I built the ultimate electronics workbench using just a screwdriver | Voltlog 377

[@neverendingstudent]

I am currently in the research phase of putting together my own electronics workbench for my home lab (upgrading from my current 2x4ft folding plastic table) and your design and methodology *IS SO MUCH BETTER* than everything else I was planning on for options. Standardized hardware, standardized structural frame, good load-bearing qualities, easy take-down and reassembly, easy to modify, low-to-moderate expense. It looks beautiful too. THANK YOU SO MUCH, I was close to moving to build phase and was going to go with a wood frame, but this is orders of magnitude better and covers *everything* I wanted.

[@voltlog]

The only thing you need to accept with a build like this is cost, if you are fine with the cost (which is higher) then everything else is better than with other solutions.

[@neverendingstudent]

@@voltlog No kidding on cost. Aluminum has indeed gone up - it looks like just the extrusion beams will be ~$1K USD now. Ouch. I'm... actually still considering it. Hey, a question for you since you've had this bench for a year now - how is it holding up? Any drooping or fatigue apparent at the stress points for the shelves for instance?

[@Arrowtake]

Very nice build! Thanks for sharing

[@superdau]

The wood panel you got is very much a table top exactly for the purpose you got it for (workbench, kitchen counter and things like that). That's also why it already comes with the rounded front edge (I guess you didn't do that yourself). But when you buy a solid wood panels they come "raw". Usually you would sand them (80, 120, 180, maybe 240 grit) and coat them. For a workbench (and also kitchen top) some hard wax oil coat is the best option. As opposed to varnish It soaks into the wood and protects the wood even when scratched or cut. Also take a look at phenolic resin coated plywood in future projects. "Siebdruckplatte" in German (I don't know what the standard English term for it is). It's available in various thicknesses and really versatile for all kinds of workshop builds. It being plywood also means that it will barely change shape with humidity, as opposed to solid wood, which can warp quite a bit. Another bonus of the resin coat: almost nothing sticks to it. I have a few panels of it that I use as work surface when I glue or paint something (wood glue, super glue, epoxy, water or solvent based laquer). All of that just flakes of when rubbing over it with another piece of wood. I would put at least a riser board on the back edge of the bench top so stuff can't be pushed off. It doesn't have to be high and thick, but it will add a huge amount of rigidity to the workbench if fastened to the rear horizontal and vertical frame. If you go the full height (bench top to first shelf), the "back wall" could also double as a "tool wall" for small tools like calipers, tweezers, aso. Plywood, especially the phenolic coated one, would be a prime candidate for that. I couldn't really see how you mounted the shelves, but I would feel better for at least that PSU/scope/measurement equipment shelf if it had some triangular supports (on the left and right, pointing forward). The simplest thing to do is to screw a small piece of wood (about a 20x20 cm square cut diagonally) to the inside of the verticals (the 90mm side) right under the shelf so it supports the shelf pieces coming forward.

[@dreamcat4]

very good, thanks for sharing this

[@dreamcat4]

actually i have been wondering how to do extra shelves above my desk. and this is a good solution! not the whole desk but a useful framework to attach to the wall behind etc. it makes a lot of sense! ;)

[@voltlog]

My goal was to avoid using the wall behind just because it saves the trouble of having to repair the wall when you take the shelves down for moving to a new place. That's why I designed it this way, self-contained.

[@aloysiussnailchaser272]

Great timing, thanks. I just started building a bench today.

[@voltlog]

Good luck!

[@jensgoerke3819]

Attaching a ground wire would also give you the option to ground the ESD mat. For the upper shelves you might want to add an end stop in the front and tilt the devices for better visibility.

[@voltlog]

That's definitely possible if one would want to do it but I think this is a matter of personal preference. Personally I'm not a big fan of tilted shelves, I have very good visibility as it is. What's important is that the build system is flexible and would allow that.

[@3zuli]

At my previous job we built some workbenches like this including the beam for an overhead light. For the back side we used combinations of metal pegboard for holding tools and some wall-mounted metal cabinets, which we attached to the aluminum profiles. I don't remember the total cost, but they were definitely cheaper than ready-made workbenches. Motedis is a great shop (if not the best within the EU) in terms of overall easiness of ordering. Around the same time I built a smaller workbench for my home workshop using steel profiles. It was literally less than 20eur for all the steel and a sheet of plywood for the work surface, plus I learned how to weld, which was a lot of fun.

