Now that's what I call a workshop! I'm feeling green with envy. You are aware, I hope, that all that storage space will fill up long before you get everything you want, in place? It's a rule of the Universe that cannot be broken! Take care. Cheers, Norm.
Ha, ha! Thanks, Norman, but I am going to make efforts to ensure I do not get (too much) tool creep into the workshop, I like it nice and airy with some extra (unused) space on the shelves!
Congratulations Ralph. I’m so glad to see your efforts paying off and finally have your workshop in full swing. Great to have you back on the ’Tubes and looking forward to all the projects to come. I really enjoy seeing where your videos will be made and what your “Lab” situation is like. All the best mate. Mike V.
A few years ago we downsized and I don't have much room to work. I often get envious of some of those huge work spaces you see on TH-cam. But then I see videos like this and am reminded that with a bit of thought and efficiency, quite a lot can get done in a smaller space when you customize it to your needs. Looks great!
I'm just bemused that you still think this is a "smaller space" and not the size of barn! 🤣 I guess in the States it's all very different (unless you live in NY, NY where space is even more at a premium). Of course, those huge spaces you mention that we see in TH-cam are ridiculously large (and of which I'm jealous - but not of the heating bill in winter).
Hi Ralph, Good to have you back. Now that’s what I call a shed.... sorry workshop. That was a major project in it’s own right - never mind the house move. Good to see your Yorkie “helping out” during the fit-out. They are great companions. I hope we see him occasionally butting in like Bennie used to do. Looking forward to seeing the future videos - now we can picture you producing them. Regards, Colin.
Now that I take a step back, and look at it objectively, it certainly does seem like a big project. Regrettably, Dougle (the Yorkie) refused to help actually building it citing "no opposable thumbs" for holding things like a hammer. He won't even help much with the C++ as he's a Visual Basic (.NET) kind of dog. He's just being awkward, if you ask me.
When I had a similar-sized workshop in the garden (taxman took it all long ago) I had a similar 2kW convection heater. In winter I found my feet got cold and all the heat was up near the ceiling. Fixed it with a 4" PVC pipe from near ceiling to near floor with a computer fan mounted at the top. Would be too noisy to record a video, but as background noise I soon got used to it. Just an idea. Great workshop, BTW, 10/10 gold star.
Funny you should say that. Although the floor is well insulated (with that 100mm Celotex) the heat obviously rises. I did have a circulating fan in my last workshop that was speed controlled (due to the noise) and I'm thinking of what I could do here. Your recirculating idea has got me thinking. Thanks, John!
No time for mowing the lawn, that's for sure. But we do have many pots with flowers and bulbs which are easy to manage and look great. But that's where the "gardening" ends!
Me too!! We had stones (not as pretty as these) in our last place as we got sick of cutting the grass. Lesson learned and brought forward to our new place.
Very nice. Almost exactly like my setup, layout-wise, only I use my basement that was converted to an apartment by the previously owner. Use an esp32 and a few threaded rod stepper motors that trigger based on moisture || light and close the bin.
Nice job. I recommend you replace the heater with a small reversible heat pump (split air con) or you will cook in summer. Best thing I did in my den. Rubber roof - wonderful stuff 10 years on and no issues at all.
Thanks for the tips! I actually looked into air con (not heat pump, although that would be sensible to use the same device for cooling and heating) but the price was too much for me. This year, anyway!
I love it! Amazing. I'd be in there all day. I've got half a spare bedroom and a sturdy workbench piled with shelving, etc. You've got a proper office / facility there.
Half a spare bedroom is better than none, Gregory. It's how I started too. But you're right, I do now spend all day in here, much to the relief of my wife.
That man cave is a wooden beauty, Ralph! A really neat 'Lebkuchenhaus'. Btw.: For the containers I would suggest a Hall-Sensor indicator for the lids. For the heater a programmable temperature controller (DIY-project) across 24/7, since you might want to turn on the heater in the night if temperatures fall too low (e.g. less than 4° C).
That looks brilliant Ralph. I wish I was as tidy as you! I have a PIR controlled Relay that turns my bench power off if no movement detected after 1 hour.
Nice. I'm somewhat envious. I say "somewhat" because the thought of walking though three feet of snow at -20 degrees (C), out to a workshop, in order to turn on the heater, is a bit off-putting (shall we say ;) I am pleased that I have been able to claim 1/3 of our basement as a workshop (plus 1/4 of the attached garage for a few power tools). I do like the construction of your MC. It seems sturdy and sufficiently weather proof. Not to mention, nicely laid out. The one thing that does bother (maybe (again) because of our winter) are the outdoor storage bins for tools and parts. I believe that someone has already suggested the building an over-hanging roof to protect them from the rain. My first thought was that a "pantry" addition to the back would have been nice (at additional cost, of course). All in all... very nice. Congrats!
Luckily, the last time we had 3 ft of snow in the UK was in 1964, I believe! But I also would like the heater control to be controllable via a phone app (or something) so that I can turn it on at 6am ready for me at 7am. But not on a timer, as I might now go into the workshop that morning.
Looks like you have a lot of good stuff in the bins. I like to keep what I have in the open and accessible because if I don't I'll forget I have it, lol.
Looks the business Ralph, I converted my garage to a Electronic Hobbyist workshop a year or so ago and believed it to be everything that I needed but within a few months I found i had little space for everything I wanted to put in :-) yours however looks very well thought out and of a good size. I have sensors (dopler) that sense my presence and turn lights and heating off if I leave the room for longer than 5 minutes and on when I return, the temperature is controlled via an esp8266 which is programmable for both Target and Minimum temperature and works well. A lot may I add with thanks to you....
