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Building My Electronics Lab

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currentkills91

Tue Feb 04 2014, 08:26AM

Registered Member #3831 Joined: Thu Apr 14 2011, 02:54PM
Location:
Posts: 265

I have started work on rebuilding my lab, as it's long overdue. I wanna share to maybe help somebody else, plus get some suggestions.

First, my previous labs have always been in my bedroom, while that will work fine, more space is always better. I have moved into a house, and have the whole basement to myself, so I have sectioned off a room specifically for my lab. The room is a whopping 13'x10' and has proven to be plenty of room.

I used the room as my lab for several months, and eventually ended up becoming a nightmare as stuff was scattered everywhere. So I have decided to rebuild the whole lab from the ground up, with a whole new table, new shelving, better organizing, new lighting, and walls will be built. (looking at the pictures to come you will understand)

Here is how the room looked after a few months of me using it:

I have chosen White Lagoon as the color to paint the room, as I wanted something that was white, but went well with the "living rooms" brown color. Its basically white with a subtle blue tint. The camera does NO justice to the true nature of this color, it's actually quite amazing.

The table will be a good ol' fashion 2x4 and plywood lashup like my last one, which has served me well. The new table will be 4' deep and 8' long, versus 3' by 5' and have shelving extending out 1' to hold my parts drawers. Underneath the shelving will sit my test equipment such as o-scope, power supplies, multimeter, etc. etc.

Here is a picture of the old table, and then the new one being built. (notice the brown shelving is gone in the second photo, that shelving was just nasty to look at)

I will post replies as progress continues, I expect this project to take no more than a month to complete. If anybody has any ideas for me on how I can improve the room don't hesitate to share!!

Shrad

Tue Feb 04 2014, 10:25AM

Registered Member #3215 Joined: Sun Sept 19 2010, 08:42PM
Location:
Posts: 780

a tempered glass panel to protect your table?

Proud Mary

Tue Feb 04 2014, 12:16PM

Registered Member #543 Joined: Tue Feb 20 2007, 04:26PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4992

You'll never regret having shelving from floor to ceiling along one or two walls.

Shelf space is all that separates us from the madhouse.

I use plenty of those clear plastic storage boxes and chose my shelf specs to match the box specs the last time I did a big re-fit. So I have line upon line, tier upon upon tier, of those boxes from floor to ceiling along the whole length of one wall.

I use those cheap industrial shelving units that you knock together with a rubber mallet, angle iron and plywood shelves.

It's really worth all the effort and outlay of optimising storage. You can find things more easily, less stuff gets broken, there's less to trip over, and if you use plastic boxes you can wipe off the dust with a cloth while parts are safe inside.

Maximising clear and clutter-free space makes you feel good too - room to breathe!

Sulaiman

Tue Feb 04 2014, 01:46PM

Registered Member #162 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 10:25AM
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3140

As above; you can't have too much shelving !
( and labeling of what is in each drawer/cupboard/container - memory fails! )
My bulk filing is mainly plastic, metal and cardboard containers
- as above to keep contents clean and tidy.

I would try to keep as much bench space as possible free
for large or multiple projects
Have a long shelf above the workspace for all your test equipment
arrange for some kind of cover for when not in use or doing dusty work
Install a common P.E. conductor along the shelf for bonding all your test equipment Earth's.
Usually keeps signals clean though in some rare situations makes it worse
Arrange for excellent lighting, overall space and close-up.
Some folks like the Illuminated Magnifiers, I mainly use a loupe.
Install far too many power outlets!
Above the shelf for the test equipment and below the shelf for miscellaneous use
Consider a mains isolation transformer, Variac, Filtered/Suppressed group of mains outlets.
If possible build a shelf just off the floor rather than putting stuff on the floor, clean/dry AND you can search for fallen parts, or pests, easier!
ideally many small platforms (plywood etc.) on wheels,
we tend to put big heavy items under benches - very bad for the back !
Have one or more lights on a long lead so you can search in dark places.
Before starting smd work etc. sweep the floor - at work we call smd packaged devices 'Fleas' - they can jump really far !
Fix a strip of something along the back edge of the workbench to stop stuff escaping through the cracks !
Fit something like a towel rail somewhere to drape 'scope leads, multimeter leads ... all manner of leads over, easy access but not cluttering up the bench.
Consider heating/cooling/ventilation.
Have a 'clean' and a 'dirty' section well separated.'
Arrange audio/video entertainment, of course you will need wi-fi or wired internet access ... pretty much essential.
Ensure that there is no more space for household storage or equipment !!!!!!!!
Paint as much as possible white or bright, possible wall/floor thermal insulation?
Potential for 'secure' hidden storage ETC.
Hopefully never required;
Fire extinguisher
Water Pump
Emergency power cut
Emergency alarm / HELP !
from below .. brush, dustpan, bin, gloves,
in den or nearby upstairs, treatment for minor cuts/burns.
(shit happens!)

