Workbench Organization

[Dave VanHorn]

Finally, a thorny and ON-TOPIC post!

I'm very dis-satisfied with what I currently have, don't need/want to spend
a ton of money on it, but I would like to get to a workspace that dosen't
naturally tend to be a total mess.

I've got some things that work well enough in some areas..

I'm having trouble defining the problem, because interior design and such is
not my "thing".

I'd like to have a nice looking workspace, with a sense of style. (something
like "streamline", or "modern" comes to mind)

There are "tech benches" available, but in my opinion they are way
overpriced, and ugly.
I'd take them for $200-ish, but they are still ugly.

My existing benches are unfinished 6'x3' doors, on top of lowe's "organizer"
cabinets.
Large enough, stable and sturdy, and cheap. No tears if I punch/burn a hole
in the $20 door, other than the PITA to replace it. Naturally anti-static.

Scopes and test equipment sit on stacking organizers at the back of the
bench, with the medusa-mess of cables mostly behind. This section of my
bench "L"s out into the room, so I can walk behind and maintain the cabling.

You guys know the problem, you end up with a morass of test equipment and
cables surrounding your 1' available working area where the prototype sits,
usually on top of the schematics, so that it dosen't short out on the
inevitable bench crud.

I'm looking for the holy grail of course, functional, inexpensive, and with
some sense of style.

I wonder if Ikea would ever take this on?

 

[John Larkin]

Finally, a thorny and ON-TOPIC post!

I'm very dis-satisfied with what I currently have, don't need/want to spend
a ton of money on it, but I would like to get to a workspace that dosen't
naturally tend to be a total mess.

Electronics is messy; no hope for it.

My existing benches are unfinished 6'x3' doors, on top of lowe's "organizer"
cabinets.
Large enough, stable and sturdy, and cheap. No tears if I punch/burn a hole
in the $20 door, other than the PITA to replace it. Naturally anti-static.

Cover the underside with aluminum foil, staple the seams, and ground
it. That will reduce hum pickup a lot.

Scopes and test equipment sit on stacking organizers at the back of the
bench, with the medusa-mess of cables mostly behind. This section of my
bench "L"s out into the room, so I can walk behind and maintain the cabling.

Wow, wish I could do that. We crawl under the benches. Why isn't
everything solar powered and wireless? Wireless scope probes would be
especially nice.

John

 

[Joerg]

Hi Dave,

There are "tech benches" available, but in my opinion they are way
overpriced, and ugly.
I'd take them for $200-ish, but they are still ugly.

I bought some professional top notch lab tables. Used, of course, from a
company that shut down a subsidiary. The expense was reasonable but that
way I got something that cost thousands when new.

Scopes and test equipment sit on stacking organizers at the back of the
bench, with the medusa-mess of cables mostly behind. This section of my
bench "L"s out into the room, so I can walk behind and maintain the cabling.

You can get plastic cable channels, usually gray and with break-out tabs
where you can create entry and exit points in a width that accomodates
the bundle sizes and the flexibility of the cables. That keeps the ugly
cable messes away and also makes it easier to find and exchange cables
without having to untie several sailor's knots. The channels come with
snap-on covers that can be cut to length for an even nicer look. If you
want to be super tidy you could even cut the corners at 45 degree angles
for a snug fit. You'd have to provide for some larger areas where
service loops and excess lengths can be housed.


Regards, Joerg

 

[Guy Macon]

I don't like the common practice of having the rear of the benches
against the walls. I like to cover the walls with floor-to-ceiling
whiteboard and to be able to walk behind the benches so as to be
able to plug and unplug cables. I also like to cover one wall with
floor-to-ceiling multi-drawer organizers, and to have a big rolling
tool cabinet and a big steelcase file cabinet.

 

[Dave VanHorn]

Electronics is messy; no hope for it.

It appears so.

Cover the underside with aluminum foil, staple the seams, and ground
it. That will reduce hum pickup a lot.

I've never had a problem with it, but I like the idea of a solid ground
plane.

Wow, wish I could do that. We crawl under the benches. Why isn't
everything solar powered and wireless? Wireless scope probes would be
especially nice.

For decades (two anyway), I've said that if someone could do a wireless
scope probe, they'd make a mint.

 

[Joerg]

Hi Dave,

For decades (two anyway), I've said that if someone could do a wireless
scope probe, they'd make a mint.