If we had unlimited money, I wonder how big a workshop we would design before we said "I have too much storage space"? If you have ever watched the TV series "Warehouse 13" that might be what we end up with. th-cam.com/video/3LSmZ9JwT8A/w-d-xo.html
Thank for the tour, Ralph. I do have a workshop and a office/tea garden. My workshop is connected with the bungalow, and is longer than yours, one thing in mind I am in a wheelchair for easy access. I guess the cost is in a deluxe type of shed? Solar panel is a must.
Raw materials alone cost about £5K so you can work out the rest. So expensive but I hope to be in _this_ workshop for a long, long time. Solar panels are _expensive_ and I'm not sure what I could use the power for. The only real power I use is the heater (in the colder months, so 11 months of the year in the UK). Any pointers on solar panels?
For the bins, I'd probably go with door/window sensors (or reed switches) and wire them up to a buzzer. Either immediate nagging noise or maybe after 5 minutes... or start texting yourself if you left them open. For the heater, I would probably go with a little more automation than just the main switch. Maybe take the jump to homeassistant and use a combination of the main power and the temperature in the room to make the decision. This would let you preheat on days where it's colder to have a nice temperature when you start in the morning.
Sounds good about the heater, still considering what to do. As it's summer right now it's not being used so I have a month or two to think about it. Regarding the bins, I have a solution, coming soon!
as an industrial sparkie I have learnt the hard way never store tools in a container with a sealed bottom like the plastic tubs ....drill some small drain holes in the bottom ..even the van vaults with no drain holes will kill you're tools ....also from experience I know those those ketter or 'copy' plastic outside stores don't last long compared to a proper built structure and are a damp magnet (can you tell I'm not a fan of those plastic eyesores) ..you could have built a small 'shed' in the space they take up for similar or most likely less cost .. even the small steel 'sheds' (not my personal choice but I get asked to put them together when I'm installing garden power) are often cheaper and will last many times longer...all that said its great to see you up and running again , I do really love you're vid's
The Keter garden bins came with us (repurposed, they were for garden use, originally). Waste not, want not! Yes, drain holes are definitely on my list of things to do. As long as I shut the lids, I have found otherwise that things stay dry, no condensation and give me much needed room in my workshop. If I hadn't had the Keter bins I would have constructed a small outside store as you suggest though. And maybe one day in the future, who knows?
I'm hoping it will even make your Dad jealous! Then again, my brother was never one for neatness (sorry, Colin, you know it's true) so this is far too organised for him! 🤣
@@RalphBacon I was about to say that your shed is a lot tidier by default, but you gotta give colin credit for the large space and wide variety of tools that he has! :D (have you actually ever seen the lab+workshop he built? it's pretty rad!)
build a swing up cover over the outdoor bins. as far as the heater don't turn it off, adjust the temperature lower. add a remote so you can turn on from your cozy bed before you go out. or make a phone app and see shop temperature as well. I'm using esp32 with bme280 to chart t/h/pr to a webpage every 15 minutes.
Nice cave! Thank you for the tour. I trust you do not get any ice accumulation on the roof in winter. At least I hope not, with a flat roof. Enjoy your new abode.
Not ice, but if we get snow it will get stuck up there. Hence the 22mm plywood roof, with 150mm roof rafters, should take some weight before crushing me to death. If we do get lots of snow I shall have to get the broom and sweep it off, I guess.
I'm amazed at the number of viewers who spotted the bottle opener. Says something about us. But the fridge is just a short walk away so that's where the beers 🍺 are 🍺🍺
Great setup Ralph. Looking forward to following many projects from your new "headquarters". I too will be moving to a new location, hopefully this year. I will be seriously downsizing from 2 -60'x40' buildings to a 24'x24'. For the past 50 years I have always increased sizes with several additions and rebuilds. This will be the hardest thing to weed out my 50+ year hoard. It was a lot more fun acquiring stuff than getting rid of it! Time to let go and move on.
We did three sweeps of our previous house (before we moved), starting with a large skip, then a medium skip and finally ending up with two further car trips to the "recycling" centre. The amount we discarded after 30+ years in the same house beggars belief. Oh, and when we moved in here, I hired a container storage unit for 3 months and eventually had another car load going to the recycling centre. Absolutely ridiculous! So, I can empathise, and wish you the best of luck.
Nice Man Cave :-) Mines' called 'Wheelbarrow' because I got to call it's name (picked a random word!) What you're missing is a beer fridge (but not full of American Bud!). Get rid of the heater, the fridge will do the job!
Great to see your new shop, a bit too tidy though, but no doubt your new projects will soon cover the desk space with pcbs that have wires hanging out all over the place. :-). I did have an outside bin such as yours in just a bit more space twixt house wall and tall hedge, about a 3 metre span. One of those hurricane type storms a few years back completely tore it apart. Fortunately no electronics where stored in there but the an outside chair got all bent.
Nice job with the shop (cave)! For the storage- How about some tilt switches, a rain sensor and a wireless to send data to an indoor receiver display/monitor and alarm. You might be able to solar power the whole thing with your power saving "sleep" circuits. You could enhance it a bit and make a weather monitor with special bin status skills. I guess you could go anywhere from sublime to ridiculous.
I like it! A rain sensor (with heated sensor) is something I've been meaning to make for _ages_ so it might be back on the agenda soon. But a "lid open" warning sensor is something I definitely need, since after recording that video, guess what I didn't do? Thankfully it didn't rain that night.
You could also use an ESP32Cam module on the back of the shed to watch de lids of the bins. I think with some onboard code can identify the difference between open and closed lids and initiate some signaling if open too long.
I did initially think of an ESP8266 but now I'm thinking of an Arduino/nRF24L01 with severe sleep mode. But it's just an idea right now. I do have an ESP32Cam module doing nothing though, so I will see how easy it is to do this!
Looks like you put a lot of thought into making a nice work space man cave for yourself. Glad you're back, can't wait to see some of your embellishments and automation.
