Building an electronics workbench

[shponglefan]

I've been looking to get into electronics and I figured the first step will to build a bench to accomdate this.  While I already built myself a woodworking bench, I find I'd like something cleaner (i.e. less prone to dust and flying wood chips) for electronics.

I have a basic design in mind: 7.5 feet long, 40 inches high (so can be used standing or sitting), 30 inches deep (from the wall), plus plans to build a shelving/pegboard hutch for storage.

One thing I was wondering about was surface material.  I was thinking nice, smooth birch.  Looking at other bench examples, it seems most don't have special considerations for surfaces.  Although some seem to have special pads (anti-static pads?) on them.

Anything else I should take into consideration?  Granted it's just a workbench and not particularly complicated or anything, but I want to build something proper.

[Ond]

My woodworking bench is my electronics bench, but you're right, I have to keep it clean to use it for both.  Maybe a laminate surface?  I once saw a pro's workbench, this guy who built custom amplifiers (He built me a 1000w digital Subby amp), he had a cutout in his bench with a bin beneath it for his rubbish.  This was a brilliant idea, any bits of wire etc he'd just drop in there, kept his surface clean even when working all day.  Just a thought.

[Generic Eric]

You will want power outlets for your Solder iron, odor eating fan, florescent light bar, illuminated magnifiying glass and also for your test equipment.

Depending on how thorough you are, you will want to take in account ESD.  In that case, you'll want an earth ground and an ESD mat.  If nothing else, be sure your work space is non conductive.

It really depends on your goals.  You might google for examples.  I worked at a place that had the Tennscos.

[SavannahLion]

I have a laminate surface. Similar to a cheap countertop type of thing. But none of it really matters. There's so much crap on top that I really can't remember what color it is. When I get around to clearing the surface (Visualize trying to find 200 SMD components in a box so small that the box the wedding ring came in is bigger) and creating a new workspace somewhere I intend to cover it with an anti-static work mat. I would really like to get the same thing David Jones uses.
http://www.eevblog.com/2012/03/01/eevblog-250-anti-static-mat-myth/
http://www.eevblog.com/2012/02/25/eevblog-247-anti-static-bag-myth-revisted/
http://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/esd-mat/
http://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/your-benchtop-material/

Note: If there's a group buy on the roll of the same stuff, I'll seriously consider jumping in.

[MonMotha]

Laminate or butcher block are generally standard.  If you do laminate, you can look at putting a foil sheet or mesh/grid underneath it and attaching that to ground to make it reasonably anti-static.  Other option is to just chuck a good anti-static mat on top of it.

A hutch or similar elevated structure is really handy for stashing equipment on either while out of use or in secondary roles (like power supplies, signal generators, etc.) so you have more room on the bench for the device under test/development/smoking and test equipment you need to actively interact with like scopes, meters, soldering irons and other hand tools, computers, etc.

For power, many benches are set up to be fed two circuits.  One is usually used for sensitive equipment or dedicated to the device under test while the other is used for noisy stuff.  Of course, this also splits up the load in case you need more juice than one circuit can handle for all the stuff on the bench.  There's usually a power strip mounted either along the back of the main surface or along the bottom of the overhead surface for "permanently installed" equipment, and then there will be some outlets - often standard duplex receptacles - on either side, often embedded in the support structure for the overhead surface, for powering equipment that moves around.  Many benches have integrated breakers so that they can be more easily reset if tripped due to testing without a trip to the service panel (in a commercial environment, these are often locked and require a trained serviceperson to access).

Many electronics benches are set at a height suitable for working either on a stool or standing up but lower than a typical woodworking bench, though I've seen them as low as standard computer desk height and as high as e.g. a kitchen bar might be.

[shponglefan]

Thanks for all the replies.

Laminate for a surface sounds like a good idea; and I suppose if working with any chemicals or other liquids, it would be easier to clean up than a wood surface.  I'll have to see what I can find.

Insofar as power goes, right now I've got a standard 10 outlet workshop power bar.  I don't have much in the way of equipment yet, so it will probably suffice for now.  I suppose later I can look at having something else put in if I need a seperate power supply.

[Howard_Casto]

My woodworking bench is my electronics bench, but you're right, I have to keep it clean to use it for both.  Maybe a laminate surface?  I once saw a pro's workbench, this guy who built custom amplifiers (He built me a 1000w digital Subby amp), he had a cutout in his bench with a bin beneath it for his rubbish.  This was a brilliant idea, any bits of wire etc he'd just drop in there, kept his surface clean even when working all day.  Just a thought.

I had something like that for my bench.  I eventually covered it up though because it took up too much real-estate.  Sometimes the old fashioned way is the best.  I just have a trash bin now that I can hold to the edge and sweep  the mess into with a hand broom. 

[Ond]

My woodworking bench is my electronics bench, but you're right, I have to keep it clean to use it for both.  Maybe a laminate surface?  I once saw a pro's workbench, this guy who built custom amplifiers (He built me a 1000w digital Subby amp), he had a cutout in his bench with a bin beneath it for his rubbish.  This was a brilliant idea, any bits of wire etc he'd just drop in there, kept his surface clean even when working all day.  Just a thought.

I had something like that for my bench.  I eventually covered it up though because it took up too much real-estate.  Sometimes the old fashioned way is the best.  I just have a trash bin now that I can hold to the edge and sweep  the mess into with a hand broom.

