EEVblog #51 – A tour of the EEVblog Electronics Lab  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: charliex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2009, 07:17:51 pm
content: I have/had that same radio shack logic probe and the matching logic pulser when i used to work at Barry Nobles Funland in Blackpool, UK, turned out a lot of the boards i checked with it had faults, only they hadn't had them before i tested them!One day my electronics guru said lets have a look at that probe, he said the tip had 12V+ on it and took it away.they make great cases for superprobes though !

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 29, 2009, 05:56:24 am
content: I've actually got 3 logic probes. Another one in the same style from Tandy/ Radio Shack I got when I was a kid, and another cigar shaped one.I can remember when the logic probe was a must-have bit of kit!, but who buys one these days I wonder?Dave.

author: charliex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2009, 06:06:07 am
content: I haven't seen any in a radio shack/tandy in ages, the ones around here just have the drawers of bits and a few tools.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 30, 2009, 09:32:40 pm
content: Someone left a comment on the blog, how about everyone post a photo of their lab/workbench. Great idea!, show us your setup, no matter how small.I had a soldering iron and a multimeter sitting on a cardboard box once too! (oh, maybe I've got some old photos somewhere...)Dave.

author: armandas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2009, 11:04:02 pm
content: I don't have a lab, I have a humble tablespace. Here's how it looks like:1. Some books. You can guess what the thick one is2. Small component box3. LCD Monitor for FPGA stuff4. Xilinx Spartan-3E FPGA dev board5. Toolkit. Screwdrivers, tweezers, pliers, wire cutters, knife, toothbrush, propane torch, pencils and pens6. Multimeter7. Test leads8. Fume extractor9. Another component box10. Resistor substitution11. Crappy third hand, freshly scavenged parts box, coin jarI plan to get a scope, but I'm not likely to expand further (i.e. power supplies, function generators etc.) any time soon since I'm a poor student who does not have money to buy such stuff and more importantly permanent home where it could be kept

author: charliex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2009, 11:35:07 pm
content: mines U shaped, small room,s o hard to take a single pic.

author: charliex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2009, 11:35:31 pm
content: post limit!

author: jahonen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 31, 2009, 11:22:20 am
content: Here is mine. A little mess is not an exception here tooA little list of equipment from left to right, up to down:GW Instek SPD-3606 DC power supplyAdjustable isolating variac, 630 VAFluke 89IVOld analog multimeter, Hung ChangP3 700 MHz Laptop for working with MCU and FPGA stuff, also I use it to capture scope screenshotsAgilent MSO 6034A, mixed signal oscilloscopeWeller WTCP-S soldering ironMetcal SP-200 soldering ironDIY function generatorDIY frequency counterOld Grundig FG5 color bar generator (not much use nowadays)I have been thinking about revising the function generator and frequency counter, but haven't gotten around it yet. Some other things missing from the picture are at my work, most notably Fluke scopemeter 93 and R&S FSV 7 spectrum analyzer. Plenty of other smaller stuff, like components are behind me in the closets and on the shelf (very tightly packed) where I took the picture.Regards,Janne

author: yoshiki
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2010, 03:00:07 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on December 29, 2009, 05:56:24 amStudents, I had to use it 2 semesters ago but besides that I can't think of anyone else ... maybe ... no ... hahaha.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 01, 2010, 08:58:23 am
content: Quote from: charliex on December 30, 2009, 11:35:31 pmI love the coffee mug in the middle of it all, classic!Dave.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 01, 2010, 09:00:51 am
content: Quote from: jahonen on December 31, 2009, 11:22:20 amAwesome scope, how did you afford one of those for a home lab ?Dave.

author: jahonen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2010, 11:21:06 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on January 01, 2010, 09:00:51 amIt really is a matter of choice. Some people put their money on cars, some on boats, and some on the measuring equipmentAnd some even on the overpriced audiophile-stuff (see EEVBlog #29), likethis guy(the texts are in finnish but pictures tell the story themselves)In the text he tells that he has spend over 30 k€ on the equipment.I agree, it is among the best digital ones I have ever used. I have not missed much the analog ones after that.Regards,Janne

author: charliex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2010, 06:40:23 pm
content: I actually had two cups going there, the starbucks and the drip coffee! The best equipment i've bought for my home lab is the keurig single cup brewer thingyNice to see that I'm not alone in the chaos too Janne. I usually manage to keep the space just around me clear, everything else within arms reach, especially the coffee, which is why I've employed the distributed system.That is indeed a nice scope, and thats what I tell people when they see my PCB CNC, few people get it though.