So awesome Ralph! The whole building is looking so great and the inside is so well planned with so much extra space when you grow into it more. I love the overhang on the front and the stuff on the back of the building (ladders and that). I think you've done an absolute fantastic job with that man cave and I'm sure you're going to enjoy every single minute you ever spend in there! Yeah, I believe I'm a little bit jealous also 😁 Really fun to watch, thanks for the tour!
Don't be jealous, Chris, It's just a shed. Oh, OK, a bit more than a shed, a workshop. Well, perhaps man-cave is an even better description. Yes, it is pretty good but I've done nothing other than work ON it that I've barely had time to actually sit down and enjoy it. That started after I did the video with a beer. OK, you can be a little bit jealous now!
The bins might need rasing off the ground a little - bricks and bearers perhaps - to keep them above the splash zone when it's raining. The other problem might be condensation/moisture in the winter. The front seems to be two doors too, which is another place that might be a problem with moisture. I'm sure that you have thought about all this, but just saying. Nice to see you back.
Yes, Ian, I had considered all that, and not forgetting that I used one of those bins for my electrical (not electronics) stuff for about a year before I moved to test it all out. Result: no moisture, no damp, no mould, everything perfectly dry. Just the odd spider. Hence the decision to use all three bins (that we were otherwise going to be discarded as part of the house move). The bins have bases integral to the design so they are protected from ground water and they are sitting on 100mm of gravel (French drain) so no splashing (just like my workshop). Thanks for your comments, shows you were paying attention! Good to hear from you.
I'm a big fan of those metal clad double sockets. Something about them that gives confidence in plugging stuff in and out. Probably just because they look and feel more robust than the all plastic type. I have many of them distributed around my own lab. Did you consider/rule out bench top dado trunking i.e. with multi compartment for power and data?
In a workshop environment I thought that the metal sockets with the surface mount conduit would go together well, and they did. But it certainly cost a bit. And I'd never use 2.5mm twin & earth in conduit again, always singles! Yes, dado trunking was far too much faffing for me, and I mainly need power plus USB connectivity so this works well (so far).
Very interesting and a great setup ... I have most of material to build my Model Railway Shed which will be 5 mtrs x 3.5 mtrs.. im using some Pallets I got free for the base they are plywood type which were used to deliver tables and chairs to a Large Hotel in Bolton (Holiday Inn), and with a waterproof membrane on top of them, then studwork for a frame from B & Q like yours ... some 18mm OSB which I have to collect from a local farmer again free and plasterboards from B & Q for internal like yours, insulation I have loads of spare loft insulation... roof I got some 12mm OSB from B & Q ... I have to demolish an old shed to get the outer cladding and some of the 2 x 1 timber , plus a shed that I demolished at my daughters more cladding... but unfortunatelly all on hold as I got a slipped disk ... you may call it a pain in the Bum ...LOL also been working on a sketch for a Mimic panel and had an issue with a switch case finally found i'd missed a curly bracket off after a break ... 2 days wasted ...LOL
Sounds like you will be very busy with your new shed, slipped disk permitting, John. Well you have all of "summer" (if we ever get one). Fancy missing a curly bracket, my workshop has many, I could lend you one. Oh, I see what you mean!
@@RalphBacon route8_state = Idle; } } break; // *********** Block 9 Shunt Loop from Sensor 6 to Track 1 ************************ switch (route9_state) { it was the curly after the break missing so overflowing into Block 9 .... not sure when shed will go up as my right leg is bloody painful waiting for Back specialist ... also trying IDE 2
Hi Ralph, well my shed is starting to take shape, a comment I got off another forum was it will rot, well i'm nearly 74 so not in my lifetime but then got me thinking about a moisture sensor across the Pallet strips so as I have got most of the bits I will get 3 soil sensors and make a sketch up ... may be worth a project on your channel if you not already done, i'll put some pictures on my facebook if you can check me out LOL ...Regards John
I can't help thinking that it would be much easier to integrate your heater control, bin lid alerts etc if each device used MQTT and talked to a device running Node-Red. You can then define your logic within Node-Red and simply tweak it without having to re-flash the code on your devices if you want to make minor changes. It would also be easier to add-in additional sensors to monitor temperature and humidity within the workshop, and override the basic timer logic for your heaters. This is how I've built my home automation systems for my home and holiday home and it works really well.
Well, "easier" is a relative term but I agree that if I already had a simple MQTT/Node-Red system up and running it would be easy to add stuff to it. I wanted to do just this in my last workshop but never found the time (it's not exactly a two minute project, from scratch). But it's still on my list of interesting things to do, so you never know.
Suggestion - why not have a raspberry pi set up with node red or something similar set up to control everything, you could add the heaters on there, manual/auto override, set the temperature, your remote sensors for the bins out the back etc. Maybe a small display on the wall that shows everything you need it to. I actually have node red set up for a few devices that control an outside lights module for floods and rgb strips, another for outside temp and humidity and a esp32 camera, all fed from my 12v solar system. I even have it set up on my home-screen of my phone to allow easy access to turn on the outside lights from inside my house to let the dog out!
Perhaps you need to set up a battery powered ESP 8266 sensor on the bins behind the shed that will display illuminated LED’s regarding the status of the bin lids. Use red and green like a submarine uses for its hatches, red open and green closed.
I'm sort of on the same lines, Bruce, but I'm now thinking Arduino with nRF24L01 - very reliable and can go to sleep with pretty much zero current. Red & green, deffo.
Congratulations Ralph. I'm sure it feels great to be back in operations. Enjoy!Why not put a pull rope on your bins and make it Dougle's job to make sure they're down when he's on patrol. Can earn his keep :-)
Thank you for this. When they built your Man Cave, they should have also pulled fiber optic cable. If you don't need it immediately, you can leave it dark. Did you put fiber optic drops in the walls? What about gigabit Ethernet wiring? You did not mention a surge protector or backup power. What about an air exchange? Especially when soldering you will want fresh air. Yes, the door can be opened but that is not always a good idea in certain weather conditions. Is the carpeting anti-static? Did you consider acoustic sound deadening ceiling tiles?
