Let's See Those Toolboxes & Workbenches!

[BadMouth]

I got half a 8x10? shed.  The lawn mower and weed eater get the other half.

When I want to make something big, I make a mess in the basement.

I rent, so I try not to spend more than I have to on a workspace.
(got that beverages sign off fleabay for 99 cents!)

Might have to spring for some pegboard after looking at the nice setups in this thread.

[wp34]

I got half a 8x10? shed.  The lawn mower and weed eater get the other half.

Nice.  Makes me want to go out and re-organize my shed.

[Le Chuck]

Seems like a small table, bumper pool convert or just an arcade sized?

Or is the skeletal cab that gigantic?

[BadMouth]

Seems like a small table, bumper pool convert or just an arcade sized?

Or is the skeletal cab that gigantic?

It's a 6ft table.  Don't let the fancy looking legs fool you.  They are plastic.
Underneath them, the real legs are only 2" in diameter and made out of particle board.
I picked it up on clearance at sears for $100 about 4 or 5 years ago, including balls & cues.
It's a horrible table, has a slight arch in the middle, but I'm not a serious player so it doesn't matter much.
I plan to get rid of it when I'm done using it as a workbench.

The cab feels gigantic to me.  It's standard slim cab height and depth (77" tall and 23" deep without CP), but to accomodate the rotating monitor, it is 32" wide.
That's only 6 inches wider than I'd planned on making it, but it feels friggin' huge.

[mcseforsale]

Wow...and tall too!  77"  6'5".   It's a nice shape.

AJ

Seems like a small table, bumper pool convert or just an arcade sized?

Or is the skeletal cab that gigantic?

It's a 6ft table.  Don't let the fancy looking legs fool you.  They are plastic.
Underneath them, the real legs are only 2" in diameter and made out of particle board.
I picked it up on clearance at sears for $100 about 4 or 5 years ago, including balls & cues.
It's a horrible table, has a slight arch in the middle, but I'm not a serious player so it doesn't matter much.
I plan to get rid of it when I'm done using it as a workbench.

The cab feels gigantic to me.  It's standard slim cab height and depth (77" tall and 23" deep without CP), but to accomodate the rotating monitor, it is 32" wide.
That's only 6 inches wider than I'd planned on making it, but it feels friggin' huge.

[Le Chuck]

The cab feels gigantic to me.  It's standard slim cab height and depth (77" tall and 23" deep without CP), but to accomodate the rotating monitor, it is 32" wide.
That's only 6 inches wider than I'd planned on making it, but it feels friggin' huge.

Shoulda used a linear actuator to push the screen out towards the player beyond the sides so it could rotate freely then get pulled back in.  That'd be pretty cool 

[Nephasth]

The cab feels gigantic to me.  It's standard slim cab height and depth (77" tall and 23" deep without CP), but to accomodate the rotating monitor, it is 32" wide.
That's only 6 inches wider than I'd planned on making it, but it feels friggin' huge.

Shoulda used a linear actuator to push the screen out towards the player beyond the sides so it could rotate freely then get pulled back in.  That'd be pretty cool 

That's kind of the same idea I got from seeing BadMouth's build. Except I was thinking about using linear actuators and angled hinges to swing the monitors (lcd) of the Beast into the cab to have room to rotate then bring them back to the bezel.

/pipedream

[Le Chuck]

The cab feels gigantic to me.  It's standard slim cab height and depth (77" tall and 23" deep without CP), but to accomodate the rotating monitor, it is 32" wide.
That's only 6 inches wider than I'd planned on making it, but it feels friggin' huge.

Shoulda used a linear actuator to push the screen out towards the player beyond the sides so it could rotate freely then get pulled back in.  That'd be pretty cool 

That's kind of the same idea I got from seeing BadMouth's build. Except I was thinking about using linear actuators and angled hinges to swing the monitors (lcd) of the Beast into the cab to have room to rotate then bring them back to the bezel.

/pipedream

Wouldn't it just be easier on all of us if we installed monitors that were the full size of the available space then set up the image to be centered at the appropriate size?  That way we could use the bezel art files as well.  How expensive would that monitor upgrade be vs what we're spending rotating?

[Nephasth]

Wouldn't it just be easier...

I'm glad you didn't take that approach on your last project!

[Le Chuck]

Wouldn't it just be easier...

I'm glad you didn't take that approach on your last project!

I'm not saying we should, just wondering where it comes out in the wash.  I'm with Darth, if I can make things spin and turn I'm going to do my best to make it happen.