With Bluetooth and all that other low cost RF gear available it
shouldn't be a real problem. The real-world setback happens when, in a
critical moment, the scope says "low battery on probe number 2".

Regards, Joerg

 

[Dave VanHorn]

With Bluetooth and all that other low cost RF gear available it shouldn't

be a real problem. The real-world setback happens when, in a critical
moment, the scope says "low battery on probe number 2".

Weeell. It's a bit tricky if you want to have four probes with time delays
equal within a couple nS, or gigasample capture..

I think it's possible, but still beyond the state of the art.

 

[Joerg]

Hi Dave,

Weeell. It's a bit tricky if you want to have four probes with time delays
equal within a couple nS, or gigasample capture..

That would be done with a sync signal transmitted by the scope. A nsec
isn't a problem.

I think it's possible, but still beyond the state of the art.

I guess you are right. It is possible but requires big time ASIC
investment, mostly in NRE. So the probes would cost a bundle since they
aren't sold by the gazillion like cell phones are.

Regards, Joerg

 

[Dave VanHorn]

I guess you are right. It is possible but requires big time ASIC

investment, mostly in NRE. So the probes would cost a bundle since they
aren't sold by the gazillion like cell phones are.

A "run of the mill" tek scope probe will run around $300-$400.
A cordless one could probably sell for double that, if it didn't compromise
too much.

 

[Joerg]

Hi Dave,

A "run of the mill" tek scope probe will run around $300-$400.
A cordless one could probably sell for double that, if it didn't compromise
too much.

The cordless one might cost a lot more than double. Unless a company
such as Tektronix makes it since they have some of the required ASIC
circuitry already on the shelf. But for a large company this would be a
pretty bold move.

Regards, Joerg

 

[John Larkin]

Hi Dave,

The cordless one might cost a lot more than double. Unless a company
such as Tektronix makes it since they have some of the required ASIC
circuitry already on the shelf. But for a large company this would be a
pretty bold move.

Regards, Joerg

CMRR might be pretty good.

John

 

[Tom Seim]

I once had a 4x8 sheet of .062 aluminum bent and welded to form a 1
inch lip around the edges. Took 2 sheets of 4x8 plywood and trimmed 2
inches on 2 sides. Bolted plywood to formed steel legs and placed Al
cover on top of plywood. Viola, tough as nails workbench that is
anti-static! Total cost: $125.

Tom

 

[John Popelish]

I once had a 4x8 sheet of .062 aluminum bent and welded to form a 1
inch lip around the edges. Took 2 sheets of 4x8 plywood and trimmed 2
inches on 2 sides. Bolted plywood to formed steel legs and placed Al
cover on top of plywood. Viola, tough as nails workbench that is
anti-static! Total cost: $125.

Tom

That is not antistatic, that is a Van de Graff generator.
Putting the wood on top (and grounding the aluminum pan, underneath)
would be a much better anti static surface.

 

[john jardine]

Finally, a thorny and ON-TOPIC post!

I'm very dis-satisfied with what I currently have, don't need/want to spend
a ton of money on it, but I would like to get to a workspace that dosen't
naturally tend to be a total mess.

I've got some things that work well enough in some areas..

I'm having trouble defining the problem, because interior design and such is
not my "thing".

I'd like to have a nice looking workspace, with a sense of style. (something
like "streamline", or "modern" comes to mind)

There are "tech benches" available, but in my opinion they are way
overpriced, and ugly.
I'd take them for $200-ish, but they are still ugly.

My existing benches are unfinished 6'x3' doors, on top of lowe's "organizer"
cabinets.
Large enough, stable and sturdy, and cheap. No tears if I punch/burn a hole
in the $20 door, other than the PITA to replace it. Naturally anti-static.

Scopes and test equipment sit on stacking organizers at the back of the
bench, with the medusa-mess of cables mostly behind. This section of my
bench "L"s out into the room, so I can walk behind and maintain the cabling.

You guys know the problem, you end up with a morass of test equipment and
cables surrounding your 1' available working area where the prototype sits,
usually on top of the schematics, so that it dosen't short out on the
inevitable bench crud.

I'm looking for the holy grail of course, functional, inexpensive, and with
some sense of style.

I wonder if Ikea would ever take this on?

