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

[Yansi]

Nice and compact setup! Wish I could have one like that too, in my new flat. Probably moving till end of 2020. Unfortunately, I will need to shrink my lab quite a bit.

[Pinkus]

This question is interesting to me. Did anyone really count how much money they spent on their entire home lab? 
And the wife doesn't know that. In my opinion it's better not to know ...

I keep an Excel file 15 years backwards for all expenses and income (sales) separated for TEA and for other tools (microscope, mill etc.).
It helps me to keep an overview. I always know what I paid and when I purchased or sold an item. And of course  the total costs over all is displayed too 
I would highly recommend it, but -when I look at the workshop of some users- one or the other should better hide such a file from his wife. 

[McBryce]

This question is interesting to me. Did anyone really count how much money they spent on their entire home lab? 
And the wife doesn't know that. In my opinion it's better not to know ...

I keep an Excel file 15 years backwards for all expenses and income (sales) separated for TEA and for other tools (microscope, mill etc.).
It helps me to keep an overview. I always know what I paid and when I purchased or sold an item. And of course  the total costs over all is displayed too 
I would highly recommend it, but -when I look at the workshop of some users- one or the other should better hide such a file from his wife. 

Hmmm, let me see... an encrypted excel file, in an encrypted zip file on an encrypted USB stick, locked in a box, inside a safe, buried at the bottom of the garden, with a shed built over it...

Nah, that kind of file would be handy, but accessing it would be to difficult with the amount of protection needed to ensure the wife never sees it.

McBryce.

[PTR_1275]

I’m able to write a lot of my tools off for tax.

Doing last years tax, I got mine done with the accountant, my wife got there just as I finished, did her tax. Phew I thought, she won’t see how much I spent this year. Then the accountant said “we will just review both of them now” and brought up my depreciation tables showing all the expensive stuff from the last 5 years and the table for last year. My wife was looking at the screen with a bit of a puzzled look on her face. We got home and she said, so the stuff the accountant brought up on the screen, how do you understand it. I have no idea what it was.

I don’t ask about the baking things she buys, she doesn’t ask about tools or test equipment.

[hammy]

My wife was looking at the screen with a bit of a puzzled look on her face. We got home and she said, so the stuff the accountant brought up on the screen, how do you understand it. I have no idea what it was.

She gave you enough rope to hang yourself. Nothing will be the same as before. 

[lapm]

My lab is still very early stages and quickcount indicates 500-600 € so far. Could easily double that if i would buy few more modern equipment...

PS. Dont tell my wife.

[phlegeton]

I don't have a wife, so that's not a problem  However that may have let to the problem tat I have two labs: My electronics lab, photo's of this lab can be found in this thread. And a network lab. Which contains of six 19" racks full of network gear ranging from high end routers, B-RAS's, DSLAM's, switches till the smaller branch office routers.

The total money I spend on it must be a lot. However I don't think it's relevant. At the end of the day it's about the knowledge, and the fun. I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done Or it's just that I like those blinky lights

[Johnny10]

I love the blinky lights!

[imaurente]

My Bench

[0culus]

Nice LCR meter, there  I quite enjoy mine. I was even lucky enough to find one with test fixtures included.

[imaurente]

This LCR I bought from a Panasonic auction in São Paulo, and very good equipment, like the universal source that I will also purchase in the same lot.

[Mr. Scram]

This LCR I bought from a Panasonic auction in São Paulo, and very good equipment, like the universal source that I will also purchase in the same lot.

Is that a preheater on top of a 3458A?

[imaurente]

Yes, a national model, Hikari is a Hakko representative in Brazil.

[BU508A]

This LCR I bought from a Panasonic auction in São Paulo, and very good equipment, like the universal source that I will also purchase in the same lot.

Is that a preheater on top of a 3458A?

A 3458A with BNC connectors?      

[Jay_Diddy_B]

It is a 3245A Universal Source not a 3458A. They look similar.

