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

[lukier]

Indeed, the least used items elevate to the top, although always with the logistical provision for reasonable lead length. Biggest problem stacking old boat anchors without shelves is that when it comes to repair, it's a PITA to unstack and restack. Shelves, though, make the stack even higher.

Heh, I have the same kind of garage shelving unit. Cheap, but sturdy when assembled. On the top I keep Tektronix TLA704, probably my biggest boat anchor. Fortunately logic probes are quite long and the analyzer itself is operated remotely via LAN. Once I'm done setting my lab in this house (had to move recently) I will post a picture.

My soldering/electronics bench is also from the same series, just 120x60 and screwed where possible to the shelving unit (where the instruments are). I don't find it big enough, for example I worry how I'm going to put a double boom AmScope when I get one, but well space is limited. Stuff that is rarely used (A6902B, SR850, normal microscope, heavy variac etc) is on the bottom shelf of the rack (pretty much the floor), so if I need that I need to get under the bench and pull it out.

I like the idea of magnetic tool holders, will add that to my shopping list. For now to the beams of this rack I attached a USB 3.0 hub and an old 19" monitor on a swivel mount (mostly to check datasheets or open serial terminal etc. and thanks to the mount I can move it away if I need to see the screens of DS1054Z or 2467). I still need to think about attaching some lights to the shelves. I have some of these LED lights (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/222115723938), but I would have to mount them at an angle and with some covers, so it doesn't either blind me or shine onto the instrument displays (for example making old VFDs even less readable than they already are).

Organised chaos. I have a good stock of ordered parts purchased just to have them at hand. It is rare that I have to order a non-specialist part.

The chaos comes in the form of multiple projects, all stored away with their specific parts.

I see. There seem to be no good solution to this In my case it is quite similar, either things grouped by project (although sometimes just mentally) or generic components (RLC, some common ICs, connectors or just occasional splurges on Aliexpress)  in plastic drawers, component boxes and so on. Probes that I got without original packaging (e.g. Tek diff or current probes) I keep in 170/25.096.GPB / 170/28.207 SPU boxes from Farnell.

[george graves]

One of the lab assistants contemplating his next test setup a while back:

You win cutest "lab cat" contest so far!

[VK5RC]

@Cubdriver, Pat, seriously cute cat.

Re keyboard; I used an old set of draw runners under one of the lower shelves, (again apologies for stuff on the bench and the pile-o-DMMs in the corner) it does tuck away quite nicely and comes out over the layer of "stuff" when looking up data sheets etc.

Below are the two dogs who share our house, the good thing about Airedale Terriers is they don't shed hair, but have to get them clipped.

[Robaroni]

The bench with the Keysight MSOX-6004A 6Ghz Scope from the Scope Month win!
Not much time to play yet, but I am getting caught up on work so I hope to dive in soon.

You won a scope, wow, that's great! I have a couple of those HP supplies. I added jacks to the front to use them on my bench, but no I mainly use the TTI 1080MX triple supply to try and save room on the bench.

Pat,
Love the assistant, those tabby cats have always been special!
Rob

[Rolo]

I'm impressed about the amount of equipment some of you have !. Almost to shy to post my bench, but it works for me and I'm happy with it.
I'm working on a battery feeded mysensors node right now and have about all my equipment on the bench.
Doing some measurements arround the step up convertor, where is the optimal and minimal Vbatt. What is the result in noise on Vcc and current draw from the battery.

[AF6LJ]

Nice bench lots of room to spread out. I love it. 

[bitseeker]

"Yeees, this will prove useful for my experiments. Bwah, ha, ha, haaa!"

[bitseeker]

Almost to shy to post my bench, but it works for me and I'm happy with it.

No worries. Print out and hang some schematics of various sizes on the back wall and you'll be all set.

[Robaroni]

I'm impressed about the amount of equipment some of you have !. Almost to shy to post my bench, but it works for me and I'm happy with it.
I'm working on a battery feeded mysensors node right now and have about all my equipment on the bench.
Doing some measurements arround the step up convertor, where is the optimal and minimal Vbatt. What is the result in noise on Vcc and current draw from the battery.

I admire people who can accomplish so much with so little!
Rob

[ajb]

I've already posted a photo of my home bench, so here's one of my work desk:

Better? 

Crikey, I thought three monitors was a strain on my neck! 

[Robaroni]

I've already posted a photo of my home bench, so here's one of my work desk:

Are you a programmer with all those monitors?

[System Error Message]

I'm impressed about the amount of equipment some of you have !. Almost to shy to post my bench, but it works for me and I'm happy with it.
I'm working on a battery feeded mysensors node right now and have about all my equipment on the bench.
Doing some measurements arround the step up convertor, where is the optimal and minimal Vbatt. What is the result in noise on Vcc and current draw from the battery.