[Nephasth]

You guys need to step into the 21st century and get a bigass flat screen and be done with it.

Says the guy that hoards 20th century entertainment devices...

[BadMouth]

Wouldn't it just be easier on all of us if we installed monitors that were the full size of the available space then set up the image to be centered at the appropriate size?  That way we could use the bezel art files as well.  How expensive would that monitor upgrade be vs what we're spending rotating?

That was somewhat my original plan with this cab.
A 27" screen can provide the same viewing area as a 19" vertical or a 24" horizontal 4:3 monitor.
It was going to have custom bezels that would put the vertical games in front of player 1.

I was having trouble getting the vertical Taito Type X games to work with the screen rotated in Vista (I have them working on XP).
Then I made the mistake of putting the monitor on it's side and playing some shmups.  
Decided that the equivelant of a 24" vertical monitor went along with the "newer games" focus of the cab.

.......but we're waayyy off topic.

EDIT: Build thread if anyone wants to continue this discussion there http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=119308.0

[Unstupid]

And the obligatory server rack and networking equipment shot:

I see a lot of networking equipment but not a lot of networking cables... What's that about?

[Woodshop Flunky]

I've got the usual suspects in my shop (table saw, drill press, etc...), but one thing I really love is my Workmate.

This was one of my first purchases, and I used it stock for just a while, but the top didn't seem beefy enough.  So, I took two pieces of 3/4 inch Russian birch plywood, glued them together, and drilled all the original dog holes.

It's 1 1/2 inch thick now... and can take a real beating... plus it clamps like any other workmate.

[mcseforsale]

Yeah.  I need to do that to mine, too.  That's a good idea.  Mine accidentally was left out in the rain one night and the OG MDF swelled up on all the edges.   

How much bigger did you make the 2 pieces?

AJ

I've got the usual suspects in my shop (table saw, drill press, etc...), but one thing I really love is my Workmate.

This was one of my first purchases, and I used it stock for just a while, but the top didn't seem beefy enough.  So, I took two pieces of 3/4 inch Russian birch plywood, glued them together, and drilled all the original dog holes.

It's 1 1/2 inch thick now... and can take a real beating... plus it clamps like any other workmate.

[CheffoJeffo]

From an older thread of mine on the subject ...

We've all ogled other people's beautiful game rooms.

If you hang around in this hobby long enough, you will eventually ogle other people's amazing workshops, replete with multiple oscilloscopes, EPROM burners, totally pristine test fixtures, Fluke meters, Metcal soldering stations and every cap, resistor, diode, transistor, socket and IC known to man all organized neatly enough to rival the cleanest hospital OR.

Well, my workroom is definitely not beautiful and I would love to have more gadgets and tools, but don't yet have the expertise nor, in some cases, the $$$ to justify them.

So, I ask, what is in your workshop that you can't do without for this hobby ?



My ghetto test rig -- PS with fused QDs, speaker, ISO and monitor. You can also see my logic probe, which I am trying to learn how to use.



Cheapish soldering station, RadioShack DMM, cheapo magnifier/extra hands and mugs to hold bits and bobs as they are removed/installed.



Pliers, cutters, drivers and a truckload of security bits.



Moderately organized bins of caps, connectors, ICs, sockets, diodes, resistors and assorted bits.





Space to store the tons of junk (most of the tons are not shown, but reside in boxes scattered around the shop)





Important reference material -- Atari's The Book, Randy Fromm's Big Blue Book and, of course, stacks of GameRoom Magazine!

Not pictured, but definitely heavily used: Dremel, heat gun, GoofOff, GooBGone, Soldapult, crimping/stripping tool, pink erasers, flux remover, Novus, spare wiring harnesses, not enough patch cords and a bunch of things that I have forgotten about and will probably buy again before I remember.

What do you have in your shop that you can't do without ?

Only difference now is a little more clutter and some new gear and reference material (include the Randy Fromm videos) on an iPad:

[Woodshop Flunky]

How much bigger did you make the 2 pieces?

There are 3 pieces on mine (middle one is removable).  I made it just a little larger than stock, but I can't say by how much.  The rough dimensions are on the following picture.  I didn't draw any hole patterns... besides, they likely are different between years or models.

[kahlid74]

And the obligatory server rack and networking equipment shot:

I see a lot of networking equipment but not a lot of networking cables... What's that about?

The stuff in the white rack runs the house and all cords are neatly orchestrated in the back.  The two 6509 chassis's and rack of equip to the right are for test labs only.  They are for either practicing my certs or hammering out something that doesn't make sense in the real world, usually design conundrums.

