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

[Yansi]

I have just checked on aliexpress. They do not offer the 45 series, just 20 and 40 series. But the prices are to my big surprise even more extreme. Fakin' hell! I thought it would be much cheaper there, but expensive shipping will kill the feasibility of buying larger amounts.

Seems in our country...

Where is it?

I don't like disclosing from where I am, as I am ashamed from living is such a country. Lets call it some small post-CCCP country. 

[olkipukki]

Who cares, especially if you have option to pay at least 50% compare to West 

For example,

https://de.misumi-ec.com/vona2/detail/110302689860/?KWSearch=aluminium%20profile&searchFlow=results2products

Type length in Gesamtlänge L(mm), say 1000
and select HFS8 type (HFS8-4040-1000) in Teilenummern tab to see a cost finally, so 15.10 € for 1 meter, right?
Actually, this profile more like has cut in CZ

It looks like Santa lives close by to you

[SilverSolder]

I have just checked on aliexpress. They do not offer the 45 series, just 20 and 40 series. But the prices are to my big surprise even more extreme. Fakin' hell! I thought it would be much cheaper there, but expensive shipping will kill the feasibility of buying larger amounts.

Seems in our country...

Where is it?

I don't like disclosing from where I am, as I am ashamed from living is such a country. Lets call it some small post-CCCP country. 

Nobody can help where they were born! 

Good people are everywhere, even if (temporarily) overwhelmed by the not-so-good!

[coppice]

I don't like disclosing from where I am, as I am ashamed from living is such a country. Lets call it some small post-CCCP country. 

If you feel ashamed of where you come from, you are just buying into the BS of the people who have made it a less than desirable place.

[Calvin]

Hi,

bought my framing profiles in 40x20/8 and 40x80/8 from alu-profiltechnik.de
example for the 40x40/8 super-light profile at ~9€/m : https://www.alu-profil-technik.de/Alu-Profil-Nut-8-Aluprofil-Strebenprofil-Nutprofil-Nutplatte.html
The 40-80/8 profile is listed at ~16€/m. Standard lengths come in a 100mm pattern, but one can have them also cut just to a specified size.
For my Lab I bought 19.1m of 40-80/8 and 83.6m of 40-40/8 and hundreds of binders.
Attached two pics of the framework.
Oh, one of the more difficult tasks was to screw everything together in the right order.
Into some frames sidewalls of 6mm plywood are ´injected´ .... which required a ´special technique´ and defined order of screwing the binders. 

regards
Calvin

[richnormand]

Very nice.
At the end of the day make sure all the framing is properly grounded....

[Calvin]

Hi,

the anodized surface isolates the profiles. Only some of the binder-screws that cut through the anodizing make a contact.
Grounding the whole frame seems too much effort to me.

These are the LED-lights I installed right behind the frontal profiles. They build so low that they almost disappear behind the profile.
The lamps can also be tilted to the backside. The mounting position and the tilting shade Your eyes to prevent glaring.
90cm wide, 90 LEDs each, 15W/4000K/1200lm, and power inlet on both sides allows for daisy-chaining and give a very bright and even distributed bench lighting.
They costed about 25€ p.pcs. on ebay.

regards
Calvin

[richnormand]

That looks very nice and a good use of available space.

Of note I did a similar setup with LED lights and ran in an issue and had to change brand.
On doing low current measurements on the bench I had hash signals messing up the scope trace. Using a simple AM radio the noise was messing up the whole AM band and it was originating from the LED DC driver in the lamps.
The ones from IKEA turned out to be quiet compared to the first set.

[Teti]

I recently moved my electronics workshop into a separate room, as in the old workshop it was to messy (dust) and cold in the winter.
Nothing really special to see, just basic equipment, but i have some space on the shelves to fill in the future 
I need to install the power outlets on the right bench, same as on the left one, hope to find some spare time soon...

This looks great, are these 40x40 and 20x20 profiles? it must cost a bomb! How much was it to make 2 benches and shelving from alu profiles? (if you don't mind saying)

[beanflying]

That looks very nice and a good use of available space.