Jay_Diddy_B

[imaurente]

Yes, they are BNC connectors, but it is not a 3458A, it is a 3245A, a universal source. I would like to find the additional one to leave you with two channels

[duckduck]

The duckduck lab is born! I just finished putting the table together tonight. I plan on adding a shelf, better lighting, a little computer on the table next to the workbench, etc. I'm assembling a Rod Elliott mini oscillator (signal generator for audio testing).

From left to right:

• 20A Variac
• 7A Tripp-Lite medical isolation transformer
• Kill-A-Watt AC electric meter
• Fluke 26III DMM
• Topward TPS-4000 DC power supply (dual 0-20 V)
• Kikusui PAN35-20AS DC power supply - needs modification
• Rigol DS-1202ZE scope (200 MHz, 2 channel)
• Fluke 179 DMM
• Tektronix TDS 320 digital scope - needs help
• Hakko FX-888 (glad I got one new back when they still had a knob)

[bitseeker]

...

Hakko FX-888 (glad I got one new back when they still had a knob)[/li][/list]

...

+1 for knobs.

[Calambres]

• Tektronix TDS 320 digital scope - needs help

Just out of curiosity, what's wrong with it?

I've got one of those too.

[duckduck]

• Tektronix TDS 320 digital scope - needs help

Just out of curiosity, what's wrong with it?

I've got one of those too.

Neat. All of the cool kids (the TEA crowd) seem to have an old Tek, so why not?

• Front panel module stops responding to input after the unit warms up for 30 seconds.
• Viewing a square wave on Channel 2 displays a huge (~3x vpp) overshoot
• BNC for Channel 2 has been physically abused
• Handle missing, cosmetic issues

The manual has voltages and good information to start troubleshooting. I guess I'll start with ye olde upside-down-canned-air trick. I'll make a post in the "Repair" board once I get into it. Shout out to Kurt who runs the tekwiki: https://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/Main_Page. I added the specs on the TDS 320 page. Hope to add more info.

[Cubdriver]

• Tektronix TDS 320 digital scope - needs help

Just out of curiosity, what's wrong with it?

I've got one of those too.

Neat. All of the cool kids (the TEA crowd) seem to have an old Tek, so why not?

• Front panel module stops responding to input after the unit warms up for 30 seconds.
• Viewing a square wave on Channel 2 displays a huge (~3x vpp) overshoot
• BNC for Channel 2 has been physically abused
• Handle missing, cosmetic issues

The manual has voltages and good information to start troubleshooting. I guess I'll start with ye olde upside-down-canned-air trick. I'll make a post in the "Repair" board once I get into it. Shout out to Kurt who runs the tekwiki: https://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/Main_Page. I added the specs on the TDS 320 page. Hope to add more info.

LOL - I need to recalibrate my concept of 'old'!  'Old' test gear to me is like pre-1970.  Just looked at the TekWiki page and realized that the TDS 320 was introduced in 1994, so it could be as much as 26 years old.      Where has time gone - the mid 90s seem like yesterday!  I think my head skipped a few decades along the way!

I wish you success with repairing your 'old' scope!   

-Pat

[bitseeker]

I second all of that, Pat. I just about fell over when I first heard someone say that 80's rock was "classical rock".

[PixieDust]

This isn't mine, but is probably the best idea I've seen in terms of organising electronics components.



I have a feeling I'll be copying this idea very soon.

[Mr.B]

I did a similar thing, except using 3mm ply.
Generally I leave the components in their original shipping bags.
I add an extra label with manufacturer, part number and short description in a large font – saves me having to put my reading glasses on to find something.
I use partsbox.io for inventory management (no affiliation).
The location schema is “D” for Drawer (I have “B” for Box also).
Then the drawer number, in the photo are drawers 1 and 2.
Then a column letter – A to D
Then a depth number – 1 to 5, 1 being the first hole at the front.

[Electro Fan]

Send help.

LOL