Any hack takes time and space to put together. Â The surfncircuits lab is no different. Â My last project started out as an idea and ended up taking over the whole kitchen table.
And while it is fun to think about a super portable compact lab,   The reality is hack projects need space.   The kitchen table is a great catch-all location,  but SurfnCircuits really needs a lab!  Not everyone in my family appreciates looking at kook electronic parts while eating.  🙂
So with a better lab space as the goal ,  what is the optimal  space requirement?   There is one universal law of physics that we must keep in mind
A hack project will fill up any space provided.
The photo above is one simple example of this law for the simple cell phone charging hack. Â Â With the law defined, what are the items needed and space required for the lab bench when building a project?
- Â A laptop, smart phone and/or desktop computer.! Â (12″x18″)
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 A power supply :  (8″x8″x15″)
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 Oscilloscope (18″x 9″ x 9″)
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 Multimeter.  (3″x6″x2″)
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 Wire cutters, strippers, soldering iron, tools   (12″x12″)
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 Schematics and notes.  (18″x18″)
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 Solder/solderless breadboard.  (24″ x 18″)
The result is that the smallest space we need is three square feet of space.   However I want a little more room to have a couple of projects going at the same time.   I’m thinking a lab bench that is 24-30 inches  deep and 36-48 inches wide will be perfect.    Now I need to find the space in the house!
I’m guessing I’ll find the space in the garage…..
Let me know if you have any thoughts on the matter.
SurfnCircuits needs a Lab!  🙂
The garage is ideal: reorganize and create a little man cave in there! Or use your office space instead and put a barn sliding door on it.
The Barn door idea is awesome. 🙂
I built an electronics work bench in my man cave (wife approved catchall-electronics Lab). It consists of a 6 foot bright white kitchen counter top from Lowe’s.
I built the support risers from 2x4s framing black painted OSB plywood. I then sanded and varnished the 2x4s. The risers are extended above the countertop to provide a pegboard for tools and support a 40W 4 foot flouresent fixture. I added a 10 outlet power strip at the back of the countertop and below the pegboard. Then just to the left there is a typical single gang box housing a standard wall switch to control the light.
All of the wiring is household romex spliced in a dual gang box at the back of the bench. SJ wire extends from there to a three prong plug to supply power.
That sound great and thanks for sharing. You should attach a picture here …I think that works on this blog or start you own. :). Since the time of writing this blog entry, I have also eked out a man cave in the garage, and a buddy sold me a work bench he bought from Costco. But I still need to work on good lighting , like you 40W fluorescent lights , and a shelving system that can hold my o-scope, FG, soldering Iron, projects, etc. I want to add a few shelves above the bench and on a 7 foot wall in garage. Thoughts ?