Change is inevitable. In this case my workbench. As I branch out into other fields of study my requirements for a workspace change. As I said earlier, I want to take the time and learn more about electronics. I’m not sure what I am going to do with it once I learn it — but that’s a story yet to tell. I recently added an o’scope to my quiver of test equipment. As I progress, there will be more to add. Looking at my current workbench (above) it was getting crowded and adding more equipment will quickly bring it to overflowing. Time to put on the thinking cap.
My first consideration was how to create more desk area. Horizontally, I am at my max so vertical was the only diredtion left. I decided I was going to build some shelving. I made a rough sketch and then took a trip out to my sheds. Using a mish-mash of plywood I was able to salvage enough from my scraps to build the shelves. The sides are 3/4″ CD plywood and the shelves themselves are 1/2″ premium grade. The shelves are 3′ wide and 12″ deep. vertical spacing is 8″ – enough for most test equipment. Some of the dimensions are a little off due to some warping of the plywood, but in general, the shelves are level and the whole unit does not wobble. Each shelf has a 1/4″ lip and the bottom of the shelf has a 2″ piece of plywwood across the back to prevent things from rolling where they shouldn’t. The shelf was glued, screwed and nailed using stuff I had on hand. The only thing I had to buy was some paint as all the stuff I had was dried out (I did look). I had to move my light to the other side of the bench so it would reach the work area. Fancy tools for this project included a table saw and a finish pneumatic nailer. The table saw is a godsend as it can quickly dimension lumber.
In the picture below, you can see that I now have more space with room to expand my test equipment. I believe next up will be an Arbitrary Waverform Generator with a Frequency Counter.
The third shelf was the original shelf shown at the beginning of the post. It was painted and repurposed. I will probably store my laptops up there.
Because the shelves are open in the back, they still let a lot of light in. I haven’t gotten my parts from DigiKey yet so the building/experimenting part is on hold. However, I am pressing forward with the written/video portions of my class.
Thanks for stopping by and checking out my (mis)adventures. When time permits I try to get on the air for a little CW fun. First quarter 2024 has been real busy, hopefully it will smooth out. Unitl next time 73-Scott