Too_Many_Tools said:
With the holiday season here it is time to redo the workshop and the
workbench in particular.
So, what suggestions do you have for setting up a good efficient
workspace for electronics?
Here's an example that I found....
http://www.stevenjohnson.com/workbench.htm
So what does your workspace, test bench and layout look like?
Pictures and links would be great.
What has worked for you?...what hasn't?
Benches, racks, cabinets, tables, carts....
Any particular test equipment that you would recommend for or against?
I dont do much tronic work now, but just did some today. A lot of the
things I found are just as true in what I do now though.
The no. 1 handy thing is a little hand held probe that amplifies and
send the signal to a piezo. Its an imprecise but very quick way of
finding out roughly whats going on here there and almost everywhere.
The one thing I avoided like the plague, and still do, is those plastic
drawer racks with often open top drawer boxes. You've only got to move
one once to see what I mean! One spill and you'll never ever buy one
again. Small parts containers must have burst proof latches, I wont use
any that dont.
Domestic chipboard chests of drawers are a good quick cheap way to get
storage space in situations where you can be sure nothing will be put
in front of them. Especially good where your storage expands into
living space. They sometimes need reinforcing, ie more runner screws
and gluing draw bottoms in. Yes its ok to do that with chipboard
drawers (not with real wood ones tho).
Wooden shelving has the advantage that its easily made in any size,
weight and shape to suit your workshop. And with any features you want
on it. If you want large quantity or heavyweight, its also less money
than large amounts of steel. A lot slower to put up, but much more
adaptable. Shelving racks of all kinds can have overhead linking bars
betwen them to make them rock steady. Realise a shelving rack collapse
can kill, they must be rock steady.
If you can take a photo of your workshop, youre failing to use a lot of
the space.
Cardboard boxes have always been my favoured storage cases, as they
offer some amount of protection in case one is dropped, and theyre
freely available at any time, which is also important. And any size. As
I've found, always label them!
For the ultimate in space efficient storage theres always tracked
shelving racks, but theyre not cheap. Metal racks on tracked wheels,
with a big knob/lever that you turn to move them. One only need
maintain one gangway between the lot, move them to enable to get to
where you want. Very effective if youre storing on a larger scale, and
space is expensive, as it is here (very). A serious space saver, but
access is slower. Fill them in order of whats most used to minimise
moving.
Soldering guns I've found almost useless. Theyre not good performers,
and how many jobs are done so fast there isnt time to do something else
while an iron heats up? Havent used mine in so long I dont even know
where it is.
Gas lighting has proven more reliable for power cuts than battery,
though these days battery exit lights are now common.
NT