author: Magicmushroom666
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2010, 03:49:17 pm
content: Glad to see i'm not the only messy one here!Dont currently have a bench at home as i've only just got the place, but here's my bench at work instead!

author: APS
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2010, 02:38:46 am
content: I see you all have same problem like me. How to put all you need in a room and how to transform room in work-room to have both.While I was starting with electronic I thought no problem. Now I ended with a work-room that has bead.

author: armandas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2010, 11:14:49 am
content: Quote from: APS on January 06, 2010, 02:38:46 amYou're saying it as if it was a bad thing

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 06, 2010, 08:32:28 pm
content: WEll here is my "lab" as you have probably guessed it's my messy room. I do all designing and breadboarding here plus some small soldering and board drilling (with my dremel and stand). Any hefty stuff I have to do in the shed (having barged past my dads junk and the excess I keep in there). I also have some solar power available with a 150 W inverter sitting next to the sockets, I run something off it when the battery in the loft above my room has a charge in it.

author: APS
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2010, 02:44:11 am
content: Quote from: armandas on January 06, 2010, 11:14:49 amIt`s not a bad thing but it would be better to have separate work-room with more space.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 07, 2010, 07:36:11 am
content: Quote from: APS on January 07, 2010, 02:44:11 amwhen i lived in Italy is way exactly that case for me, my "room" was simply a bed in my workshop, but then thats about all I had in life

author: qno
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2010, 08:55:09 am
content: Reminds me of the "Italian who went to New York"http://www.4degreez.com/jokes/R-Rated+Jokes/916617572/joke.html

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 08, 2010, 12:41:14 pm
content: yea there are a few of those going around.... in Italy as well (but working the oposite way round)

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 09, 2010, 06:32:25 pm
content: mine is tidy today, most of the crap is in trays and stuff out of sight unless i'm using it.on show is a xytronic soldering station, my rigol 1052, instek 6052, velleman hps-10, multimeter, a/s mat/wristband & tester, 3 windows PCs under the desk and my old atari tt030 to the right that i'm currently messing withand yes, they are pink fairies! not had a chance to re-decorate since we moved in!

author: yoshiki
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2010, 10:18:31 pm
content: So many PCs but no Macs, am I the only one? Is this a trend?

author: charliex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2010, 10:40:25 pm
content: Hopefully

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 10, 2010, 12:18:29 pm
content: Quote from: yoshiki on January 09, 2010, 10:18:31 pmafter i stopped using my atari's in the late 90s i logically moved over to a mac... it cost me £1300, i'd stopped using it in favor of windows within 12 months, i sold the whole kit about 4 years ago on ebay for £20. Have a simiar story when i bought a Apple Newton. I vowed never to own an apple product again.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 10, 2010, 12:48:21 pm
content: well the same goes for pc's actually, I have quite a few pcs some not that old but I'd have trouble giving them away. I think micro$oft have finally started to catch up with windows 7 and the fact that vista is no longer for sale is proof that it was to cock up we all said it was ! personally I think M$ should replace all vista copies sold with windows 7 for free !

author: yoshiki
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2010, 03:33:27 am
content: What can I say I am very comfortable with Snow Leopard, the only thing I hate is the fact that there is no Mac version of Code Warrior so

author: charliex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2010, 05:27:30 am
content: yeah they have no intel support, so no osx version, plus apple gives away XCode, so hard to compete

author: stewartallen
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2010, 10:06:31 pm
content: My little piece of heavenWeller WD1 Solder stationApple MacBook Pro, running Arch LinuxAgilent DSO1002A scopeTTi Power supplyTTi Function generator (borrowed from work)Fluke 87-VHand build bench and shelves

author: Veramacor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2010, 01:44:27 pm
content: armandas,You forgot to highlight the Heineken in your lab breakdown!1) Dundee India Pale Ale (bold and bittaa!)2) Mandatory Rubic's Cube3) Go Tigers - (They sold their souls for Johnny Damon)J

author: armandas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2010, 09:00:58 pm
content: Quote from: Veramacor on March 26, 2010, 01:44:27 pmHaha, I see you got some beverage as wellWell, the Heineken is gone now, but I got a Rigol!