Of note I did a similar setup with LED lights and ran in an issue and had to change brand.
On doing low current measurements on the bench I had hash signals messing up the scope trace. Using a simple AM radio the noise was messing up the whole AM band and it was originating from the LED DC driver in the lamps.
The ones from IKEA turned out to be quiet compared to the first set.

I had a bit of an oddball issue so I opened a thread in the Metrology section a while back about improving my lighting. The problem one wasn't even that close. https://www.eevblog.com/forum/metrology/metrology-grade-lighting-i-am-in-the-dark/msg2225853/#msg2225853

[elekorsi]

I recently moved my electronics workshop into a separate room, as in the old workshop it was to messy (dust) and cold in the winter.
Nothing really special to see, just basic equipment, but i have some space on the shelves to fill in the future 
I need to install the power outlets on the right bench, same as on the left one, hope to find some spare time soon...

This looks great, are these 40x40 and 20x20 profiles? it must cost a bomb! How much was it to make 2 benches and shelving from alu profiles? (if you don't mind saying)

The profiles are 45x45 U10 and 30x30 U8
The alu profiles and mounting material was around 500€ (+VAT) for both benches. This price includes cutting to desired length in mm steps (i think you can go with 0,1mm resolution) and milling for the insertion of internal connectors.
Worktop is made from 28mm plywood, coated with 2k PUR coating. Shelves are made from MDF. These all costed me 150€ (cut and coated) at local carpenter.
So all together with lightning and electrical outlets i would say less than 1000€ for both. Of course my time is not calculated in here...

[beanflying]

Unbuilt addon/insert idea for the bench. So call this a pre insertion straw poll and maybe not threadworthy in its own right.  Would you cut in one or more adapter flanges on your bench to allow plugin stands mounts and

These hex mount adapters (not the base) are used a lot in Kayaks and Fishing but also for in car or motorbike mounts. Ram was/is the original maker of the system but their is a rash of clones all over evilbay and Aliexpress. Lots of adapter options from ball swivels to plain to ..... eBay auction: #222756528174 eBay auction: #284135913312 eBay auction: #203239750208 Take a base bit and screw on goosenecks or other stands ....

Not proposing to 3D print the balls or hex mounts they need more accuracy/strength and the bits are cheap so just the flush fitting inserts. Also likely 90 degree mounts for the fronts of shelves/benches too. Also a plug of some sort when not in use loose fit and flip out.

[Salami]

I recently moved my electronics workshop into a separate room, as in the old workshop it was to messy (dust) and cold in the winter.
Nothing really special to see, just basic equipment, but i have some space on the shelves to fill in the future 
I need to install the power outlets on the right bench, same as on the left one, hope to find some spare time soon...

Hey nice setup! The electrical panel / power strip is commercial? Otherwise do you have a BOM?

[mindcrime]

I've made some changes to the lab here since last time I posted an update. Here's a few pics for anybody who enjoys "test gear porn". 

Current state:

(Well, almost current. I've made one or two more small mods since I took these photos)



That entire area to the right of my bench is "new" (as in, newly made part of my "lab area"). There was always a TV stand there, but for the last few years all it's held was an old rack-mount UPC that I was gifted from a previous employer, a rack mount SAN array which I was also gifted by that employer (they were moving a lab and downsizing in the process, so they threw out a bunch of kit), and bunch of books and magazines. I cleared that off, put up one of those cheapo wire-rack shelves, and put all the new stuff (including a new TV) over there. And yes, I consider the TV 'lab equipment" more than anything. I actually do all my media consumption (Netflix, Hulu, etc.) on my laptop usually. That TV is there to be used for Raspberry Pi stuff (to be fair, including playing old games using RetroPi every now and again), the lab PC, maybe looking at something with the new microscope, etc.



Behind the TV is a Black and Decker convection oven that I plan to do a reflow oven conversion on, as well as the older HP 1660A logic analyzer. Luckily this TV is so light I can pick it up with one arm, so it's easy to move out of the way when needed.

