Let's See What You Got!

[Agent24]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

Maybe we need a poll....

Are you a "Messy Bench" or "Clean Bench" person?

I'm a Messy Bench person.

I'm the kind of person who doesn't really keep anything tidy, waits until it's horrific and then does a big cleanup.

This cycle repeats ad infinitum...

I might at least keep a workbench tidier if it were bigger and it was easier to organise things. Then again it might just get worse faster! Currently I don't have a lot of space, in fact only last year I migrated from just using the table.

Now I use a computer desk - literally. A few old computers stacked up on each end with a sheet of MDF on top

That's in one corner of the lounge. There is no spare room that could be used, sadly.

There is slight method to the madness though, things can generally be found according to chronological order...

[Junk Parts]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

Here is my bench and all my tools. I use the Yellow thing to check the volts in my car. The black thing is used to melt holes in plastic things as well as to burn the shit out of my fingers. I just found that drill bit in my desk. It goes in my set that I also can't find now.

[Peter9DO]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

Lmao!!!!!

[KeriJane]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

Maybe we need a poll....

Are you a "Messy Bench" or "Clean Bench" person?

I'm a Messy Bench person.

And a volunteer member of Clean Bench Anonymous, a group dedicated to helping our well-meaning Clean Bench friends and co-workers cope with their unnatural, harmful and distressing obsession with tidiness.

Do things seem to just disappear on a normal, well-rounded work surface?
Don't blame the clutter!
You just need to develop your innate ability to know where stuff is.

We at CBA can help! Intense training sessions are offered featuring modified barking collars that give the victim, oops, trainee a mild reminder to stop obsessively cleaning tools and putting them away in neat little rows, socket rails or in hardcore cases, original packaging.

The practical benefits of a well-stocked work area (that some might call messy) are demonstrated and explained and include:
1-Nobody but you knows what is going on with the current project(s) thus ensuring your continued employment,
2- Never having to order or send out for that special little doodad because underneath that glorious mound of highly productive matter is EXACTLY the right part left over from that other one you did a few weeks ago and...
3- Stuff like tools can be left out in the open, right at hand and ready to go free from the fear of theft because nobody (else) can find it!



No, I'm not a reformed Clean Bencher. I was fortunate enough to be born into a messy bench family.

[Peter9DO]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

Koda, I'm telling you I have started setting up a bench about 3 years ago... Stuff just piles up and quick! I have more stuff in my office than I know what to do with at times. Believe me, as you start taking on more work the more stuff you need or feel you need, then you go out and buy it. Next thing you know, you need somewhere to put it all. Also just about everything I used to build the bench was very cheap! The bench itself was from Lowes, they have a heavy duty shelving unit there that breaks down into 2 work benches for $100. It was a GREAT deal! (I have the other at my warehouse). I have also made Harbor Freight my favorite store I bought a giant box of the polly bins for $10.00. Used a monitor that I got for free (recapped it) and hung it on the wall. Then the shelving system was like $100, but that was an impulse buy. Now just load it up with some fun tools! BGA rework station, oscilloscope, soldering iron... and all that other good stuff, little at a time! You're not going to get it all overnight... Hell I'm still buying stuff... I think I do this just so I can support my electronics habit, it's like crack! lol!

[Koda]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

Peter and bluto I can only congratulate you on the benches. Ratdude I'm pretty much where you are at, a couple boxes of components and a case of tools. I'm in the process of building my work bench but I doubt I can make it as nice as yours guys, will post some pics soon if I don't forget.

[Peter9DO]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

VERY NICE Bluto! I'm a fan of your shelf wrapping around the top! Looks good, thanks for posting!!!!

[ratdude747]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

Here is my basement electronics shop. The room is roughly 8' x 11'. The first two pics are the main bench. The base came from Woodsmith's 'weekend bench' plans - all Douglas fir construction with a 8' x 30" x 1.5" oak plywood top. There are heating and return ducts covered by the soffit above. I cut in a small round register to give me some heat and a/c. I also put in a couple of ceiling speakers in there too. In the second pic you can also see my troublesome MDF storage drawers.

