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

[Mattjd]

I had to post this for the beginners contest, so I thought I'd share

I tried the vertical monitor thing on my secondary display, but found that the viewing angle was pretty limited since they normally design for left-right and not up-down.  Do IPS monitors behave nicer than older TFT ones?

I've never used a TFT monitor. This monitor (Dell U2412M) was my first monitor after having used the CRT also shown. I originally had 1 in horizontal, eventually bought an extra two. I have no issues at any viewing angle, at all.

[Dubbie]

Terrahertz, Are you welding up the vacuum chamber yourself?

It's not trivial to get good welds if you want to achieve UHV.
you need to peen and polish the entire inside.

I was going to make my own because I have the equipment, but have now decided to buy one off ebay instead. It's a real challenge even for a good welder.

[TerraHertz]

Terrahertz, Are you welding up the vacuum chamber yourself?

No, that's beyond my current TIG welding skill level. I was very lucky to be given an excellent, large vacuum chamber for free, from someone who liked the project idea. I've had it for a while, only recently acquired most of the other things required.

It's not trivial to get good welds if you want to achieve UHV.
you need to peen and polish the entire inside.

That's a bit of a sore point. The chamber as received had a lot of assorted metal sputtering residue. In attempting to clean that off (flapper disks, etc) I somewhat messed up the stainless steel surface. It's probably good enough for beginner vacuum ranges, but I may need to fix the surface in future.

I was going to make my own because I have the equipment, but have now decided to buy one off ebay instead. It's a real challenge even for a good welder.

What do you mean by 'have the equipment'? Pulsed TIG, backing shield gas accessories, heat-control jigs... I'm still trying to get to the point where I can weld thin sheet stainless at all. It would be nice to be able to weld up stainless vacuum plumbing, but I think I'd never have the dexterity & hand precision, and would have to improvise fully automated welding jigs.

The trouble with ebay vacuum chambers is the price, even for small ones. I shudder to think what my one must have cost to make.

Anyway, the gate valve mounting is done. But there are a few more related bits to complete, not to mention the big viton O-rings that will take weeks to get here.
I *really* need a bigger lathe. Having to compromise of size of stuff, so I can machine it myself, sucks.

[AF6LJ]

Vacuum components always stick out like sore thumb
COOL...

Ha ha, you wouldn't think it so cool, if you were the one having to drill eight 8.5mm holes through 12mm thick stainless steel. With a hand electric drill, since the thing is too big to fit in my drill press. Currently doing just the small pilot holes. Arrgh.
In this pic the square bar of plain steel is an alignment jig, since the holes have to be accurately perpendicular to the surface.

So far I didn't break the small pilot bit (5/32") but I expect I will, possibly multiple times. Just got back from buying a 10-pack as a precaution. Getting it to bite takes both hands AND pressing down on the drill with my chest. For those who've never drilled stainless, the trick is: low drill speed, but apply lots of pressure or none at all. No in between, since allowing the drill bit to rotate on the work metal without cutting, almost instantly work hardens the stainless. Which then almost instantly blunts the drill.
Fine control is difficult when you are straining hard.

Edit to add: Btw, if anyone needs big O-rings in Viton (a fluoroelastomer, very inert and withstands high temps), I found that Aliexpress has them for a reasonable price. For eg:
  https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-170mm-x-160mm-x-5mm-Green-Viton-O-Rings-FKM-Hole-Sealings-Gasket-Washer-5pcs/32453184696.html

Yah I know about drilling in stainless...
It's a bitch even on a good day.

[luiziko014]

I present my humble workbench, it is a little empty, but it is only a few months since I started it, Greetings from Peru   

[kosacid]

the wife doing they will be going out soon 

[DTJ]

Antigravity chickens?

[Mattjd]

Antigravity chickens?

bro, you're in Australia so you think its just upside down to you.

[hammy]

I present my humble workbench, it is a little empty, but it is only a few months since I started it, Greetings from Peru 

Looks good!
Is the remote for the TV under the red blanket? 

[DTJ]

Antigravity chickens?

bro, you're in Australia so you think its just upside down to you.

Ah, I forgot about that. I just checked via VPN into UK and its right way up.

[SimonD]

Antigravity chickens?

bro, you're in Australia so you think its just upside down to you.

Ah, I forgot about that. I just checked via VPN into UK and its right way up.

Not. Hi-tech chickens. Instead of wifi or bluetooth they "kikirikou" readings of a 8 1/2 digits bench DMM! Next century technology approaching! 

[edavid]

I tried the vertical monitor thing on my secondary display, but found that the viewing angle was pretty limited since they normally design for left-right and not up-down.  Do IPS monitors behave nicer than older TFT ones?

All LCD monitors are TFT (thin film transistor).  The panels with narrow viewing angle are TN (twisted nematic).   It's not a matter of old vs new - you can still buy TN, IPS, and VA monitors.

[luiziko014]

I present my humble workbench, it is a little empty, but it is only a few months since I started it, Greetings from Peru 

Looks good!
Is the remote for the TV under the red blanket? 

 
It is for my TV that is next to my workbench (not show in the picture), under the red blanket is my little stereo music   

[hammy]

It is for my TV that is next to my workbench (not show in the picture), under the red blanket is my little stereo music   

I see. 
Selfmade power supplies? The upper one is a reworked atx supply. And the lower one is also a selfmade PS?

[luiziko014]

It is for my TV that is next to my workbench (not show in the picture), under the red blanket is my little stereo music   

I see. 
Selfmade power supplies? The upper one is a reworked atx supply. And the lower one is also a selfmade PS?