Wow! Lots of questions, here's come the answers: 1. I used Cat-7 ethernet cable to the workshop. My router is in the attic (in the house). That should be good enough for many 100Mb/s if I ever get offered fibre to the premises. It's the upload speed that is important to me. 2. A couple of my 6-way extension sockets under the computer workbench have built in surge protection but that's it. 3. No air exchange, but my windows can open and will be protected from rain due to the overhand. We'll see how that goes. As simple extractor fan would be easy enough to install, should I need it. 4. Carpet is not anti-static, I use the curly wrist earthing strap when I need to. Not often. 5. No sound deadening ceiling tiles, but I'm wondering what for? It does have 100mm of insulation foam board up there behind the plasterboard and in front of the ply with 100mm air gap (aka cold roof). Pretty quiet in here, unless I open the door/windows and a plane flies past (or a sheep baas!). Comments?
@@RalphBacon You could have a problem with floating ground since you are connecting the house with the Man Cave via the copper in the CAT-7 wire. We used to run into that problem when I worked for a system integration company in the '90s and were linking buildings on a corporate campus or military base. Back then we used an opto isolator. I assume they are still made but now for CAT-7. Or you could pull fiber from the house to the Man Cave which would also solve the issue. The sound deadening tiles in the ceiling would be for better audio for your videos.
Thanks so much for the tour Ralph. I really enjoy your channel. Your workshop is wonderful. One thing that I didn't understand is why you keep your spares/extra parts outside of your workshop? I live in Canada (land of the Ice and Snow) so keeping anything outside means that it is inaccessible between November and March. Was there a reason you couldn't make your workshop bigger and bring your parts inside out of the weather? Also, as others have said, Welcome Back :-)
Good question! My workshop is already quite a bit bigger than the previous one, and I had made the decision even before I moved that my workshop was going to be more like an electronics lab rather than somewhere where wood would be cut. Of course, I wish I had a huge workshop with a partition for the "messy" stuff but I don't have enough money for that!
How about when you shut off the main power to the equipment you could have the heater keeping the heat to say 10 deg C to keep it frost free, looking after your equipment/gear. So the heater could be controlled by a separate thermostat when your power is off. Thanks for the video.
@@pileofstuff I saw that opener when you panned by. Handy. I'm sure you could put one of those college size refridgeraters under a bench if you need a cold one in the heat of summer. ;)
For the bins it maybe better to have a high cover and a plastic drop down sheet, but it will not help with condensation overnight not sure the buns are the best bet a small tool shed and get rid of the bins maybe better:-)
Sorry Ralph, but it's time for some tough love. If you have to store rain-sensitive stuff outside, the man cave is too small ...but you have decked out the inside very impressively.
Well, I made the decision to only have stuff _inside_ the workshop that was Arduino-related or that I use frequently, such as my Makita hand tools. But club hammers and circular saws are only used very occasionally, and then only for specific jobs, so they are definitely staying outside. Also, crates of electrical 13A sockets and wires have no place in my day-to-day running of electronic projects so they can stay in the bins too. I did this for a year in my old place and there was no damp, condensation or mould so I'm pretty confident that it will be fine (especially once I get the crates organised properly). I'm glad you like the inside though!
Good grief, no, that was never on the agenda and even if I had bought a bungalow with another bedroom I'd never use it as a man-cave. This my MY domain, where I can do what I want, when I want. I'd never be able to do that inside the house (which is where I started my TH-cam journey a few years back but quickly outgrew that room).
Thanks, Rob. I appreciate my new man cave every day I use it. Good size (but not huge like some I've seen in America, so easy to heat) and many workbenches!
Hi Ralph, I know this is heading for two years ago but, i'm thinking of building a new workshop and i'd like to know how you are getting on with yours, anything that you wish you had or hadn't done? And the ever testing question.... Is it big enough? many thanks and sorry for revising this old thread!
Dave, my workshop is about 5m x 3.5m which for a non-woodworking workshop is a decent size. I wish it were bigger so the DIY bit of it didn't spew all the sawdust over the rest of the room! It's insulated like a house (100mm insulation batts in the wall, floor and ceiling) and the wall are both lined with 12mm plywood then plasterboard (and skimmed). Very warm and efficient to heat. I wish I had installed air-con from day one. I'm still considering it. Last year I could not use my workshop for a few days during the 40ºC heatwave the UK had. Storage! Never enough. I have 3 outdoor storage containers (Keter, plastic) but it is a pain having to go out there and the condensation in the winter is ridiculous. A larger workshop would have enabled better indoor storage. You can email me for more details (and pics) if you want!
WOW. I had no idea how big of a project you had in mind. Looks great. Your wife will never see you anymore. I saw the bottle opener, where is the fridge with the bottles????????????
Actually I think that's my wife's hope! Keep me out of the house and causing mess! Dougle would miss me though. And I have to go into the house to get the beer out of the fridge there.
I think lots of viewers have this misunderstanding. All electronic modules go into the orange bins inside my workshop. Resistors, capacitors, transistors all inside too. Outside is currently very little, stuff I don't use much, so tools, cables and the like. It remains to be seen what eventually stays out there! As if!
Hi Ralph. Thanks for your videos, so much appreciated. Your workshop is so like mine but unlike mine, so very tidy! A quick question. I use jlpcb a lot and I like the idea of trying out 3D printing. What software would be easy to learn and preferably free ? Also what file formats are acceptable. Thanks so much. Bob Clarkson
Not so tidy any more, Bob! It's been about a year now and there are so many components and bits of equipment... but at least it is organised. 3D printing software? I was recommended to use the free course from Autodesk Fusion 360 but it's a steep learning curve. The starting place for a "personal, not for commercial use" licence is here: help.autodesk.com/view/fusion360/ENU/courses/#fusion-360-academy It reminds me only too well of PCB design which took me a good year to learn well enough to produce PCBs that were acceptable (and I'm _still_ learning). I just need more time!
