New shop / Lab, what to get? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: FriedMule
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2019, 11:31:43 am
content: I was thinking of this thread as a good spot to look if you need the opinion on what to get when buying or changing your labI only have a 8' X 3' or 1 meter by 2 meters table and are looking for the rest.Do you know of something you have found wich you had got from the start, that you now consider a "best" solution?Shelves (type, size), ESD-mat (layer, brand size), power strips, light (lux, color, size) and yes it all.

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2019, 12:01:29 pm
content: It is tricky to give advice because every setup is different. The biggest constraint on my lab/study is space - I need it to be both a lab and a study (filing cabinets) and somewhere for my computer workstation and the whole room is under 2m x 3m also the walls aren't very good so I don't trust them to put up shelves. It has taken me 18months to sort out and I'm not quite there yet.One thing I've found good is to get a tall steel work bench with shelf that goes above the table I use as a work bench and acts as a deep shelf with shelf above for all the kit. I had it custom made so it wasn't cheap but it wasn't too bad (around £560 I think) and it is very sturdy and exactly fits my space.The other thing I'd say is you always need lots of power sockets - electronic instruments generally don't take much power but that you soon acquire a lot of them (bench multimeters, counters, oscilloscope, signal generator, function generator etc etc) so I'd plan for extra sockets and get good quality power strips such as are used for server racks. I have bought a lot of Olson ones off ebay - they are expensive new but cheap on ebay and they are very well constructed with 20 Amp wiring internally and made of metal rather than plastic.I attach a couple of photos. Sorry for the mess, I'm still in the middle of sorting!

author: FriedMule
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2019, 12:44:47 pm
content: I am so lucky that I have a fairly okay sized room and a brick wall to mound on.Thanks for the tips, what do you else use for light, ESD and so on?

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2019, 02:30:12 pm
content: Quote from: FriedMule on January 26, 2019, 12:44:47 pmFor light there is quite a good central light in the room anyway and I have the magnifying desk lamp as shown in the photo.For ESD I have a cheap (i.e. non-rubber) mat on my "shelf" (not really needed but it also helps protect the surface) and a more expensive rubber one on the table, both from digikey.I have ordered a ESD floor mat as well as I have carpet on the floor and and ESD chair (over the top but I needed a chair anyway).You only really need a bench mat though. Though it is a good idea to have some sort of cheap ESD safe mini-mat for soldering if you want to protect the more expensive bench mat.I've also fitted an external GPS antenna which connects to a type-N socket on the wall for my reference and various experiments but that is because I'm trying to design and build a GPSDO.

author: FriedMule
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2019, 05:15:41 pm
content: Thanks, I am thinking about the shelves, how deep do they have to bee and how high over the table is most comfortable?Head high, shoulder high or?

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2019, 06:04:17 pm
content: I like this kind of shelving. The dual row slots with folded metal supports is very sturdy and easily adjustable. How much they can hold pretty much depends on how well you attach them to the wall. I think mine could hold up fish tanks.I used a narrow shelf for the first level to leave a bit extra clearance for the work area. The most used items are there. Next level up is stuff that doesn't need adjusting as often, power supplies and such. Above that is mostly for storage.With the monitor now wall mounted, the work table is free to be pulled out from the wall if anything large needs to be worked on.I've also installed better lighting, but the photo is a little under exposed.

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 26, 2019, 08:21:32 pm
content: Quote from: FriedMule on January 26, 2019, 05:15:41 pmThe first shelf above the work top should place the most used equipment at eye level. Shelf depth depends on your equipment. If you have modern equipment, a 12" shelf should be fine. If you have boat anchors, you will need a deeper shelf to support the gear. You have a 3' table top, deep gear shouldn't pose a problem.Quote from: FriedMule on January 26, 2019, 11:31:43 amI have a Desco 2 layer mat, don't buy a PVC mat, get rubber. I use Belkin power strips plugged into an APC SmartUPS 1500 UPS. By the way, think of how many surge protectors/power strips you think you will need and at least double that amount. I have 32 outlets on the back of my bench and all are full. I am not really sure how I filled them all up, it doesn't look like I have that much stuff.I have another 8 outlet strip mounted to the front brace of the bench for temporary use. I have Envirolite 6 bulb, 4' LED shop fixtures. 10,800 lumens each and color temp I believe it is 4900K. Lots of light that works well for me. Everyone's workbench is going to be different based on needs/preferences. Here is a 158 page thread on workbenches. You can get some great ideas on what people are doing.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/whats-your-work-benchlab-look-like-post-some-pictures-of-your-lab/Here is what I have. These pics are in the workbench thread but I put them here so you can easily see.