Starting a hobby workbench, what do i need?

[v81]

Hi all,

I'll get to the point and then ramble later, saves tldr; 

I am looking for suggestions and advice on what i should have in my 'lab'.

I already have...
DS1054Z Scope(2 days old!)
Uni-T UT71D Multimeter 
3-15v 40A SM-PSU (Radioparts home brand /DOSS)
Silicone chip 100W 40v 5A Hybrid SM/Linear kit (build in progress)
Hakko FX888D (1 week old) + small assortment of tips
Solder in 1mm and 0.53mm 5core, 3mm+1.5mm braid, solder sucker, flux syringe+pen
Side cutters, pointy pliers, misc screwdrivers & bits
SMD tweezers
LED Magnifying lamp

The above isn't too bad, best range of gear i have ever had so far.
The scope and iron are recent acquisitions.

There are bound to be a few things missing, i'll start the list...
Signal generator (is there a good kit one i could build?
USB microscope (how important is this?)
Rubber matting, approx 600 x 1500 (not dissipative, not sure i can afford it)
ESD mat (smaller mat to place on top of above)
ESD wrist strap  +  ESD point to mount under bench + 1M resistor
Alignment tools (looks like i got some with the DS1054Z, these might do for now?)


What am i missing guys?
Where can i get good deals / 2nd hand gear / kits to build the tools/gear i need (eg sig gen??)
Anyone got a good deal on dissipative mat?



I'm starting a workbench up to more seriously pursue electronics engineering as a hobby.
In the past it has mostly been a background and half assed hobby, so I've never put any serious effort into it until now.

I am building a custom workbench, will post pics once done.
It will be an 'L' shaped extension to my PC desk, and the ework bench area will measure an approx 1500x600.

I'm in SE Vic if that helps anyone point me to good go-to places etc.

Look forward to reading your replies!
Cheers! 

[bitwelder]

I already have...
DS1054Z Scope(2 days old!)

2-days old scope already broke?
Or did you get too excited about adding funny smiley to your message?

[v81]

I already have...
DS1054Z Scope(2 days old!)

2-days old scope already broke?
Or did you get too excited about adding funny smiley to your message?

Sorry, got a bit excited @ the smileys.
I'm not normally a smiley kinda guy, it's a small effort for me to be a little less boring. 

[tggzzz]

A lot will depend on what type of electronics you want to do, and how you want to do it.

An audio sig-gen is a very different beast to an RF sig-gen. A scope is very different to a spectrum/network analyser. Equipment required when "playing" with mains or high voltage or high current is very different to that required for "playing" with SBCs such as Arduino.

You will probably, at some stage, want to program the small 8/32bit SBCs, since they are ubiquitous stunningly cheap. You'll need to consider the development environment consisting of language and IDE, and programmer/debugger tools (e.g. ICE or serial line), and any computer required to host those. Those may well dictate the processor/board family.

If you want to create your own boards you will need to do SMD layout and construction. All you need are tweezers, a head-mounted magnifying visor, solder paste, fine tip iron, and a saucepan on a gas hob. It is much easier than I expected, and not something to be frightened of. (Some people even use BGA devices, but that's a step too far for me!).

I've yet to see a USB microscope that is better than a head-mounted magnifying visor and/or hand lens, but that is personal preference.

Designing a PCB doesn't need a computer at the workbench, but nowadays many tools are computer (Windows or Linux) based - and you will need them on the same surface as whatever you are testing.

Personally I'd avoid buying anything until I need something, but "wanting to play/experiment with X" is sufficient for defining a need.

[nanofrog]

Hi all,

I'm in SE Vic if that helps anyone point me to good go-to places etc.

First off, welcome to the forum. 

As per location, if you go into your user profile and set your country, it's flag will display beneath your userID. Makes it so much easier on everyone, as it avoids the constant "Where are you located" questions, and get relevant links much faster. 

I already have...
DS1054Z Scope(2 days old!)
Uni-T UT71D Multimeter 
3-15v 40A SM-PSU (Radioparts home brand /DOSS)
Silicone chip 100W 40v 5A Hybrid SM/Linear kit (build in progress)
Hakko FX888D (1 week old) + small assortment of tips
Solder in 1mm and 0.53mm 5core, 3mm+1.5mm braid, solder sucker, flux syringe+pen
Side cutters, pointy pliers, misc screwdrivers & bits
SMD tweezers
LED Magnifying lamp

Quite a bit of stuff here. Enough to make an excellent start as-is in fact.

Do understand, you don't have to rush out and buy everything now, particularly as you don't even know what direction/s you'll take, which will dictate what all you'll need (needs change as your interests do). So start reading and building stuff, and see where that takes you. Then you go from there.

There are bound to be a few things missing, i'll start the list...

Signal generator (is there a good kit one i could build? - Skip until you need one. 
USB microscope (how important is this?) - Skip right now. Much cheaper magnification out there for general purpose use if you need it, and if you get heavily into SMD work under a microscope, you'll need a proper one.