The last two pictures show the opposite side of the room. Here you can see my old bench that has been cut down to 6' from its original 8'. Also seen is my trusty old Packard Bell from the recent 486DX2 just 4 teh lulz thread. The 6 old looking storage bins were given to me containing lots of old resistors, capacitors and some ICs that I have no idea what to do with. The newer looking bin on the right in the last pic has my new Panasonic capacitor assortment as well as my graymark robots from jr high on top

And I guess I don't use it enough because it is so clean.

Jealous... most of my tools fit in a tool box... and 3 plano boxes make up my parts stash.

Maybe after I graduate engineering technology school and I have had years to build up a better stash?

[ratdude747]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

I agree.
I've worked on some messy benches (not my own) before and I get very inefficient. Things just disappear, then you start looking for them. 5 minutes here to look for something, 5 minutes there, and before you know it you've killed 1 hour of your day looking for stuff.
Like I mentioned, my bench isn't awfully neat, but at least I put things back where they were after I use them.

Q.F.T

same here.

[momaka]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

Wow, very nice bluto!

It's not about being clean, it's about what is comfortable for you to work.

I agree.
I've worked on some messy benches (not my own) before and I get very inefficient. Things just disappear, then you start looking for them. 5 minutes here to look for something, 5 minutes there, and before you know it you've killed 1 hour of your day looking for stuff.
Like I mentioned, my bench isn't awfully neat, but at least I put things back where they were after I use them.

[bluto]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

Here is my basement electronics shop. The room is roughly 8' x 11'. The first two pics are the main bench. The base came from Woodsmith's 'weekend bench' plans - all Douglas fir construction with a 8' x 30" x 1.5" oak plywood top. There are heating and return ducts covered by the soffit above. I cut in a small round register to give me some heat and a/c. I also put in a couple of ceiling speakers in there too. In the second pic you can also see my troublesome MDF storage drawers.

The last two pictures show the opposite side of the room. Here you can see my old bench that has been cut down to 6' from its original 8'. Also seen is my trusty old Packard Bell from the recent 486DX2 just 4 teh lulz thread. The 6 old looking storage bins were given to me containing lots of old resistors, capacitors and some ICs that I have no idea what to do with. The newer looking bin on the right in the last pic has my new Panasonic capacitor assortment as well as my graymark robots from jr high on top

And I guess I don't use it enough because it is so clean.

[Peter9DO]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

I think we scared everyone off of doing this because how clean our benches are Smason. LOL!!!! It's not about being clean, it's about what is comfortable for you to work. People starting off would get great insight to be able to see the different variations of work benches dirty or clean.

As you stated about the 10lbs in a 5lbs bag, I know all to well! You open up any one of the drawers in that office and you will see 10lbs in a 5lbs bag all day! lol!

[Jack Crow]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

All,
Do you know the military term 'Blivit'?

Roughly translated it stands for ten pounds in a five pound bag.
Too much in too little space.

What I may do is a rough clean up to get the larger chunks of trash off the bench, then take some photos.

Jack Crow

[Peter9DO]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

One power bar. I put away everything when I don't need it.

I don't do that many repairs. I help people more than I repair. I would say 50:1 help to repair ratio.

So, I think we are safe to say that you have the cleanest work area out of us all!

[Peter9DO]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

Nice T-870A station...

Thank you! It really wouldn't be my first choice if I were to buy a new soldering station. Not the easiest one to learn or use for that matter. But once you get down it's not that bad.

[thesloc]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

Nice T-870A station...

[ratdude747]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

I recently cleaned my soldering area... sometime I will have to get pics.

[momaka]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

My work station/bench is in my room (where I also sleep). Like retiredcaps, I don't do many repairs so it's not such a bad thing. I have a small wooden bench/table by the window where I keep my tools and soldering iron - it's nice and bright there. No chair either - I just sit on the floor (got a soft carpet). Surprisingly, I have found that sitting on the floor is a lot better for my back than sitting in front of a desk. In fact, I don't get any back pain at all when sitting on the floor. The only thing I have to do is stand up once in a while to stretch my feet so they don't fall asleep.
Right now it's a bit messy, so no pictures .

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

My bench, literally, is using the kitchen floor for repairs. Seriously.

Been there. Done that.
.
You do what you gotta do!
.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Let's See What You Got!

LOL! I bet you use one outlet for everything too, right? hahaha!

One power bar. I put away everything when I don't need it.

I don't do that many repairs. I help people more than I repair. I would say 50:1 help to repair ratio.