Above the TV is an old Toshiba laptop that is there mainly for listening to music, looking up data sheets, and programming Arduinos. Next to it is the new Keysight 16862A logic analyzer.



This one Raspberry Pi is semi-permanently dedicated to being my "game console" running RetroPi.



An unfortunately blurry photo of "The Beast" - aka my "new" Keysight 16862A logic analyzer. This one has "only" 68 channels (and I only have one probe so I can only use 34 right now) but is quite the machine.



Another look at the old laptop and the new logic analyzer.



The new Rigol MSO7024 scope.



And the new Rigol RSA3015N 1.5 GHz Spectrum Analyzer.



Temporarily jammed up there and not even unboxed yet are a cheap 3D printer and a cheap CNC mill (which I intend to use mainly for making PCB's)



Wedged away down there and barely visible is my new Andonstar soldering microscope.



I've been threatening to buy an official EEVBlog DMM since I got here, and well... the time has come!



And an LCR meter just for the sake of completeness.



You can never have too many soldering irons, right?



Soldering is cool.



Doing it under magnification is even better.



A Rigol DL3021A programmable load. I got this last year, before my recent shopping spree.



The piece de resistance!! 

Underneath the coffee mug is the battery tray from the UPS I mentioned above. I never bothered using that UPS for anything when I first got it and it had been in storage for quite a while. I pulled it out and it wouldn't power up. The batteries were stone cold dead, so I ordered up a new set, slapped them in, and it's working like a champ now. The UPS (an APC Smart UPS 1500) now lives behind that TV there, and all the test equipment and stuff is running off of it.

EDIT:

A few pics of the very latest tweaks and additions, from in just the last week or two:



I added a strip of those silly color changing LED lights just to add some pizzazz. Or "bling" as the kids call it today, I guess.



This room is perpetually dark to my way of thinking and you can never have too much light, so I added a couple of these old-fashioned drop lights. You can't really see it in this pic, but I used those simulated retro "Edison style" bulbs, just for aesthetic effect.



If I'm doing something on the bench that really calls for a lot of direct light, I can pull one, two, or all three of the drop lights over and hang them off the rack like this.



Maybe it's just me, but I really dig these bulbs. Makes me feel like I'm working in Nikola Tesla's laboratory or something.



A better picture of the new Keysight logic analyzer.



Not really a recent addition, but who doesn't like looking at solder??



No, your eyes do not deceive you. I still use the Radio Shack brand solder on (rare) occasions. Mostly I use Multicore these days, but I keep some of the RS stuff around nonetheless.



Just put this in place earlier today. It's good to have more places to plug stuff in.



As mentioned above, behind the TV lives this thing which today is a "convection oven" but which will soon be a "reflow oven".



My other HP logic analyzer. It also is hidden behind the TV most of the time. One of about 10 logic analyzers I own, if you count all the miscellaneous USB logic analyzers, bus pirates, etc. that I have lying around. I guess I sort of collect logic analyzers. Weird, right?



Same thing, but without my thumb in the picture.



The Smart UPS 1500. It sits sideways because it won't fit the other way, so not much to look at from this angle.



My little Baofeng ham radio is tucked away down here in the corner.

[Pawelr98]

Sometimes the small changes can make quite the difference.

Added double outlet which is easily accessible from the front and by utilizing some junk metal plate, screws and heatshrink tubes I also built a simple soldering gun holder.
Soldering gun weights 0.8kg so having a dedicated place is a good idea, keeping order and making sure this thing won't fall off the bench.

[SilverSolder]

Sometimes the small changes can make quite the difference.

Added double outlet which is easily accessible from the front and by utilizing some junk metal plate, screws and heatshrink tubes I also built a simple soldering gun holder.
Soldering gun weights 0.8kg so having a dedicated place is a good idea, keeping order and making sure this thing won't fall off the bench.

I love that soldering gun -  presumably, not the one you use for SMT components? 

I have a Weller soldering gun that sometimes is the best for e.g. heavy cables etc.

[McBryce]

My other HP logic analyzer. It also is hidden behind the TV most of the time. One of about 10 logic analyzers I own, if you count all the miscellaneous USB logic analyzers, bus pirates, etc. that I have lying around. I guess I sort of collect logic analyzers. Weird, right?

