From: Too_Many_Tools on Dec 21, 5:32 pm
I am setting up a new test bench and am trying to learn from the
experiences of others.
Having done some home hobby work in radio-electronics for, oh,
about 58 years give-or-take, I'll suggest some basics:
1. The Bench itself:
1.1 A possibility is the "butcher block" slab top, usually
made for an island in a kitchen. Finished or unfinished,
it can have your choice of legs added, attach shelves
above it, all fastened into the wood. Various sizes
are available, depends on supplier.*
1.2 Use a solid-core wood door blank with choice of legs.
Lumberyards carry those. Solid-core doors allow
fasteners any place along the surface. Avoid the
standard or hollow-core types. I gave a friend the
door I had (covered in celotex glued on) for model
aircraft building; he still does giant-scale R/C
still using balsa construction. No warping in it yet.
1.3 1-inch thick 7-ply (minimum) plywood can be had at
lumberyards and, for a slight extra fee, cut to size
you specify. Depending on size of lumber yard, can be
had with your choice of surface veneer, "finish one
side" (cheaper) or "finish both sides."
2. Bench superstructures:
2.1 Test equipment shelving or support for stacked parts
bins can be done from do-it-yourself wall-mounting
shelf units, bracket-mounted to rear of bench top.
2.2 Wall-standard shelving can have its standards mounted
on a slab of plywood (3/4" minimum suggested) attached
to back of bench top, shelves bought ready-made in
modular sizes.** Limited shelf depth to about 12"
maximum for modular shelving. Can also use plywood
cut to order but will seldom find standard brackets
to hold shelving deeper than 14".
3. A place to sit:
"Task chairs" such as are found at sales times at
Office Depot or Office Max, those usually adjustable for
height desired of bench top above floor. Various choices
of upholstery; plastic suggested to avoid solder splashes
sticking to woven fabric. Sales time prices around $40.
4. Convenient Parts/Tools Storage
4.1 Home storage containers with clear sides for visibility,
available from 10" widths to 18" widths (from Sterilite)
and are found in some food supermarkets for an average
of about $13 (Ralphs Markets in southern California).
4.2 Akro-Mills small parts cabinets. Three sizes available
now, all-plastic but sturdy. [they have a website too]
I have four of those in my workshop now, easily screwed
to a back wall of particle board and they have been
holding about 150 pounds of stuff for a couple years.
Price and availability is, unfortunately variable. I
saw mine first at an OSH sale, grabbed them while there.
* IKEA has lots of individual pieces for sale so their full
catalog is needed for detailed sizes. Six years ago I made
twin computer benches out of IKEA butcher-block kitchen tops,
using their legs for tables, added keyboard slide-out trays
using slides from Home Depot. The butcher-block tops finished
very nicely using just thinned sanding sealer but they come
very flat and can take cementing-on of melamine laminate if
that is preferred. IKEA has a website with most size details.
** OSH = Orchard Supply Hardware, a do-it-yourself store that is
in the southern California region. Their website isn't a
catalog but they do offer some do-it-yourself project ideas.
Lowe's or Home Depot have the same but the product lines they
carry are seldom complete...they tend towards certain sizes
of their products and product models (same for OSH). I do
know the local OSH has a good line of wall shelving; that
enabled me to build 39 lineal feet of book shelving on one
wall of our office at home.
Luckier than most home owners, I had a 13' x 13' center room to
play with, subdivided that in half, using "my" half for the
center workshop, making false walls and cabinets as well as the
bench itself (3/4" ply on 2" x 2" framing supports). Do NOT use
any vinyl top material as I did...it tends to hold solder
splashings and still reacts with masking tape (all-around-use
temporary fastener) adhesive. Avoid paint for the bench top
(useless in the long run). Bare wood okay and, if it gets too
dirty, just use an orbital sander on it to take off the worst.
Use good lighting. I have two double 4-foot flourescent units
as the main lights, a "fill" light without hot spots. I had
two long AC outlet strips but those managed to corrode inside
and go phut. Surge-protected 6 to 8 outlet strips are all over
the stores now at less than $10 each (I got a half dozen at $5
each on a local sale). Be alert. Bargains happen!
Using up a pad of paper in planning is a good idea. I like 1/8"
"quadrille" pads and do simple drawings in scale (for big things)
to get the arrangements and sizes right. For benches, plan the
heights that suit you, not the "traditional" heights which might
have suited an old production shop. That and sizes available
from vendors lets me plan fairly well the overall costs.
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