[mcseforsale]

Nice kit.  CCIE?

AJ

And the obligatory server rack and networking equipment shot:

I see a lot of networking equipment but not a lot of networking cables... What's that about?

The stuff in the white rack runs the house and all cords are neatly orchestrated in the back.  The two 6509 chassis's and rack of equip to the right are for test labs only.  They are for either practicing my certs or hammering out something that doesn't make sense in the real world, usually design conundrums.

[Paul Olson]

And the obligatory server rack and networking equipment shot:

I see a lot of networking equipment but not a lot of networking cables... What's that about?

The stuff in the white rack runs the house and all cords are neatly orchestrated in the back.  The two 6509 chassis's and rack of equip to the right are for test labs only.  They are for either practicing my certs or hammering out something that doesn't make sense in the real world, usually design conundrums.

Just curious:
I understand having the racks to test stuff with, but what do you actually use all of that for in the house? I have one little linksys router, and it does pretty good at keeping up with 6 computers, 2 360s, and 2 phones. What am I missing. I wondered this when I was taking my networking classes too, but since we were mostly learning software, I haven't even used all of that rack equipment.

[leapinlew]

And the obligatory server rack and networking equipment shot:

I see a lot of networking equipment but not a lot of networking cables... What's that about?

The stuff in the white rack runs the house and all cords are neatly orchestrated in the back.  The two 6509 chassis's and rack of equip to the right are for test labs only.  They are for either practicing my certs or hammering out something that doesn't make sense in the real world, usually design conundrums.

Just curious:
I understand having the racks to test stuff with, but what do you actually use all of that for in the house? I have one little linksys router, and it does pretty good at keeping up with 6 computers, 2 360s, and 2 phones. What am I missing. I wondered this when I was taking my networking classes too, but since we were mostly learning software, I haven't even used all of that rack equipment.

I have a rack in my office and it has:

Media center PC
Switch
wireless router
Phone
Blu Ray
Cable box
Receiver
Speaker selector
Alarm system
NAS storage devices to stream media

There are plenty of other things I would like to add too. Doesn't take long to fill up a rack.

[wp34]

From an older thread of mine on the subject ...

Only difference now is a little more clutter and some new gear and reference material (include the Randy Fromm videos) on an iPad:

+1

You can't beat an iPad for reference materials in the shop.  Your collection looks a little better than mine though. 

[DirtyDachshunds]

My contribution.  Newly finished too!

[kahlid74]

Nice kit.  CCIE?
AJ

Nah, CCNP.  Not really sure if I want to complete the CCIE.  So much work, so specialized and kind of a dead end road.  Being a Data Center Architect I push to be more well rounded, so Cisco/Juniper/Microsoft/VMware/Linux/Security/Citrix certs overall.  I like to hold certs in the advanced area but not the expert area.  Gives me time to touch more technology and explore different ideas.

Just curious:
I understand having the racks to test stuff with, but what do you actually use all of that for in the house? I have one little linksys router, and it does pretty good at keeping up with 6 computers, 2 360s, and 2 phones. What am I missing. I wondered this when I was taking my networking classes too, but since we were mostly learning software, I haven't even used all of that rack equipment.

So the stuff in the white rack comprises what runs the house.  In it is a Cisco 4507R-E which runs my network.  Linksys routers like you mentioned work great but their hardware is very low grade/low engineered.  So 1 Gbe on a Linksys $50 dollar router != 1Gbe on the 4507R-E.  There's a bell curve on how Network flow works and on lower end gear buffers and memory often times limit the rate of transfer.  So for me, I need pure 1 Gbe all the time, never limited by how much I'm transferring.  This is because of what else runs on the 4500.

The servers at the bottom of the rack are HP DL385's running dual 6 core AMD chips and 64 GB of ram.  They each have anywhere between 20-50 VM's running at a given time.  These VM's can vary based on what I've got going in my head at any given time.  Sometimes I'm building an armada of tiny Linux boxes to see how I can affect NetFlow or to see if I can DDoS something on a low scale.  Sometimes I'm running 24 GB VM DB boxes so I can gauge what real world environments look like. 

Outside of testing/projects I run three AD domains each with two DCs.  My root Domain and then a home domain and a lab domain.  The Home domain runs VM's for thin clients around the house as well as any services around the house.  Stuff like MS SharePoint with workspaces for myself, the wife and friends.  I also run stuff like iFolder, an awesome program that is basically DropBox only you can run it on your own server.  Dropbox's limited space got me pissed.