Oh, that's amazing Ralph. I'm quite jealous. Looks like you've done a really good job with it, learning everything from Workshop v1 and taking it to the new one! I still think that nRF24L01 sensor networks are the way forward and have an idea about your heater on/off problem. You could use a CT clamp to detect current going through the switched circuit and then set up something to turn off the heater when low usage is detected. You also have the added benefit that you could see how much power usage your switched circuit is using and you wouldn't have to cut into an AC wire. Anyway, I'll leave it for now while I patiently wait for your reply to my email (maybe it went to spam again :[ ) :P
No static issues that I can detect, but I use a wrist strap when I touch components, mostly. And the humidity is usually quite high, 40-50%. Now, that 3D printer, hmm, I wonder?
3D printer is on my list of things to now look at (I now have the space, and easy to install some ventilation for it). But a simple thermostat, timeclock etc (the heater has all that already) is just not Arduino enough for me! I just know I will leave it on 22ºC overnight. A programmable thermostat would be a step forward but, once again, not really Home Automation enough!
Hey Brian, nice to see you here. That shelf under the window outside my workshop is where I put my coffee or food as I unlock the door. That way, I don't end up wearing my food & drink! Stainless steel, foldable hinges, so no rust and I can fold the shelf down as needed. Very useful.
There is just something about you brits and your sheds. A "small" space can be much more cozy and everything is reasonably within reach. "MANCAVE" you call it but where is the naughty callender or the pool table and the draft beer plant. 😂 I just don't understand why you didn't build it a bit bigger to house the 3 bins or at least extended the ruff out above them.🤦♂️ Of course there is a room for the the/coffee bar. Good to hear that you are allowed in the kitchen. 🤣 Your helper still have a lot to learn, leaving the bin open, bad boy. He could, at least, have told you or didn't you listen.🤔
I wouldn't say I'm "allowed" in the kitchen, Flemming, I just sneak in to get a beer now and then! And Dougle is worse than useless; not only did he not tell me about the open lid, he doesn't even know C++. I was so spoiled with Benny's mentoring.
When, and if, I get a 3D printer, I think there is room in the corner of the soldering desk. But I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Still so much to do! But I shall certainly talk to you if I decide to get one, no worries.
Why don't you have a roof over the bins, you don't need walls just posts. Also humidity is a concern storing electronics outdoors even if weather protected. This leads to corrosion very easily, you need some sort of airtight seals on the bins as well as a roof.
Roof is a good idea but it's a wide length, the wind would rip it off in a heartbeat unless it were secured very firmly to the floor via posts. Too big a project for right now. I used one bin in my previous place for electricals and they all survived the winter very well. We shall have to monitor.
@@RalphBacon cement post holders in when you're ready Can even be two roofs beside each other to reduce the footprint. Maybe you could put an Arduino sensor in the bin to monitor humidity to see if electronic components and modules are at risk. When you eventually put a secure roof over the bins that roof and the shed roof would be ideal for solar panels.
Hehe, went down to 0. You mean 0C? You do know that many of us yanks wear shorts and t-shirts in 32F weather, right? It commonly drops to -20F :) Great video and some really good ideas, even for a small room in a basement.
Yup, 0ºC which is when water freezes. Only _real men_ would wear shorts and a T-Shirt in such weather. Oh, I guess that all you "yanks" then 😅 Glad there were some good ideas even for a basement conversion - but basements get flooded as my brother can testify, as he has a few feet of water in his basement after the floods in Europe - and not clean swimming pool water, but muddy, stinky water with who-knows-what in it. I guess he might need a few new tools. 😬
Not as such. When the occasion arises (that is, I'm dealing with ESD-sensitive components, even MOSFETs) I use a blue wristband connected to GND on my 'scope. At other times I try not to put my fat fingers all over the components but most components I use are not affected by ESD, especially if built into a 'dev module' of some kind.
I thought the heater was overkill for a small building like this, a 200-400W should be plenty IF you have a really efficient heater, and don't open doors for no reason, I used to heat my flat with an Intel Pentium 4 CPU! Was always too hot even in the winter.
I brought this from my previous workshop. I have to admit it probably is a bit powerful but that does mean it heats up the workshop quickly and then cuts out and stays mostly switched off (using its in-built, rubbish thermostat).
@@RalphBacon fair enough, wasn't complaining, I just thought it would be a bit inefficient, and you'll get too toasty, and grab a drink 😉 to cool off. Then you'll never get anything done.
Now that's what I call a workshop! I'm feeling green with envy.
You are aware, I hope, that all that storage space will fill up long before you get everything you want, in place? It's a rule of the Universe that cannot be broken!
Take care.
Cheers,
Norm.
Ha, ha! Thanks, Norman, but I am going to make efforts to ensure I do not get (too much) tool creep into the workshop, I like it nice and airy with some extra (unused) space on the shelves!
Congratulations Ralph. I’m so glad to see your efforts paying off and finally have your workshop in full swing. Great to have you back on the ’Tubes and looking forward to all the projects to come. I really enjoy seeing where your videos will be made and what your “Lab” situation is like. All the best mate. Mike V.
Awesome, thank you! I wouldn't say I'm in "full swing" just yet (still many things to do) but I'm definitely on the way.
A few years ago we downsized and I don't have much room to work. I often get envious of some of those huge work spaces you see on TH-cam. But then I see videos like this and am reminded that with a bit of thought and efficiency, quite a lot can get done in a smaller space when you customize it to your needs. Looks great!