Well shponglefan is building a new bench assuming he has the space, he could allow for the loss in 'real-estate' with a slightly larger bench.  It doesn’t have to be a gaping chasm just somewhere within easy working reach.  I'm forever dropping debris from stripped wires, bits of solder, snipped tin wire etc. all over my workspace, dunno bout you but I'm a mess monger when I work - no room for a clean sweep without everything else going in the bin as well!  It's just an idea I saw working well for someone else.

[jennifer]

    I like to work on glass, Safety glass, from a old pin to be exact, It cleans fast between projects, with just a wipe, Its flat, nice for working with play fields, a Piece of cardboard too helps for messy jobs...  For me, the hole through the bench sounds like trouble, I can see Jennifer losing something down the hole and wondering where it went.

[ark_ader]

For me, the hole through the bench sounds like trouble, I can see Jennifer losing something down the hole and wondering where it went.

+1 

[CpCaveman]

definately have a burn proof/heat resistant section/mat for those times you drop the solder iron (who hasn`t ) and a couple of different arm  clamps are very useful

[Howard_Casto]

definately have a burn proof/heat resistant section/mat for those times you drop the solder iron (who hasn`t ) and a couple of different arm  clamps are very useful

I always keep a scrap of metal around to solder on.  The side of an old pc case works great. 

[MonMotha]

An old ceramic tile makes a great soldering surface, but you don't want to do the whole benchtop in ceramic tile because of the uneven surface.

Metal has the downside of being conductive which sucks if you're trying to work on something while it's on or if it has batteries.  You can also potentially solder to the metal by accident, but that's usually at least correctable.

[Howard_Casto]

It's dangerous and ill advised to ever work on a electronic device when it's powered up.  Don't ever do that. 

Bare metal sure, it's bad for soldering, but solder won't stick to painted or unprimed/cleaned metal.  That's why I suggested the side of a computer case... it's got paint on it. 

[jennifer]

     

It's dangerous and ill advised to ever work on a electronic device when it's powered up.  Don't ever do that.

Well I'm not going to disagree with you....However sometimes it is necessary. In fact If you read old electric books from the turn of the last century you will find many ill advised practices, one of which is lick wires to taste the current.

[MonMotha]

Depends on what you mean by "electronic" and how you do it.  Digital logic hardware?  I poke and prod at that stuff all the time.  I mean, it's mostly 5/3.3/2.5/1.8/1.2V from pretty current limited supplies.  Not much that can go wrong there safety-wise.  Worst thing you may do is damage the device by shorting something to a bad place, but that happens during development.  Debugging new hardware designs pretty much implies that you're going to be poking it while it's on to take measurements and tweak settings (pots, switches, etc.).

Now, "electrical" hardware that runs right off the AC line?  Yes, be very careful and avoid doing things with it on wherever possible.  If you've got an inherently limited isolation transformer, things aren't quite so dangerous, but you definitely have to be careful and know what parts of the device are at what potential relative to others.  The isolation transformer at least means that nothing is "hot" relative to earth ground (unless you re-introduce earth ground - again, know what's going on).  If you have to run something with a real "hot chassis" on a bench, that requires the utmost caution of course.  Unfortunately, it's sometimes required.  I just did it.  And yes, I was very respectful of what was going on.  Also, I used a GFCI.  It at least prevents some classes of faults from being quite as dangerous.

How much you can avoid working on things while they're on really depends on the nature of your work.  If you're mostly doing machine-level integration of commodity parts, you can probably get away with almost never poking things while they're on.  However, troubleshooting new and unknown/unproven designs often requires it.  Of course, the unknown/unproven aspect just makes it that much more dangerous, so you ALWAYS must watch out.  Even those dinky 5V/1A supplies I mentioned above can start a (small) fire in the right circumstances or even kill you outright if you manage to break the skin on both sides of your heart (e.g. by poking a finger on opposite hands).

[Ed_McCarron]

those times you drop the solder iron

Yeah.  And how many times did you drop it before learning not to try to catch it?

[ChadTower]

those times you drop the solder iron

Yeah.  And how many times did you drop it before learning not to try to catch it?

Right after I learned to stop catching darts that bounce back off a metal part of the board.

[Drnick]

those times you drop the solder iron

Yeah.  And how many times did you drop it before learning not to try to catch it?

Right after I learned to stop catching darts that bounce back off a metal part of the board.

The lesson I learned was to not catch the dart with my feet, I think I have a photo somewhere 

[shponglefan]

FWIW, here is the mostly finished product.  I've yet to laminate the surface or figure out a good soldering surface/anti-static pad.  Still also have to figure out a permanent power install and fumigation.  But at least the basic bench is done.

I briefly considered the idea of having a drop hole for debris, but couldn't really figure out an elegant way of doing it that wouldn't interfere with my legs sitting at the bench.  But I think I'm okay with what I have for now.

[shponglefan]

Depends on what you mean by "electronic" and how you do it.  Digital logic hardware?  I poke and prod at that stuff all the time.  I mean, it's mostly 5/3.3/2.5/1.8/1.2V from pretty current limited supplies.  Not much that can go wrong there safety-wise.  Worst thing you may do is damage the device by shorting something to a bad place, but that happens during development.  Debugging new hardware designs pretty much implies that you're going to be poking it while it's on to take measurements and tweak settings (pots, switches, etc.).

Probably just DC work for now.  This is mostly uncharted territory for me, so I'm not really sure what the end goal is yet.  I just want to pick up some new skills and have fun.

[Ond]

Very nice work man,  I like the thought gone into the hutch for the PC.

[DaOld Man]

^^^ What OND said!

[shponglefan]

Thanks guys.  I have to say, it's working out nicely so far!