Rubber matting, approx 600 x 1500 (not dissipative, not sure i can afford it)
ESD mat (smaller mat to place on top of above)
ESD wrist strap  +  ESD point to mount under bench + 1M resistor - Location could help with a proper ESD mat (kit w/ a black ground cord includes a 1M in it already). For example, you might be able to get a mat on a closeout deal for far less than what it would normally go for. There may also be reasonable eBay sources.

Also keep in mind, you don't have to cover every bit of your bench either. Getting a mat of sufficient size for a project work area will actually suffice, and is easier on the wallet as well (24"x36" or 30"x36" for example; sort of like an over-sized place mat). Larger is nice, but not an actual necessity.

Alignment tools (looks like i got some with the DS1054Z, these might do for now?) - Skip until needed.

What am i missing guys?
Where can i get good deals / 2nd hand gear / kits to build the tools/gear i need (eg sig gen??)
Anyone got a good deal on dissipative mat?

This is where setting your country really helps. 

I am building a custom workbench, will post pics once done.
It will be an 'L' shaped extension to my PC desk, and the ework bench area will measure an approx 1500x600.

Looking forward to it. There's even a dedicated thread for this. 

[zerorisers]

Temp control hot air gun and a reflow oven.

[rs20]

I'll re-iterate what a couple of others have said already: take all the suggestions you hear here as future inspiration rather than things to put on the shopping list. If you buy a tool because you heard someone else likes that tool, that's a bad reason -- it'll just sit on the bench gathering dust. If you buy a tool because you have two or three specific projects in mind that you want to do and you know that that tool will help, then that's a good reason -- it's much easier to learn how to learn a tool when it's your ally helping you to solve a problem, rather than being the problem your trying to solve.

[tggzzz]

Temp control hot air gun and a reflow oven.

Personally I've found a saucepan to be a perfectly satisfactory substitute for a reflow oven. See https://entertaininghacks.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/assembling-pcbs-with-surface-mount-components/ for some of my experiences.

Also see the "industrial ovens" experience on https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/59

[zerorisers]

Temp control hot air gun and a reflow oven.

Personally I've found a saucepan to be a perfectly satisfactory substitute for a reflow oven. See https://entertaininghacks.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/assembling-pcbs-with-surface-mount-components/ for some of my experiences.

Also see the "industrial ovens" experience on https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/59

Seems very useful. i was thinking of just making a reflow oven using an arduino and an old toaster oven to get the right temperature. but that may work for cheaper than initially thought. Thanks for the info!

[tggzzz]

Temp control hot air gun and a reflow oven.

Personally I've found a saucepan to be a perfectly satisfactory substitute for a reflow oven. See https://entertaininghacks.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/assembling-pcbs-with-surface-mount-components/ for some of my experiences.

Also see the "industrial ovens" experience on https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/59

Seems very useful. i was thinking of just making a reflow oven using an arduino and an old toaster oven to get the right temperature. but that may work for cheaper than initially thought. Thanks for the info!

You're welcome. If nothing else you'll be able to get some practical experience that may guide you in your choice of how to do things "properly".

My local hackspace has a homebrew oven+arduino, but I haven't bothered to use it. Apparently people have used it to do boards with components mounted on both sides.

[v81]

A lot will depend on what type of electronics you want to do, and how you want to do it.

Fair comments.
In the past I've been discouraged after finding i don't have the right this or that to do something.
I think after the most recent acquisitions i'm at a point now where that is much less likely to happen.

Re SBC's i have a couple of Raspberry Pi's and Arduinos, both have been great.
I neglected ot mention i also have an AVR ISP clone or similar, it did work once but am currently having issued with it, will have to drag it out and have a better look at it.

I'll have to put solder paste on my shopping list.
In another thread here i show a photo of a board that might have been better started with solder paste and some kind of re-flow method.

Will give it a try sometime.

First off, welcome to the forum. 

As per location, if you go into your user profile and set your country, it's flag will display beneath your userID. Makes it so much easier on everyone, as it avoids the constant "Where are you located" questions, and get relevant links much faster. 

Location should be sorted now, thanks for the tips.
Picked up ESD strap & under bench bracket from Amazon (was already ordering there) for about $5 each.

There was a near complete FM radio kit that had a trim cap in it that did funny things when using a regular screwdriver.
The Rigol scope i recently bought came with a little black plastic screwdriver to tweak the probes, i'm thinking that is pretty much an aligning tool, and might do the job for now?

Here is the bench so far.

Its going to be dropped 100mm and integrated into the computer desk next to it.
Will be great for looking up stuff and playing Arduino

I'll re-iterate what a couple of others have said already

Taken on board, cheers mate.

[nanofrog]

There was a near complete FM radio kit that had a trim cap in it that did funny things when using a regular screwdriver.
The Rigol scope i recently bought came with a little black plastic screwdriver to tweak the probes, i'm thinking that is pretty much an aligning tool, and might do the job for now?

If it fits and turns is, sure. 

As you seem to need an alignment tool however, then go ahead and get one (or a set if you prefer). Need something, get it; let that be your guide.