I'm just bemused that you still think this is a "smaller space" and not the size of barn! 🤣 I guess in the States it's all very different (unless you live in NY, NY where space is even more at a premium). Of course, those huge spaces you mention that we see in TH-cam are ridiculously large (and of which I'm jealous - but not of the heating bill in winter).
Hi Ralph,
Good to have you back. Now that’s what I call a shed.... sorry workshop. That was a major project in it’s own right - never mind the house move.
Good to see your Yorkie “helping out” during the fit-out. They are great companions. I hope we see him occasionally butting in like Bennie used to do.
Looking forward to seeing the future videos - now we can picture you producing them.
Regards,
Colin.
Now that I take a step back, and look at it objectively, it certainly does seem like a big project.
Regrettably, Dougle (the Yorkie) refused to help actually building it citing "no opposable thumbs" for holding things like a hammer. He won't even help much with the C++ as he's a Visual Basic (.NET) kind of dog. He's just being awkward, if you ask me.
When I had a similar-sized workshop in the garden (taxman took it all long ago) I had a similar 2kW convection heater. In winter I found my feet got cold and all the heat was up near the ceiling. Fixed it with a 4" PVC pipe from near ceiling to near floor with a computer fan mounted at the top. Would be too noisy to record a video, but as background noise I soon got used to it. Just an idea. Great workshop, BTW, 10/10 gold star.
Funny you should say that. Although the floor is well insulated (with that 100mm Celotex) the heat obviously rises. I did have a circulating fan in my last workshop that was speed controlled (due to the noise) and I'm thinking of what I could do here. Your recirculating idea has got me thinking. Thanks, John!
I notice that you are a keen gardener 😂
No time for mowing the lawn, that's for sure. But we do have many pots with flowers and bulbs which are easy to manage and look great. But that's where the "gardening" ends!
@@RalphBacon At least dye the gravel green. Just tell folks you live in Arizona USA. Nothing is green there. LOL.
Very nice and well thought out. Congratulations Ralph
Thank you! Cheers!
Thanks for that entertaining video Ralph, it looks like your new space is going to give you a lot of pleasure, enjoy it.
Hope so! Let's hope my projects can justify this escape room, er, workshop space.
Love your backyard.
I too love cutting the grass!
A job, done well, need not be done twice.
Me too!! We had stones (not as pretty as these) in our last place as we got sick of cutting the grass. Lesson learned and brought forward to our new place.
@@RalphBacon guess you guys are not married to a farmer's daughter :)
Very nice. Almost exactly like my setup, layout-wise, only I use my basement that was converted to an apartment by the previously owner. Use an esp32 and a few threaded rod stepper motors that trigger based on moisture || light and close the bin.
I like the stepper motor idea with threaded rod. All these ideas!
Nice job. I recommend you replace the heater with a small reversible heat pump (split air con) or you will cook in summer. Best thing I did in my den. Rubber roof - wonderful stuff 10 years on and no issues at all.
Thanks for the tips! I actually looked into air con (not heat pump, although that would be sensible to use the same device for cooling and heating) but the price was too much for me. This year, anyway!
I love it! Amazing. I'd be in there all day. I've got half a spare bedroom and a sturdy workbench piled with shelving, etc. You've got a proper office / facility there.
Half a spare bedroom is better than none, Gregory. It's how I started too. But you're right, I do now spend all day in here, much to the relief of my wife.
Triggers a lot of ideas for the new workshop I am creating. Thanks a lot, Ralph!
Wonderful! I watched a dozen workshop videos that helped me design this one.
That man cave is a wooden beauty, Ralph! A really neat 'Lebkuchenhaus'.
Btw.: For the containers I would suggest a Hall-Sensor indicator for the lids. For the heater a programmable temperature controller (DIY-project) across 24/7, since you might want to turn on the heater in the night if temperatures fall too low (e.g. less than 4° C).
Great suggestion! I'll add it to the list, Sebastian.
Great workshop tour Ralph. Looking forward to following along with your many interesting project videos.
More to come! Thanks, Cole.
cot, coffee pot, refrigerator, and a hot plate, you wont even need the house
really nice!
Have you been talking to my wife again, Patrick?
The ultimate man cave! I love it!. Can't wait to see what you come up with in there.
PS: Your videos were sorely missed for the last 4 1/2 months.
Thanks a bunch! Has it been that long? Gosh! It has. Let that be a lesson to others who think you can move house in a couple of weeks!
What a great setup, Ralph. Wishing you many years of FUN in your man cave.
Thank you kindly. I'm already enjoying it. 🍺
That looks brilliant Ralph. I wish I was as tidy as you! I have a PIR controlled Relay that turns my bench power off if no movement detected after 1 hour.
It won't stay that way for long. Well, I hope it does, but...
Nice. I'm somewhat envious. I say "somewhat" because the thought of walking though three feet of snow at -20 degrees (C), out to a workshop, in order to turn on the heater, is a bit off-putting (shall we say ;) I am pleased that I have been able to claim 1/3 of our basement as a workshop (plus 1/4 of the attached garage for a few power tools). I do like the construction of your MC. It seems sturdy and sufficiently weather proof. Not to mention, nicely laid out. The one thing that does bother (maybe (again) because of our winter) are the outdoor storage bins for tools and parts. I believe that someone has already suggested the building an over-hanging roof to protect them from the rain. My first thought was that a "pantry" addition to the back would have been nice (at additional cost, of course).
All in all... very nice. Congrats!
Luckily, the last time we had 3 ft of snow in the UK was in 1964, I believe! But I also would like the heater control to be controllable via a phone app (or something) so that I can turn it on at 6am ready for me at 7am. But not on a timer, as I might now go into the workshop that morning.
Looks like you have a lot of good stuff in the bins. I like to keep what I have in the open and accessible because if I don't I'll forget I have it, lol.