[@TechTed1]

Lovely build

[@MarksGoneWicked]

I've found legit test benches at surplus stores, and one at a used office furniture store for less money. For those like me with smaller budgets, they were good deals. But I love this bench for sure. Especially because you can add your own accessories.

[@voltlog]

I did buy a used office desk from a used office furniture store, it was about 100 EUR, its rock solid as a desk but no option for equipment shelves on top of the desk.

[@rakeshmathur6136]

Very nice table designed by you

[@trickyrat483]

Looks great. Good job.

[@moeswartz888]

Very nice bench, exactly what I need for my maker space! Thanks for sharing!

[@electronic7979]

Nice workshop

[@voltlog]

Thanks 👍

[@vincentnonnenmacher9352]

perfect timing and a LOT of THANKS for sharing your work !

[@SeanBZA]

Now it is easy to add concealed lighting, as you simply use a strip of aluminium that fits in the slot, and stick down LED tape to it, then slide in from the end. The extrusion keeps the light from getting in your eyes. Or use a T section aluminium decorative section, and do the same, as you can attach it easily. That top is sold as a kitchen counter top, which is also usable as a cutting board, so you just sand and finish it off again. Instead of the varnish just use wood oil, it will soak in, and leave a matt finish, and if you damage it simply sand lightly to get the mark out, and oil again. For the shelves I would use shutterply, as it is a lot more dimensionally stable than the pine, and also will respond well to a light sanding and oil, and it is both a lot cheaper and more rigid. The price for an entire sheet, which can also be used for the table top as well, is a lot less than any other wood other than particleboards.

[@voltlog]

I did use oil to finish the wood panels as mentioned in the video and regarding light options, there are even profile types/shapes which have this extended side piece that could serve as base for LED tape, you can find these on motedis.

[@kuro68000]

Really nice bench. That top looks like maybe a kitchen worktop. You can get them cheap from IKEA. I wish I was still in the EU, I'd order from those guys. Shafted by brexit again.

[@voltlog]

The finish was so rough on the wood top, I don't know, who would want such a rough finish on a kitchen worktop? a direct translation to english from the shop where I got it would say "Beech Bridge"

[@uepope1329]

Very Cool idea.. ITS seema to bei next to optimal

[@Andrei-jh5fx]

Good job 👍😎

[@kuro68000]

Castors are good for benches, makes it easy to get behind them when you need to do cabling.

[@voltlog]

Wouldn't the bench have a slight wobbly feel because of the wheels? Even though they might have locks, it will still wobble I think.

[@kuro68000]

@@voltlog I think it would be okay, like a tool cart on wheels. You could also put castors on the two rear legs only so you just have to lift it a little to move it.

[@LeoMakes]

Just heard you on The Amp Hour podcast and subscribed to your channel after seeing this video. This is a fantastic build and thanks for sharing it. I think I'll build something just like it the next time I move my lab!

[@voltlog]

Happy to hear that!

[@Leif_YT]

Thanks for the video. I was looking myself for large workbench mats for quite a while and couldn't find anything at the size I needed. Yesterday I've ordered the same mats from Welectron and today they arrived. I still have to see how easy they're to clean, but from my early impression I would also highly recommend them. They feel great and don't have any chemical smell.

[@voltlog]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@gedeon1980yt]

nice idea

[@SxC97]

Absolutely incredible work! I live in an apartment and I've been struggling with trying to find cheap workbenches. This opens up a whole new world for me! How did you attach the wooden tops to the aluminum frame? VHB tape? Or did you have to use a drill?

[@mr.flex3017]

Maybe a odd question but where can I find the build for assemble. Thanks for the bom this is one of the best work bench I have seen ❤

[@Gerardus80]

Hello Thank you for your video and al you information. Is the depht about 900mm? and the sheves are 350mm? And what is the height to the first shelve? Do you find you would have had it different? regards, geert

[@starlino]

The front horizontal beam could rest on the front 2 legs to get more strength, right not you're just relying on the friction of the bolts and maybe on the strength of your top.