I've got three SANs totaling 20 TB of space.  This space holds all Arcade related stuff, my MP3 collection, Games collection, Work stuff and Movies/TV shows.  When our son was born I wanted to give myself and my wife the ability to instantly run any cartoon on any TV in the house.  So she can go to the TV in the Kitchen and click it on and boom, there's every episode of sesame street ever.  Or Dora the explorer or whatever.  So that was kind of my inspiration for some of the build out.

So by no means do I need half the stuff I have but I've enjoyed living in the IT world so far in my life and my passion for it outside of work has reflected back into my work and it's visibility only helps to bring about new challenges and exciting paths forward in my career.

[yaksplat]

When our son was born I wanted to give myself and my wife the ability to instantly run any cartoon on any TV in the house.  So she can go to the TV in the Kitchen and click it on and boom, there's every episode of sesame street ever. 

The same exact inspiration behind my 14TB media server.  It's nice now that they can pick their own cartoons.  I have no problem with them watching cartoons, as long as they're good ones.  Transformers, GI Joe, Phineas & Ferb, all the disney classics, looney tunes....

[Paul Olson]

Nice kit.  CCIE?
AJ

Nah, CCNP.  Not really sure if I want to complete the CCIE.  So much work, so specialized and kind of a dead end road.  Being a Data Center Architect I push to be more well rounded, so Cisco/Juniper/Microsoft/VMware/Linux/Security/Citrix certs overall.  I like to hold certs in the advanced area but not the expert area.  Gives me time to touch more technology and explore different ideas.

Just curious:
I understand having the racks to test stuff with, but what do you actually use all of that for in the house? I have one little linksys router, and it does pretty good at keeping up with 6 computers, 2 360s, and 2 phones. What am I missing. I wondered this when I was taking my networking classes too, but since we were mostly learning software, I haven't even used all of that rack equipment.

So the stuff in the white rack comprises what runs the house.  In it is a Cisco 4507R-E which runs my network.  Linksys routers like you mentioned work great but their hardware is very low grade/low engineered.  So 1 Gbe on a Linksys $50 dollar router != 1Gbe on the 4507R-E.  There's a bell curve on how Network flow works and on lower end gear buffers and memory often times limit the rate of transfer.  So for me, I need pure 1 Gbe all the time, never limited by how much I'm transferring.  This is because of what else runs on the 4500.

The servers at the bottom of the rack are HP DL385's running dual 6 core AMD chips and 64 GB of ram.  They each have anywhere between 20-50 VM's running at a given time.  These VM's can vary based on what I've got going in my head at any given time.  Sometimes I'm building an armada of tiny Linux boxes to see how I can affect NetFlow or to see if I can DDoS something on a low scale.  Sometimes I'm running 24 GB VM DB boxes so I can gauge what real world environments look like. 

Outside of testing/projects I run three AD domains each with two DCs.  My root Domain and then a home domain and a lab domain.  The Home domain runs VM's for thin clients around the house as well as any services around the house.  Stuff like MS SharePoint with workspaces for myself, the wife and friends.  I also run stuff like iFolder, an awesome program that is basically DropBox only you can run it on your own server.  Dropbox's limited space got me pissed.

I've got three SANs totaling 20 TB of space.  This space holds all Arcade related stuff, my MP3 collection, Games collection, Work stuff and Movies/TV shows.  When our son was born I wanted to give myself and my wife the ability to instantly run any cartoon on any TV in the house.  So she can go to the TV in the Kitchen and click it on and boom, there's every episode of sesame street ever.  Or Dora the explorer or whatever.  So that was kind of my inspiration for some of the build out.

So by no means do I need half the stuff I have but I've enjoyed living in the IT world so far in my life and my passion for it outside of work has reflected back into my work and it's visibility only helps to bring about new challenges and exciting paths forward in my career.

After reading your post, I was interested in checking that out, then I looked at the price of that Cisco 4507R-E. ouch. I guess I will stick to my $200 router. It works well as long as I power cycle it regularly. I don't usually watch movies or TV shows more than once, so I am still trying to fill a 500GB drive. lol I will have to look for a cheaper one of those, though. I am interested in checking out iFolder.

[mcseforsale]

Its funny, I taught the CCNA for 5 years and each class I would hand out a router....usually an 1800 series, or anything cheap that would run IOS.  They'd then configure them to run together, separate, VLANS, access lists, you name it.  But, there was always these questions...why can't my XX router that cost me 12 bux at a yard sale do all this...and I would answer just like that.  Its amazing just how slow the backplanes and buffers on these routers actually are.