Yes, it is my diy power supply of 0-30 V and 0-3 A.  I made it  6 years ago, and it still works perfectly.
Do you have any pictures of your workbench?

[tablatronix]

Micro bench, work in progress.

Got back into electronics recently, mostly microcontroller stuff, scored some instek stuff on ebay earlier in the year.

Downsized from massive desks to classier looking stuff so have to figure out how to squeeze some more stuff in. Most tools and stuff is now in the shed or closet in an automotive rolling cart.

Not optimal, I have some ideas to make the "bench" more bench like and add more space.

[hammy]

Yes, it is my diy power supply of 0-30 V and 0-3 A.  I made it  6 years ago, and it still works perfectly.

Up to 3 amps, excellent! 

Do you have any pictures of your workbench?

There is a picture I made some years ago, after I moved into a new room. Some testgear changed over time ... I sold the Uni-T DMM and got an Agilent 34401 and a Siglent SDM3045x.

The workbench is DIY and the components seed trays are on a carousel. (There was not enough space left on the walls.)

[TerraHertz]

hammy, what is that fascinating rackmount thing?

[hammy]

hammy, what is that fascinating rackmount thing?

This unit was build during my 3,5 years vocational training. It evolved over time. (More than 20 years ago I had an electronics technician in-firm training. It was quite normal back then to learn a job after completion of school education. After some time in my job I moved on and went to university.)
We had to build serveral devices during this training to learn the basics: combination lock with logic ICs, transmission of sound with infrared emitter and receiver, transistor circuits ...

From right to left:
Power Supply 30V/1,5A
Fixed Voltage Supply (several voltages between 5V and 32V)
Signal generator sine and square wave
Semiconductor tester (npn, pnp, led)
Backplane extension
Logic level test unit
And the last one was a never finished battery monitor

The 19" chassis was also made by us. Basics in fine mechanics was also part of my education.
After our final exam we took this masterpiece home. Like a piece of evidence for our knowledge. Oh boy, I was young and I though "I know it all now" ... 

However, I made it from ground-up, I'm still a little bit proud of it ...

Cheers
hammy

[luiziko014]

hammy, what is that fascinating rackmount thing?

This unit was build during my 3,5 years vocational training. It evolved over time. (More than 20 years ago I had an electronics technician in-firm training. It was quite normal back then to learn a job after completion of school education. After some time in my job I moved on and went to university.)
We had to build serveral devices during this training to learn the basics: combination lock with logic ICs, transmission of sound with infrared emitter and receiver, transistor circuits ...

From right to left:
Power Supply 30V/1,5A
Fixed Voltage Supply (several voltages between 5V and 32V)
Signal generator sine and square wave
Semiconductor tester (npn, pnp, led)
Backplane extension
Logic level test unit
And the last one was a never finished battery monitor

The 19" chassis was also made by us. Basics in fine mechanics was also part of my education.
After our final exam we took this masterpiece home. Like a piece of evidence for our knowledge. Oh boy, I was young and I though "I know it all now" ... 

However, I made it from ground-up, I'm still a little bit proud of it ...

Cheers
hammy

congratulations, your workbench seems very good, There is much for what you must be proud, excellent work
I hope soon to have a soldering station like yours

[VK5RC]

@hammy, that is something to be proud of. In amateur radio circles people who just buy stuff are called 'appliance operators'- a bit mean.
 If you build it, you know all its strengths and weaknesses.
Robert

[neo]

My lab, a bit cluttered and full but mine none the less.  This is after one year officially into the hobby of electronics in general.

[neo]

On the power supply shelf those blue blocks can put out 20 amps at 23 volts EACH they weigh 40 pounds each. The pretty meters are a, as of yet unfinished, adjustable 10 amp RMS supply with 50,000 uf doing the filtering, it weighs another 15 pounds. So the total weight on the shelf is only 120 pounds or so, its smiling not sagging i promise! The shelf above my desk is actually a tv stand and the desk, while small, was free.

Also in rows from left to right,
Simpson 415A on top of a home made power supply i made out of trash parts and a VCR and on the shelf below that is the HP 5340A (a work in progress)
Homemade power supply, i didn't make it i got it at auction and on the shelf below that is Fairchild 7050 3.5 digit NTVM.
Surge protector functioning as current tap, and on the desk is my Metcal soldering iron to the left a home made 0-26V 5 amp adjustable supply and to the right a variac.
Another surge protector functioning as current tap, 25 cd file type player; then next shelf down, 23V 20A power supply (blue) 10A unregulated 12-13.8V power supply then next shelf down, Instek GDM-8020H function generator, Bel Merit fc-200 frequency counter, Hitachi v-1065A 'scope; next shelf home made clock; next shelf hp 608C
Home made VU meter, 10A 12V supply, homemade adjustable 10A supply (not yet finished); next shelf, Fluke 8000a DMM, Fluke 8010A DMM, Pioneer dual tape deck, Sherwood receiver; next shelf Chinese power supply with no brand
Another 23V 10A supply; next shelf Instek GDM-8034 DMM that is kind of a flake performance wise but it does prove every meter i got is reasonably calibrated.

[TerraHertz]

Neo, nice going!

However that shelf is not smiling, it's sagging. I mention this only to ask, have you considered the failure mode? If that one fails, the impact weight will likely take out the shelf below it too. It won't be pretty.
Perhaps add some reinforcing, if replacing the shelf with something more solid isn't feasible?

[neo]

I'm open to suggestions, i can't do under the shelf support due to the shelf below it being full and i quite like the way that shelf below it is set up. I just said it was smiling as a joke, easier than saying "I have little clue what to do here."

To be fair though the camera does kind of exaggerate the sag and the shelf is rated for 200 pounds.