiring isn't done yet. I'll have a power strip attached to one of the legs, and grounds connected up. I think I may also add an ESD mat to the bottom layer, I still have an appropriate length left over after covering the top.
What I'm uncertain about is whether I should explicitly ground the metal structure... Currently I'm in favor of grounding it, at least then I'll know what potential it's at.

I mean would the ESD mat also make the config go "poof" , or is the conductive ability of an ESD mat not enough to worry about  ?

It probably depends on what type of mat. I think some are a lot more conductive than others. I have the blue top/black bottom type similar to what Dave uses (see EEVblog #250). I can not measure any conductivity at all on the top side, but the black layer on the bottom is about 6000 ohms per 0.1 inch.

If ESD mats would short things out, nobody would be using them, now would they?! The top layer of ESD mats has an extremely high resistance, I remember Dave's video where he measured infinite resistance on it... It's just dissipative, not conductive.

[bingo600]

How wide an instrument will it accept between the legs "narrow side" ?
Ikea says 42cm , but isn't that an "outside" measurement.

I'we been looking @ this one as my "Surgery table" , for fixing those huge HP instruments.
A bit pricey though ....
http://www.ikea.com/dk/da/catalog/products/00058487/

And a bit to high to put anywhere under a working table , that's where the other little neat one would come in. I have a HP5370A (sick ... Err 02)    & a HP3324 that i need to "seat"


/Bingo

The opening at the narrow end is 13"1/4 wide, and 10"1/2 high. However, as you can see the legs are L-shaped, so you could in fact put in a larger instrument from the side.

Hmm ... The HP3324 is  5"1/4 , 16"3/4 , 19"5/8 ... So there goes that (at least in the middle)
Thanx for the info.

If ESD mats would short things out, nobody would be using them, now would they?! The top layer of ESD mats has an extremely high resistance, I remember Dave's video where he measured infinite resistance on it... It's just dissipative, not conductive.

I guess you're right , but it's better to ask , than to "find out" ...

/Bingo

[flolic]

Maybe to put it on a board during rework to heat shield the surrounding area?

Spot on! 
I do laptop motherboard reworks on a daily basis, and I reuse those aluminium shields to protect surrounding components.

[kolbep]

Ok. Here is my messy lab (Basically the back end of the garage, the cars both sleep outside
The wooden table with the broken chair is my workbench.

The Garden table i borrowed from the wife, just to keep the long things on (and 'cos i have run out of space on the table)
The Bigscreen TV, Aircurtains, Organ, etc, are all works in progress (meaning started working on them long ago, then got too busy with work, so they are on hold for now.

I also borrowed my dads 20Mhz 2 Channel Beekman 'scope the on Friday morning, and it is still sitting in the back of my van, guess I will take it out tomorrow morning.

The guy in blue is my 20 month old assistant, who's favorite tool is a claw hammer.my 5 year old assistant was busy in the house when I took the photos.