Please post a photo of your non-cluttered den one year from now !!!!!!

BEST WISHES. HOPE YOU GET A DEN TO MAKE US ALL JEALOUS !

Shrad

Tue Feb 04 2014, 03:54PM

Registered Member #3215 Joined: Sun Sept 19 2010, 08:42PM
Location:
Posts: 780

screwpots are a neat idea too :

Dsc0005ti

(image courtesy of whoever via google images)

Sulaiman

Tue Feb 04 2014, 04:23PM

Registered Member #162 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 10:25AM
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3140

Been there, done that, swept up the debris !

the lids tend to loose their grip if heavily used, or accidents etc.
in general I avoid glass - eventually I WILL break it.

currentkills91

Wed Feb 05 2014, 08:03AM

Registered Member #3831 Joined: Thu Apr 14 2011, 02:54PM
Location:
Posts: 265

I plan on getting a few shelving units to cover the whole side of one wall, and another for the other side where I will have some room. I will also get a few of the 5 drawer organizers like the one in the first picture between the current shelving. The table will have shelving for all my parts containers (the several drawer things in the first picture) and all my test equipment will sit underneath the shelving. That shelving will extend out one foot so I will still have plenty of room. I will also have a monitor mounted on the table with the computer underneath the table, so I can view pictures, schematics, or watch videos, whatever may be needed. Oh, and to Sulaiman, I already have a 50 foot Ethernet cable to supply the sweet luxury!! :D

I plan on running all my test equipment on a single breaker, and running the rest of the tables power off another breaker, with the grounds connected to a main strip in the back with the rest of the ground straps from my equipment. I will have one 8 plug power strip for my test equipment, and two 6 plug power strips mounted underneath on either side of the table. There will also be a regular wall plug on top of the table for easy quick testing of things, or whatever else I could need it for.

My lighting will consist of multiple (3 or 4) 65 watt flood lamps mounted in the ceiling above the table, connected to a dimmer switch on the table. I will also have a couple flexible lamps I can mount to the table if I need even more light. The main problem now is I only have 2 light bulbs in the whole room, neither of which was over the table, so 260 watts of directional lighting should be plenty! haha

I have to now figure out what I am going to use for the legs for the table, it will be too heavy to use 2x4s and I dont have a saw to cut 4x4s, so off to the hardware store tomorrow!

Sulaiman

Wed Feb 05 2014, 10:11AM

Registered Member #162 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 10:25AM
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3140

2 x 4 is more than adequate for legs
the hard part is the horizontal 'beams' between the legs to help the tabletop support weight without bending too much
and bracing the legs so that they remain perpendicular to the table top
two 1 ft. wide sheets of plywood fixed to legs and table top at both sides makes for strength/stability
especially when the rear of the table is fixed to the wall.

Consider Aluminium or steel angle along the front edge of the bench for durability?

Proud Mary

Wed Feb 05 2014, 01:25PM

Registered Member #543 Joined: Tue Feb 20 2007, 04:26PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4992

Thinking about the sort of vice/s you'll be using with the table is best done at an early stage; perhaps also think about local reinforcement and damping for use with a mini-anvil, drill press etc.

currentkills91

Sat Feb 08 2014, 08:31AM

Registered Member #3831 Joined: Thu Apr 14 2011, 02:54PM
Location:
Posts: 265

@Proud Mary - My indoor vise is one that clamps onto your bench, any real vise work I do in the garage on the big over reinforced garage bench. Same with all the heavy power tools. I plan on using a few of -these- for my shelving, and using the plastic drawer things just like you mentioned you did.

@Sulaiman - It does appear 2x4s are working a treat, I will be adding two more to the rear of table to help hold all the weight of the shelved items. I will be bracing the legs somehow, that was one of the problems with the last one, causing the legs to get wobbly. The paint I have is pretty much white, so it's plenty bright!

@ Shrad - I will be getting an ESD mat to cover all exposed work area, for both protection of my work, and the table.

I have "finished" the table and managed to get it into its spot. It's a very tight fit, with only an inch or so between the table and the wall. Due to the basements construction (there is a trench all the way around the floor to drain any water to the sub pump) the table sits about 3 inches from the back wall. This is not a problem due to the way I plan to do the shelving. Here is a picture of the table almost finished: (note - painting isn't finished)

I will post more pictures once I have the shelving done, I have a friend coming over to help me the next couple day with the room so it should be soon!!

Oh, and for anybody looking for a new drill, my girlfriend bought me a Black And Decker Matrix 20V lithium drill, and one charge lasted through drilling all the pilot holes, and putting all the screws in. I used almost a whole pound of #8 1.75 inch screws, and about half a pound of #9 2.75 inch screws. It has enough power to put the screws all the way through a 2x4 if you aren't careful. The only drawback is there is no real dead battery warning, power stays the same till it's dead then it just cuts out, awesome drill so far though!

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