Ikea already carry some very chic and inexpensive bench/desk and storage
racking designs. Set test gear to sit on a wide surface stepped up at a
higher level (say 10cm) than the bench. Sources to the left, measurements to
the right. Only fixed item at bench level should be the soldering iron and
PC/keyboard.
I'd go with the rear access idea, or at the very least multiple power points
behind the bench up at shoulder height where they can be got at from the
bench front. Edge front edge of bench with earthed 1cm alloy "L" section to
prevent any static build ups etc . Use rubber, car footwell mat to sit kit
on and stop it sliding about (not 'pretend' rubber as the stuff melts) .
Bench surface needs to be smooth and shiny to allow a single forearm
cleaning sweep onto the floor. Lay floor as a single large sheet of laquered
chipboard. Sit on a good quality Ikea office chair. Keep components in
racking opposite bench and just swivel or roll chair to access.
regards
john

 

[Paul Burke]

Viola, tough as nails workbench that is
anti-static! Total cost: $125.

That's cheap for a viola, and a damned abuse of a fine instrument. And a
bit small; a cello or double bass would be better, and a grand piano
better still. Avoid tympani.

Paul Burke

 

[Tom Del Rosso]

I'm very dis-satisfied with what I currently have, don't need/want to
spend a ton of money on it, but I would like to get to a workspace
that dosen't naturally tend to be a total mess.

This is what I built for myself, out of pine boards coated with honey
stain and polyurethane. It's mounted on a simple 6 foot by 2.5 foot
table that has folding legs. (I'll add foil to the bottom now as per
JL's and JP's recommendations.) I only have one picture (link farther
down) and I don't have a working camera right now, but it really does
pretty good for a workbench.

http://mysub01.home.att.net/workbench_hutch.gif

The board widths are all standard so you only have to cut lengths
(except for the shelf on the left for 19" equipment, which is a small
job to assemble). A cabinet maker could make this cheaply if you don't
want to make your own sawdust.

I used screws to hold it together so I can take it all apart. The
box-like structure is supported by the narrow boards mounted on the rear
so it shows barely any sag after 4 years with equipment all over it. I
probably should have used particle board for even more strength though.

It gives lots of work space with most equipment on the shelves above.
Meters with stands hook conveniently on the horizontal back-board with
the power strip. http://mysub01.home.att.net/meters_on_strip.jpg

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

I once had a 4x8 sheet of .062 aluminum bent and welded to form a 1
inch lip around the edges. Took 2 sheets of 4x8 plywood and trimmed 2
inches on 2 sides. Bolted plywood to formed steel legs and placed Al
cover on top of plywood. Viola, tough as nails workbench that is
anti-static! Total cost: $125.

Tom

I don't think I'd want an electrically conductive surface on the *top*
of a bench. Too many chances to complete circuits, either within a
prototype or between some hapless dude's hand resting on the aluminum
and some electrically 'hot' part. Putting a grounded sheet on the
bottom sounds like a fine idea.

BTW, the word is 'voila' (or 'voilà' if you want to be pretentious). A
viola is a musical instrument that looks like a big violin.

http://www.mit.edu/~jcb/jokes/viola.html

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Tim Shoppa]

A "run of the mill" tek scope probe will run around $300-$400.
A cordless one could probably sell for double that, if it didn't compromise
too much.

How are you going to put more than 100MHz of bandwidth, dynamic
range of microvolts through 10's of volts, through a RF link? "High
bandwidth" for a RF link is typically a few megabits, most do far less
than that.

Now, you could put the whole digital scope (minus CRT) on the probe, and
just send the picture back through the wireless link.

I've effectively done this
with fiber-optic-linked digital storage scopes at remote (> 10 miles)
locations... after all fiber optics isn't wires! But those are digital
scopes and despite all their remote control abilities I still like real
knobs. Pushing keys or clicking a mouse isn't the same as turning
a knob and seeing the analog waveform do its stuff.

Tim.

 

[Dave VanHorn]

How are you going to put more than 100MHz of bandwidth, dynamic

range of microvolts through 10's of volts, through a RF link? "High
bandwidth" for a RF link is typically a few megabits, most do far less
than that.

Therein lies the trick. Also, the probes can't be too large or heavy.
I specifically said it wasn't easy, and maybe not even possible yet.

 

[Dave VanHorn]

Drift control:

What's bugging me, is the industrial design and esthetics of the whole
thing, not the scope probes.