I forget stuff all the time but I will label the bins once I have it organised. If we ever get a summer and dry weather, that is.
Looks the business Ralph, I converted my garage to a Electronic Hobbyist workshop a year or so ago and believed it to be everything that I needed but within a few months I found i had little space for everything I wanted to put in :-) yours however looks very well thought out and of a good size. I have sensors (dopler) that sense my presence and turn lights and heating off if I leave the room for longer than 5 minutes and on when I return, the temperature is controlled via an esp8266 which is programmable for both Target and Minimum temperature and works well. A lot may I add with thanks to you....
If we had unlimited money, I wonder how big a workshop we would design before we said "I have too much storage space"? If you have ever watched the TV series "Warehouse 13" that might be what we end up with.
th-cam.com/video/3LSmZ9JwT8A/w-d-xo.html
@@RalphBacon Hahaha, Don't want anything that big I can't find things now.
Thanks for the tour of the man cave! I like the bottle opener. Probably the most useful tool?
I think so too! The most used one, anyway. so many viewers spotted it. I was oblivious to the fact I had recorded it.
Thank for the tour, Ralph. I do have a workshop and a office/tea garden. My workshop is connected with the bungalow, and is longer than yours, one thing in mind I am in a wheelchair for easy access. I guess the cost is in a deluxe type of shed? Solar panel is a must.
Raw materials alone cost about £5K so you can work out the rest. So expensive but I hope to be in _this_ workshop for a long, long time.
Solar panels are _expensive_ and I'm not sure what I could use the power for. The only real power I use is the heater (in the colder months, so 11 months of the year in the UK). Any pointers on solar panels?
For the bins, I'd probably go with door/window sensors (or reed switches) and wire them up to a buzzer. Either immediate nagging noise or maybe after 5 minutes... or start texting yourself if you left them open.
For the heater, I would probably go with a little more automation than just the main switch. Maybe take the jump to homeassistant and use a combination of the main power and the temperature in the room to make the decision. This would let you preheat on days where it's colder to have a nice temperature when you start in the morning.
Sounds good about the heater, still considering what to do. As it's summer right now it's not being used so I have a month or two to think about it. Regarding the bins, I have a solution, coming soon!
as an industrial sparkie I have learnt the hard way never store tools in a container with a sealed bottom like the plastic tubs ....drill some small drain holes in the bottom ..even the van vaults with no drain holes will kill you're tools ....also from experience I know those those ketter or 'copy' plastic outside stores don't last long compared to a proper built structure and are a damp magnet (can you tell I'm not a fan of those plastic eyesores) ..you could have built a small 'shed' in the space they take up for similar or most likely less cost .. even the small steel 'sheds' (not my personal choice but I get asked to put them together when I'm installing garden power) are often cheaper and will last many times longer...all that said its great to see you up and running again , I do really love you're vid's
The Keter garden bins came with us (repurposed, they were for garden use, originally). Waste not, want not!
Yes, drain holes are definitely on my list of things to do. As long as I shut the lids, I have found otherwise that things stay dry, no condensation and give me much needed room in my workshop. If I hadn't had the Keter bins I would have constructed a small outside store as you suggest though. And maybe one day in the future, who knows?
Turned out great Ralph!
I'm hoping it will even make your Dad jealous! Then again, my brother was never one for neatness (sorry, Colin, you know it's true) so this is far too organised for him! 🤣
@@RalphBacon I was about to say that your shed is a lot tidier by default, but you gotta give colin credit for the large space and wide variety of tools that he has! :D (have you actually ever seen the lab+workshop he built? it's pretty rad!)
build a swing up cover over the outdoor bins. as far as the heater don't turn it off, adjust the temperature lower. add a remote so you can turn on from your cozy bed before you go out. or make a phone app and see shop temperature as well. I'm using esp32 with bme280 to chart t/h/pr to a webpage every 15 minutes.
Thanks for the tips! Being able to turn the heater on remotely during the winter would be a nice feature.
Glad to have you back up and running. i noticed on the front of the DIY bench you have a device to open "liquid fortification" :)
Good call! Yes, the most important device in the workshop.
Nice cave! Thank you for the tour. I trust you do not get any ice accumulation on the roof in winter. At least I hope not, with a flat roof. Enjoy your new abode.
Not ice, but if we get snow it will get stuck up there. Hence the 22mm plywood roof, with 150mm roof rafters, should take some weight before crushing me to death. If we do get lots of snow I shall have to get the broom and sweep it off, I guess.
Please note the mounted bottle opener at 17:05. Indeed, a fully equipped workshop ! Now where is the refrigerator with the Newcastle ?
I'm amazed at the number of viewers who spotted the bottle opener. Says something about us. But the fridge is just a short walk away so that's where the beers 🍺 are 🍺🍺
Great setup Ralph. Looking forward to following many projects from your new "headquarters". I too will be moving to a new location, hopefully this year. I will be seriously downsizing from 2 -60'x40' buildings to a 24'x24'. For the past 50 years I have always increased sizes with several additions and rebuilds. This will be the hardest thing to weed out my 50+ year hoard. It was a lot more fun acquiring stuff than getting rid of it! Time to let go and move on.
We did three sweeps of our previous house (before we moved), starting with a large skip, then a medium skip and finally ending up with two further car trips to the "recycling" centre. The amount we discarded after 30+ years in the same house beggars belief.
Oh, and when we moved in here, I hired a container storage unit for 3 months and eventually had another car load going to the recycling centre. Absolutely ridiculous!
So, I can empathise, and wish you the best of luck.
Nice Man Cave :-) Mines' called 'Wheelbarrow' because I got to call it's name (picked a random word!)
What you're missing is a beer fridge (but not full of American Bud!). Get rid of the heater, the fridge will do the job!
I like it! I have room for a fridge...