I have the same amount of equipment that you have but much much less space so half my table is taken up by a shelf of equipment and some supplies and the other half empty for electronics work. My table is way smaller than yours but i have computer stuff seperated from electronics. Since i do both computing and electronics now for fun my setup would be mediocre for both but it is fairly decent. As for the computing side i have a 36 core enterprise router, a fully managed switch, a cluster of 6 computers (some are in need of board repairs otherwise (Most can be rackmounted) and a cluster of smaller things like some ARM powered devices like raspberry pi 2, more boards and so on. For the electronics bit i have an SMD station (OEM rebadged, not chinese clones), chunky PSU that can provide 30V with 10A or 60V with 5A, my GW instek scope, lots of tools both passive like pliers and active like DMMs and a some supplies.

Ofcourse despite having GPUs in the cluster i managed to pack things into 2U cases. Only 2 PCs are in desktop cases as 1 is personal and the other is just for the cooling.

I'll take a picture once i get things in order. There will be some creativity involved. At least i have more computing stuff than Dave 

[george graves]

I started out with way less.  A walwart, a breadboard, RadioShack resistor kit,  and bunch of parts from mouser.  Oh, and a car battery for anything that needed amps above a wal wart(needless to say, I melted a few wires).

I really enjoy 2 or three monitors.  It makes looking at data sheets, and a PCB, and maybe a schematic so much more intuitive when you have all three.

[andtfoot]

I've already posted a photo of my home bench, so here's one of my work desk:

Are you a programmer with all those monitors?

Sometimes, but it's not my main role.
I get the most use out of them when I'm doing Audio Visual system design. For that I'll often have open at least:
- Bill of Materials for the job
- System schematic
- Product datasheets
- Floor plan/room info
- Scope of Works
and then sometimes audio DSP and/or programming software to check theories and build a base config as I go.
Hmm... I could use a 5th monitor 

[bitseeker]

I started out with way less.  A walwart, ...

At first, I thought you wrote that you started out with a WalMart.

[lapm]

I'm impressed about the amount of equipment some of you have !. Almost to shy to post my bench, but it works for me and I'm happy with it.
I'm working on a battery feeded mysensors node right now and have about all my equipment on the bench.
Doing some measurements arround the step up convertor, where is the optimal and minimal Vbatt. What is the result in noise on Vcc and current draw from the battery.

Those impressive equipment pictures are often results of years if not decades of collecting them...

My own small lab is no more fancy then you have... Ok added under desk lighting to see my component storage boxes better and ESD mat havent arrived yet... Not enough to post new picture of it...

[mgotter]

What a kitchen table should really be used for.

[TheSteve]

This is the lab I've put together over the past year more or less. Mainly from eBay purchases but also some Craigslist and a few new items. Most of it was bought broken and repaired, many of the items have since been sold which is what funded the new gear. It has been my fun evening/weekend hobby all spurred on by the EEVBlog.
Not in the shot is my computer workstation but mainly I use a laptop when referring to schematics, part lists etc.

For anyone else interested in buying/repairing gear mainly from eBay I've posted my top tips here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/top-tips-to-building-your-lab-with-ebay/

[msraya]

@VE7FM:

Your lab looks awesome!
I was also infected with the instrumentation virus.. But I buy too much material and I am now out of money. The advice you give is very good, thank you very much for sharing ...

I think there are too many people on ebay behind bargains and that makes it increasingly more difficult to find one, here in Europe we have not much variety of used or broken gear as you in USA, so it is more difficult to find bargains, but in any case It's a hobby and just You have to be patient ..

The hardest thing is to have patience.. HI HI

Regards
Manuel
EA7EE

[FuzzyOnion]

God, I love this thread.  This is what got me hooked on EEVBlog.  I guess you know you're a nerd, if you get a little chubby looking at these pictures.

[xrunner]

For anyone else interested in buying/repairing gear mainly from eBay I've posted my top tips here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/top-tips-to-building-your-lab-with-ebay/

Very nice bench. Also your Ebay tips are well advised. Many people seem to think they have to buy brand new equipment, when there is a plethora of very nice used test equipment on Ebay. Well over half of my nice test equipment is used gear.

[bitseeker]

This is the lab I've put together over the past year more or less. Mainly from eBay purchases but also some Craigslist and a few new items. Most of it was bought broken and repaired, many of the items have since been sold which is what funded the new gear.

Great setup you have there, Steve. Are the rear shelves mounted to the wall or free-standing?

[TheSteve]

This is the lab I've put together over the past year more or less. Mainly from eBay purchases but also some Craigslist and a few new items. Most of it was bought broken and repaired, many of the items have since been sold which is what funded the new gear.

Great setup you have there, Steve. Are the rear shelves mounted to the wall or free-standing?

They are wall mounted. The poor table already has enough weight on it and has needed to have an extra post added under the network analyzer/signal gen/Tek scope stack.

[MarkF]

Here's my modest bench setup.  I built the table and movable shelves myself.

[bitseeker]

Love all the stained wood, Mark.