New Lab - New Desk? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: kaz911
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2015, 09:58:37 am
content: Hi Guys & Girl(s?)I have just relocated from UAEto London (cold and foggy) - and have a really nice new room for office/lab (25m2) - and I need a new Lab Desk - preferably one that is adjustable in height (I like working both standing or sitting)So - what can you suggest I go looking for. Are there anyone out there who makes " affordable " sit / stand desks with lab shelves for all the gear? (like 160cm x 80 or 100) with adjustable shelves. 2 or 3 shelf options would be greatthanks for any advice !/k

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2015, 11:42:48 am
content: Hi K!Funny that you ask, as that's pretty much exactly what I just set up for myself over the past few months. (Neck problems and RSI have caused enough lost income for me that the cost of expensive ergonomics are just rounding error at this point.) Now, I don't have the space for a full dedicated lab bench, so my electronics bench is 1/3 of my desk, sectioned off with an antistatic soldering mat.I'm just gonna list some thoughts for you, hope they help.1. I bought avery, very expensive desk, but from an outlet store, so I got it for 60% off. Supposedly used for only 3 weeks to demo to a large client, but it brought its price down from around $3300 to $1300, delivered. And you're in luck: this manufacturer has ashowroom in London, too! Almost certainly they (or a dealer they can point you to) also have an outlet where they sell demo and overstock product, as their dealer here in Zurich has. Just keep checking in with them until they have a configuration you like at the outlet. Buying from the outlet got me a premium quality desk for the price of just above entry-level.2. Whatever desk you choose, buy one that doesn't use the horizontal strut between the legs. This frees up tons of room for storage below the desk, especially if you choose a slightly deeper desk that'll give you more leg room. Mine is 180x90cm, as opposed to the typical 160x80, and while it certainly makes its presence known in my bedroom, the extra space is invaluable. (For Steelcase, that's the Activa 2 line, which does away with the strut.)3. Look into the height range. Most adjustable desks only go down to around 70cm minimum height. I'm short, and for me, finding one that went down to 65cm actually made a nice difference for proper ergonomics.4. Pay the extra for the memory function, so you can program your favorite heights. I actually didn't bother programming 65cm for seating, since it's the minimum, but I have one programmed for standing typing, and another for standing soldering or paper manipulation.5. I've never seen an adjustable desk with built-in shelving, and because of adjustable desks' fairly low weight limits compared to fixed ones (generally around 70kg for a good one), I doubt they'd encourage it. But I found a great solution: theIkea Kvissle letter tray. It's metal with cork-lined drawers, and makes a fantastic tool drawer. Despite being sheet metal, once fully assembled and with some weight on the shelves, it's surprisingly rigid. You could easily stack these.6. Add a monitor arm. I'm using an Ergotron LX Tall Pole mount, with an added arm segment, cheap from Amazon. This gives great reach and flexibility for having a PDF of a datasheet at hand, for example, and frees up desk space.7. The mat I got is a Eurostat 32-200-3609 (60x90cm, gray). I checked with the manufacturer to make sure it is indeed solder-safe.The only problem I've run into so far is that the mounting clamp for the monitor arm interferes with the desk's cable tray (which comes down for access and then locks up - now I can't lock it up). Once I've settled on the perfect spot for the monitor arm, I'll just cut some clearance cutouts into the cable tray.One picture is what the whole thing looked like before I cluttered it up.The other is the electronics area of it, as taken just now.(Note to self: Restore desk to something resembling the first pic!)Anyway, hope this helps!