[@rynoalberts]

Either your camera lens is distorting or your horizontal profile is already sagging, meaning you should've had another centre vertical column for support or gone for the next size up profile.

[@sofa-lofa4241]

Yeah, beef up the load points! 🐄 If it looks strong enough... then double up and it's about right! The great thing about a build like this is the ability to swap out the desk/shelves as they warp over time, If you could get strong shelves made out of recycled plastic with a plywood/esd skin that would be great, This extruded section is great for building equipment racks, desks, robot chassis... the list is endless

[@certified-forklifter]

Nice

[@ClaudiuBucur]

Hey, could you share what is the product you use for holding the multimeter cables? The one visible at 5:26. Thanks alot!

[@voltlog]

Voltcraft ML-1 OR Test Lead Holder

[@MCsCreations]

Awesome work, dude. The workbench looks fantastic! 😃 Unfortunately, that stuff is pretty expensive here in Brazil... 😕 I need to build a desk for my PC, but I'm going for plywood and wood. Way cheaper. 😬 Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@SeanBZA]

I did the same, though the last table I built was made from old pallet wood, and a complete pallet as the top.

[@MCsCreations]

@@SeanBZA Nice! Sounds pretty good! 😃

[@voltlog]

Thanks! 👍

[@garthlane4070]

What did you use to hang your test leads looks good and organized with easy access. Hats off to you with the whole project.

[@voltlog]

It is a voltcraft test lead hanger model ML-1, thank you!

[@martinvollderpro]

Did you make a video about your fume extractor?

[@ToddLuvsGolf]

Very nice workbench!! I’ve always built my own out of simple wood materials and customized as I changed needs over the years. It’s soooooo much cheaper then the commercial benches. They are very nice, but just not worth the money for me…plus mine are just mine. Cheers!!

[@andreavergani7414]

Great project. Just subbed Support

[@qqryqq123]

could you cover your fume extractor solution in one of your videos?

[@radman999]

Pretty blessed that I can just go to Home Depot here and get a steel and wood bench for $300.

[@str0g]

From where did you get / make your fumes vacum?

[@jaro6985]

He made it from a duct fan, dryer duct, and loc-line type fittings. Then for the filter, use an appropriate HEPA filter. Its way better than what most people have setup, quieter too.

[@str0g]

@@jaro6985 did he do a video about how he built it.

[@jaro6985]

@@str0g No I don't think so, just going off my own build. You should be able to find some of these items at your local hardware store for

[@Tim_Small]

Having done a bit of structural design in the past the one thing that jumps out is that I'd recommend making the 45 degree angle sections longer, and rotating them 90 degrees so that they support the main span which supports the back of the biggest flat bench, to reduce the deflection in that span. So that when you are looking towards the front of the bench, they look a bit like this: |̲̅/̲̅_̲̅_̲̅\̲̅|̲̅ Another alternative is to add a vertical timber board (e.g. plywood) upstand or downstand to the back edge of the main flat desk section. Maybe see how it goes and measure the deflection at the back edge once it's in use and fully loaded up (metal deflects under load pretty much straight away but the beech board will deflect more slowly - "deflection creep" as the wood fibres slowly slip past each other, so maybe keep an eye on it over time to see if any modifications might be needed in the long term). If you're not planning on putting heavy items on the main span in the long term, then this may not be an issue, and it'll also not be an issue if you keep the heavy items towards the left and right edges of the bench - so that they are near the uprights. Avoid heaving loading mid-span...

[@voltlog]

Makes sense! Thanks Tim!

[@MrHD71]

how much did this cost?

[@zoenagy9458]

Not standing desk?

[@andreiciora2765]

You are from Romania?

[@ranikeev]

Where to get that wire holder kzbin.info/www/bejne/o57NfYZ-oc-sepY

[@georgelareese1086]

Nice bench, just need foot rest that's all.

[@judgebeeb1967]

I don't want to be a downer and I very much hope this is an issue with your camera lens, but it looks to me like the test equipment shelf is bowing in the middle.

[@voltlog]

Must be a camera lens thing because they shelf is rock solid, not bowing.

[@vincentnonnenmacher9352]

also see that, hope this is just optical glitch