author: xoom
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2010, 02:30:07 pm
content: Hi, im new hereFirst i very like to watch your videos Dave:)you are so charismatic person, some times when watching yout videos im laughing out loud:) keep that going onWhen i seen your video about Rigol scope i decide to get one toowhen i get it, i can also make some photosbecouse now ir nothing to showp.s. Sorry for my bad english..Regards,xoom

author: ThunderSqueak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 29, 2010, 02:01:38 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on December 30, 2009, 09:32:40 pmMy home "lab"...I seriously want to get a proper bench one of these days ... and some more shelving, but I just moved into this apartment. Now I just need a BF who is interested in electronics so he isn't bored when I am "busy" :>

author: allanw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2010, 03:23:38 am
content: Here's mine. I've only started building up my lab this summer, so it's relatively puny. Pretty sure having all this stuff in a tiny dorm room makes me a massive nerd even among the nerds in these parts, though

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 29, 2010, 04:06:39 am
content: Quote from: allanw on June 29, 2010, 03:23:38 amAnd I bet it impresses the chicks too!Dave.

author: allanw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2010, 04:22:35 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on June 29, 2010, 04:06:39 amHaha, I feel like only a guy without a chick has the time for any of this stuffAt least as a student.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 29, 2010, 05:54:21 am
content: Quote from: ThunderSqueak on June 29, 2010, 02:01:38 amI'm sure you will have no trouble finding a bloke if your into electronics, most nerds dream I think ? and I bet you live no where near me

author: ThunderSqueak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 03, 2010, 05:18:28 am
content: Quote from: Simon on June 29, 2010, 05:54:21 amProbably not, I live in Alaska :>I finally re-setup my bench, unpacking after a move is such a chore. only 3 boxes left to goThe bench is just a cheep steel shelf ($60 dollars US) that I converted, it is stable, strong (supposedly rated to 1815kg) and relatively light weight and comes apart for moving/storage. Works for me

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 03, 2010, 07:04:10 am
content: nice little setup (perhaps i should move to Alaska)

author: MyZirconia
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2010, 07:29:44 am
content: Nice clean bench. GREAT... (i dont whant to show mine just at the moment....)but that chair doesnt look so comfortable if you are in a long and pinfull debugging session.//Magnus

author: ThunderSqueak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 20, 2010, 08:47:41 am
content: Quote from: MyZirconia on July 20, 2010, 07:29:44 amIt's not, I took it from another part of the house for now until I get around to replacing it with a more comfy chair :> TBH I stand a lot while I work. The bench was only clean because I had JUST moved into the apartment and set it up. Trust me, it is no longer "clean" :>

author: MrPlacid
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2010, 06:07:29 am
content: ThunderSqueak, saw that chair used on one of Dave's blog, 2nd live show I think. And I have the same wooden chair at the retail store I work in. It's painful on the butt.

author: McPete
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2010, 07:36:42 am
content: Seeing as we're all showing each other our workspaces, I thought I'd share mine as I start to set it up. Since my brother moved out, I've "colonised" his desk.The 'scope is a Trio 1560A-II -an ancient 15MHz unit my boss remembered we had when I mentioned I was considering buying a Rigol. I'm borrowing it until someone complains- Which is probably never, seeing as I found the thing under a mound of dust and ancient substation panel metersI really need to pick up some better scope probes for it (I wish I could afford the YEW ones we have at work!).Also in view is my Wisher Wishmaker II- Breadboard, power supplies and function generators all in one package. My component storage drawers are less than ideal- No divisions in each drawer, so it's sorted into factors of E24 resistors, and individual capacitor values. I've also got a swag of "Assorted bits" that my dad had hidden away for some reason. A lot of junk (10% resistors? Dead AWA metal-can transistors?). A little laptop stand my brother left behind when he left home is pretty handy too... He was an Apple fan, as you see from the poster.It's a start, and I'll definitely be expanding it. I should get a picture of my work desk too- That's got more of the good stuffP.

author: Raff
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2010, 08:13:23 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on December 29, 2009, 05:56:24 amActually,I had to search hard and long to find one to buy fairly recently. My old Tandy pulser and probe matched pair were stolen some years back along with all of my tools from a workplace. I will NEVER leave my tools at another workplace overnight again!I use mine to repair pinball machines. Most old pinnies that I see have old TTL logic and CPU's like 6809's in them. A couple of my pinnies have 3 part 4 bit CPU's in them! (Rockwell)Regards,Raff.

author: M0BSW
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2014, 07:53:11 pm
content: It's not all in the picture some has been boxed up ready for a move to the cellar, which is big enough to build a 8x6 shed in, the shed will be easier to keep warm , so this is the small version.