It may be weird in this thread, but definitely not in this one: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/

McBryce.

[mindcrime]

My other HP logic analyzer. It also is hidden behind the TV most of the time. One of about 10 logic analyzers I own, if you count all the miscellaneous USB logic analyzers, bus pirates, etc. that I have lying around. I guess I sort of collect logic analyzers. Weird, right?

It may be weird in this thread, but definitely not in this one: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/

McBryce.

Oh yeah, I definitely have Test Equipment Addiction (TEA). Sadly that lot there are more likely to encourage it than do anything to help. 

[Cubdriver]

My other HP logic analyzer. It also is hidden behind the TV most of the time. One of about 10 logic analyzers I own, if you count all the miscellaneous USB logic analyzers, bus pirates, etc. that I have lying around. I guess I sort of collect logic analyzers. Weird, right?

It may be weird in this thread, but definitely not in this one: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/

McBryce.

Oh yeah, I definitely have Test Equipment Addiction (TEA). Sadly that lot there are more likely to encourage it than do anything to help. 

You say that like it's a bad thing...  You're looking at it from the wrong point of view - encouraging it IS helping!

-Pat

[xrunner]

Oh yeah, I definitely have Test Equipment Addiction (TEA). Sadly that lot there are more likely to encourage it than do anything to help. 

Come join us - don't be afraid. 

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/

[mindcrime]

Oh yeah, I definitely have Test Equipment Addiction (TEA). Sadly that lot there are more likely to encourage it than do anything to help. 

Come join us - don't be afraid. 

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/

Oh, I'm there. Have been for a long time. I just don't post very often in that thread. But I just got a new Test Equipment related item, so I'll probably post and say something about that. 

[mindcrime]

My other HP logic analyzer. It also is hidden behind the TV most of the time. One of about 10 logic analyzers I own, if you count all the miscellaneous USB logic analyzers, bus pirates, etc. that I have lying around. I guess I sort of collect logic analyzers. Weird, right?

It may be weird in this thread, but definitely not in this one: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/

McBryce.

Oh yeah, I definitely have Test Equipment Addiction (TEA). Sadly that lot there are more likely to encourage it than do anything to help. 

You say that like it's a bad thing...  You're looking at it from the wrong point of view - encouraging it IS helping!

-Pat

See! This is *exactly* what I'm talking about.   

[szszoke]

This is not where I spent my first 10 years as an electronics hobbyist. That bench was in an even smaller closet. Unfortunately I have no photos of it.

Can you tell me where you got the lamp that is mounted on the wall?

[Pawelr98]

Sometimes the small changes can make quite the difference.

Added double outlet which is easily accessible from the front and by utilizing some junk metal plate, screws and heatshrink tubes I also built a simple soldering gun holder.
Soldering gun weights 0.8kg so having a dedicated place is a good idea, keeping order and making sure this thing won't fall off the bench.

I love that soldering gun -  presumably, not the one you use for SMT components? 

I have a Weller soldering gun that sometimes is the best for e.g. heavy cables etc.

For SMT I use weller PU81 with 0.2mm tip and the cheap chinese hotair gun.

Soldering guns are awesome for soldering bigger THT like power components or cables.
And I can work in tight spaces without burning wires/plastic all over the place.

I do have a high power soldering iron but it takes forever to heat up, this thing is instant and goes through everything I throw at it.

And no tips to worry about, I can abuse the thing.
Just give the cooper wire a short but tight twist right at the end using pliers.
It takes quite some time to dissolve the cooper, while straight wire doesn't really last that long.

[rdl]

I got it from a place called Wayfair.com on eBay around 10 years ago for about $170. It's an Aven Inc. #26516-D155 "Magna Deluxe 20" Fluorescent Lamp". Unfortunately, I don't think it's available any more.

This is not where I spent my first 10 years as an electronics hobbyist. That bench was in an even smaller closet. Unfortunately I have no photos of it.

Can you tell me where you got the lamp that is mounted on the wall?