Hadn't taught for 5 years and I just got a call wondering if I was interested...after saying I'd never do teaching again, I'm now the newest Net+ instructor at a local large telnet company.  Oh, well...

A

[knave]

I've got three SANs totaling 20 TB of space.  This space holds all Arcade related stuff, my MP3 collection, Games collection, Work stuff and Movies/TV shows.  When our son was born I wanted to give myself and my wife the ability to instantly run any cartoon on any TV in the house.  So she can go to the TV in the Kitchen and click it on and boom, there's every episode of sesame street ever.  Or Dora the explorer or whatever.  So that was kind of my inspiration for some of the build out.

What do you use to play your media? It sounds like a nice setup, do you use a thin client at each TV? Curiosity has me ...

[Drnick]

@ Kahlid  Some of your equipment there puts the stuff I use at work everyday to shame. 

[eds1275]

Oh all right I'll put up a pic of my stuff. But only because I bought a new camera and want to use it.


Originally a room I built to house my collection of guitar cases, until I build a shed that's where the tools live. And much to my fiance's dismay the guitar cases take up 1/3 of the laundry room. Plus I put the beer fridge in there.

[Nephasth]

BUMP!

Got a pretty sweet soldering station and desk this past Christmas from the family. I set up as a pretty decent little work station in my furnace room, which is right off of my game room.



Soldering station is an Aoyue 968A+. Heats up almost instantly and has a fume sucker. I don't know why I ever held off from getting a soldering station, it makes it so much faster and easier.



In the previous pics you'll notice some banana jacks in the middle of the desk along the back edge. I made that assembly today. I've got it connected to a spare PC power supply so I can have 12V, 5V, and 3.3V right at the top of the desk. The black push button on the left turns the power supply on and off. I've got the power supply sitting in a little tray that is under the desk between the legs. Also have a power strip mounted to the underside of the tray.

[lilshawn]

you buggas... cleaning up your junk before you take pictures!  how about we show what they REALY look like.





 

[ids]

lilshawn - love it!  Tell it like it is!  I'll try to do the same if I get a chance - no cleaning up, just the real deal.

[chopperthedog]

Bench pretty much stays consistent with looking like that.



Unused tiny bedroom where some evil doings occur. Also doubles as a spay booth  add exhaust fan to window and spray away.



Forgot that I took this during the thick of donkey madness. I got so fed up with 4' work shop fixtures. Added 7 boxes and screw bases spread throughout the garage and used 120watt bright white cfl's. Cheapest and best shop lighting I have ever had. Sucked parking in the street for 3 weeks.


good day.

[RyoriNoTetsujin]

I'm amazed at the quality of the work guys like RyoriNoTetsujin and Martijn have turned out without much of a place to work.

+1,000,000

This ^^

AJ

Awwwwww! You guys! Guess that's what I get for not ever looking in this thread before now... 

Yes, by now, most everyone has seen the sadness that is my "workshop" ...



... but WAIT! It gets better!! The gf just salvaged this tiny beauty from an electronics recycling drive she was running downtown:



That's right people! Chris is movin' on up! Got my first MULTIMETER! And it works!! And it's color coordinated to the cabinet!!!

Don't know how to use most of it, but it's mine, damnit!

[PL1]

Don't know how to use most of it, but it's mine, damnit!

Easy stuff, Christopher.  Here's what you need to know.
* DCV - DC Voltage (used to test live circuit)
* ACV - AC Voltage (used to test live circuit)
* Diode Check - black lead by the band, red on the other end should read as a short and if you swap leads it should read as an open (test with no power applied)
* K Ohms - For measuring resistors/potentiometers (test with no power applied)
* Cont (Continuity) - For checking wires/direct connections. Meter beeps when it measures a direct connection <~2 Ohms. (test with no power applied)


Scott

[Nephasth]

* Diode Check - black lead by the band, red on the other end should read as a short and if you swap leads it should read as an open (test with no power applied)

Will also dimly light LEDs to verify which lead is positive on the LED.

[mcseforsale]

AC V alternating current...such as your house.

DC V direct current...such as USB, PC power supply output, batteries, etc.

AJ

[RyoriNoTetsujin]

Thanks for the quick tips! I'm hitting some YouTube tutorials now too.

[danny_galaga]

Making the CP



Where I built the cab



I kid you not