Cool Tools Bench Awards 2018

This is my desk.

Of course, sometimes you just need to take a refreshing break from all that hard bench work and look around the rolling man cave! Maybe enjoy a refreshing Nuka Cola and friendly affirmation!

(Don't ask me why I posted this. Tension breaker...had to be done...)

Mark:

Here is a little more detail on the Tool Caddy.

It is approximately7"W x 5-1/2"D x 5-1/4"H.  Not counting the granite sample.  A chunk of anything will give it some mass and keep it from moving around on its own.

I made it by combining (3) tool holders - screwdrivers, thin bits (scales and gauges) and roundish items.  This forms the center divider.  The pliers holder is pretty simple - just needs a dowel or some other 'beam'.

You just need to decide which tools should make up the 'everyday' carry, for the bench top.  Lay them out to get the overall dimension and spacing.  I use a cheap plastic hole gauge Then start drilling and mounting.

For the spacers, I used thin MDF or fiberboard.  Easy enough to cut if you have a cross-cut jig.  Otherwise - use a small saw (for safety).

Be sure to use a drill press and a clamp to hold the work.  Otherwise, you are going to have a miserable time.

The most important use, for the various rulers, is to remind me of the pitch for some SMD - and curtail my ambitions!  But also helpful to select through holes for various devices in the salvage box.

The holes for the other tools are not uniform so I lay these out by eye.

The scales are sandwiched between the misc. tools and screwdrivers.

From left to right:

     - non conductive probe

     - x-acto knife

     - spluger (to separate phone cases and similar)

     - small utility knife (not shown here)

     - standard and Phillips screwdriver (I've had it forever)

     - small metal file

If everything has a place... you can, at least, set aside a Friday afternoon to clean everything up! ;-)

Hi Donald,

I am very glad I asked as I would never have guessed. For my sake it isn't necessary to go into any more detail as I don't have any application but is nice to know that such instrumentation exists. Thanks again for bringing a window on your specialty to the forum. There have been several times recently where your expertise has helped answer a question that I was just guessing at.

John

Hello John,

The large piece of test apparatus is an Omicron CMC356 Secondary Current Injection Test Set (SCITS).

This particular model has 4 voltage output channels at 0V to 300V, DC to 1kHz AC in the top left corner. Three of the channels can be configured to give a 3 phase + neutral output, or can be combined to give a 0V to 600V output. These are used to test synchronisers, power and impedance protection relays.

Below the voltage outputs are two sets of 3 phase + neutral current outputs. Each current channel can output 0 to 32A, DC to 1kHz AC. These can be reconfigured to give a maximum 128A single phase output. These are for testing standard over current relays along the more specialised differential relays and generator protection relays.

The larger round connector to the right of the current outputs is a standard speaker connector that has 3 x 300V and 3 x 25A output channels.

Next to the voltage outputs is a specific DC output channel, 0V to 240V, to provide power for electronic relays being bench tested.

The remaining sockets are a variety of digital input and output channels used for catching signals from the relays for recording trip times to simulating inputs into the relays for breaker operation schemes.

I could create a more detailed blog on it if there is some interest.

Kind regards

Wow - that's a really nice work table and surface!!

I was thinking exactly the same thing.

I might need to replicate that ...

Mark

Great setup.

I like the tool caddy. My bench in the garage has them in a small bucket and it really doesn't work.

Every time I use them I think I should resolve it, and many years later, it's still the same.

Your solution seems to be just what I need.

Thanks

Mark

Thanks Shabaz,

That unfortunately is my old workshop.  Two years ago we move to Texas to be with our grandkids.  Here I do not yet have a workshop (my wife really wanted to park the car inside here).  I am planning on building a new shop, but I have not yet come up with the right plan.  I really need to push a bit harder to get that moving.

Thanks!

Gene

Hi Gene,

Wow - that's a really nice work table and surface!! Your whole workshop looks great, a pleasure to work in I imagine.

I can really appreciate your organization, Michael, and it contrasts really well with the space you have. I think most people would allow their project space and equipment to overwhelm the area allocated to it because of the freedom, but you appear to have taken the time and trouble to blend your space in organization and atmosphere. Very nice.