Introduction: Paul's Electronics Pit
I have taken a few pictures of my electronics corner in my garage for your viewing pleasure. I hope you enjoy it! Pictures are presented in a basically clockwise pattern of my work area. Then I added a few projects in progress files as well.

First Prize in the
Share Your Space Challenge
27 Comments
11 years ago on Introduction
I spotted your old weller soldering station. I really like the old design. Though I'm planning on buying a hakko 888.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I got it in a box of junk for $10 at a flea market. I used to use the same model when I worked in a PCB manufacturing house so I was already very familiar with the model. Oldies but goodies!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
So how is it holding up, have you had to replace any parts? I love those awesome boxes of junk you'll find in garage sales and flea markets. My dad bought a box at a garage sale for 2 bucks and it had a panavise, some old milling parts worth well over a couple hundred together, and a drill bit sharpener.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
It works perfectly. It is a Weller soldering station. I think the main reason Weller can charge what they do for their gear is that a lot of it is virtually indestructible.
I've never run into a deal that good. But I'm still looking!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I have heard good things about Weller but have never used there brand of soldering equipment. My next iron will probably be a Weller. : )
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Weller is one good brand. Any tool is good to me though. I don't get hung up on names. It's all good if it works.
Reply 7 years ago on Introduction
Ungar is also a good brand , I have one that I have used many years , along with my Weller , I also have four Weller soldering guns of different wattages , the biggest is an old D550 dual heat , 240/325 watts , for when I need a lot of heat , like soldering a larger wire to a chassis . I got them mostly at yard sales and such for very little money . I am always looking for a bargain !
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Yeah I see what you mean. Well, thanks for the talk!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
To me soldering is a technique that once learned properly can be done with a nail heated in a fire, though electric irons are more convenient. Every bad soldering job I've ever seen was doomed to failure before the iron was even heated up.
If you clean and prep, apply heat, then flow the solder it has to work.
7 years ago on Introduction
Very nice . To the untrained eye , eg , people who are not CET's , they would say that it looked rather cluttered . My workbench is about the same . I see you use Simpson 260 meters , I have one of those , and a Triplett 310 analog meter with an amp-clamp adapter , a lot of times an analog meter is more useful than a digital for some things , but I usually use my Fluke 87 or my old Fluke 8060A DMM . I have a Weller soldering station that originally had temperature control , and a digital readout .It had been thrown in the trash because the control board " fried " and was too expensive to repair . I fitted it with a standard light dimmer ( a couple of dollars ) and it works fine . I can vary the temp , but don't have the digital readout . Oh well .
8 years ago on Introduction
Holy flux bat man.
looks like every electronics engineers station i ever brought doughnuts to
as a C.E.T. and an Account Manager for major electronics component distribution company for 26 years iv'e sold million's of dollars worth of this stuff. in the end i din't collect much of it
Nice set up
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
Thanks. I guess folks doing the same things end up doing them the same ways. Either that or we all suffer from the same brain disease?
9 years ago on Introduction
interesting lab... i love all your stuff.....
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
Thank you. You have nice stuff too.
11 years ago on Introduction
Nice workshop. I spotted your Tektronix 2335 with DMM option, very nice super-ruggedized oscilloscope ($7000 when new, did you know?), good for high/low temp. high shock, super-tolerant power supply. Love those Wellers too, they are one of the best. I have two Hakkos (not by choice really) and two other no-name irons.
Your bench looks crowded but very well equipped. I would imagine that all kinds of magic gets created there.
Thanks for showing us.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Thank you for the compliment. Things have gotten even more crowded recently as I've had to dedicate the larger side of my desk I do my electronics on to a project I am working on now. Space is an issue in my garage.
I wish I had more time to dedicate to my electronics too but other things constantly vie for my attention.
You are welcome for having visited.
12 years ago on Introduction
Thanks I hope I get your vote for the next contest submission I put in for with the rest of my garage. Competition looks like it has picked up some now though . There are some great shops in the running!
https://www.instructables.com/id/My-Mixed-Media-Garage/
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
#1 Shop all the way!!!
12 years ago on Introduction
Thanks. My thoughts now are leaning towards building my CNC machine right on the desk which will take some rearrangements. But it is my big project at the moment, so it being front and center isn't worrying me. I'm done making all of the electronics for it now anyways.
Power supply:
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/2244/pict0579s.jpg
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/6909/ps230v.gif
X and Z axis motor drives (I made 3 of these):
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/8343/tb6560board.jpg
http://a.imageshack.us/img130/2661/tb6560ahqsch.png
Y Axis motor drives (2 of these):
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/6498/stepproto1.jpg
http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/7711/pict0789w.jpg
http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/646/hsoptos.png
Parallel Port Buffer (there is a 25 pin D connector hanging off the board now):
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/4185/ppbbpic1.jpg
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/1819/ppbb4sch.png
Something tells me I'll be focused on this project for a while.
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
I am speechless at how amazing this stuff is, you seem to like your servo motors and i have one that i dont know how to use, you want it?