Great to see your new shop, a bit too tidy though, but no doubt your new projects will soon cover the desk space with pcbs that have wires hanging out all over the place. :-). I did have an outside bin such as yours in just a bit more space twixt house wall and tall hedge, about a 3 metre span. One of those hurricane type storms a few years back completely tore it apart. Fortunately no electronics where stored in there but the an outside chair got all bent.
A cover over the bins, in fact, over the bins and the walkway would be ideal. I'll see how it goes.
Nice job with the shop (cave)!
For the storage-
How about some tilt switches, a rain sensor and a wireless to send data to an indoor receiver display/monitor and alarm. You might be able to solar power the whole thing with your power saving "sleep" circuits. You could enhance it a bit and make a weather monitor with special bin status skills. I guess you could go anywhere from sublime to ridiculous.
I like it! A rain sensor (with heated sensor) is something I've been meaning to make for _ages_ so it might be back on the agenda soon. But a "lid open" warning sensor is something I definitely need, since after recording that video, guess what I didn't do? Thankfully it didn't rain that night.
You could also use an ESP32Cam module on the back of the shed to watch de lids of the bins. I think with some onboard code can identify the difference between open and closed lids and initiate some signaling if open too long.
I did initially think of an ESP8266 but now I'm thinking of an Arduino/nRF24L01 with severe sleep mode. But it's just an idea right now. I do have an ESP32Cam module doing nothing though, so I will see how easy it is to do this!
I've been waiting for this for a long time! Thanks for showing us where the Arduino magic happens!
Black magic more like, Shakeel!
Great tour, really enjoyed seeing your workspace!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Looks like you put a lot of thought into making a nice work space man cave for yourself. Glad you're back, can't wait to see some of your embellishments and automation.
That's the plan!
So awesome Ralph! The whole building is looking so great and the inside is so well planned with so much extra space when you grow into it more. I love the overhang on the front and the stuff on the back of the building (ladders and that). I think you've done an absolute fantastic job with that man cave and I'm sure you're going to enjoy every single minute you ever spend in there! Yeah, I believe I'm a little bit jealous also 😁 Really fun to watch, thanks for the tour!
Don't be jealous, Chris, It's just a shed.
Oh, OK, a bit more than a shed, a workshop. Well, perhaps man-cave is an even better description. Yes, it is pretty good but I've done nothing other than work ON it that I've barely had time to actually sit down and enjoy it. That started after I did the video with a beer. OK, you can be a little bit jealous now!
@@RalphBacon Haha 😂 Thanks for the reply!
Seems like it's already full! Hope you use it well.
Full enough, hence the green storage bins (which need to be addressed urgently, once I have the lid alarm thing sorted).
The bins might need rasing off the ground a little - bricks and bearers perhaps - to keep them above the splash zone when it's raining. The other problem might be condensation/moisture in the winter. The front seems to be two doors too, which is another place that might be a problem with moisture.
I'm sure that you have thought about all this, but just saying. Nice to see you back.
Yes, Ian, I had considered all that, and not forgetting that I used one of those bins for my electrical (not electronics) stuff for about a year before I moved to test it all out.
Result: no moisture, no damp, no mould, everything perfectly dry. Just the odd spider. Hence the decision to use all three bins (that we were otherwise going to be discarded as part of the house move). The bins have bases integral to the design so they are protected from ground water and they are sitting on 100mm of gravel (French drain) so no splashing (just like my workshop).
Thanks for your comments, shows you were paying attention! Good to hear from you.
I am so glad to see you making videos again.
Glad you like them!
I'm a big fan of those metal clad double sockets. Something about them that gives confidence in plugging stuff in and out. Probably just because they look and feel more robust than the all plastic type. I have many of them distributed around my own lab. Did you consider/rule out bench top dado trunking i.e. with multi compartment for power and data?
In a workshop environment I thought that the metal sockets with the surface mount conduit would go together well, and they did. But it certainly cost a bit. And I'd never use 2.5mm twin & earth in conduit again, always singles!
Yes, dado trunking was far too much faffing for me, and I mainly need power plus USB connectivity so this works well (so far).
@@RalphBacon I know exactly what you mean regarding the twin & earth. Singles so much easier to pull (excuse the pun).
I didn't see the fridge, sink or cooker, ho ho. I have shocking shed envy.
My wife suggested I have a toilet out here and a bed too. Is she trying to tell me something? So rude.
Wow I commented on this long ago. I love the horizontal wood outer shell and the color
And 12 months after being applied that wood protection is still 100% good.
Very interesting and a great setup ... I have most of material to build my Model Railway Shed which will be 5 mtrs x 3.5 mtrs.. im using some Pallets I got free for the base they are plywood type which were used to deliver tables and chairs to a Large Hotel in Bolton (Holiday Inn), and with a waterproof membrane on top of them, then studwork for a frame from B & Q like yours ... some 18mm OSB which I have to collect from a local farmer again free and plasterboards from B & Q for internal like yours, insulation I have loads of spare loft insulation... roof I got some 12mm OSB from B & Q ... I have to demolish an old shed to get the outer cladding and some of the 2 x 1 timber , plus a shed that I demolished at my daughters more cladding... but unfortunatelly all on hold as I got a slipped disk ... you may call it a pain in the Bum ...LOL also been working on a sketch for a Mimic panel and had an issue with a switch case finally found i'd missed a curly bracket off after a break ... 2 days wasted ...LOL
Sounds like you will be very busy with your new shed, slipped disk permitting, John. Well you have all of "summer" (if we ever get one). Fancy missing a curly bracket, my workshop has many, I could lend you one. Oh, I see what you mean!
@@RalphBacon route8_state = Idle;
}
}
break;
// *********** Block 9 Shunt Loop from Sensor 6 to Track 1 ************************
switch (route9_state) {
it was the curly after the break missing so overflowing into Block 9 .... not sure when shed will go up as my right leg is bloody painful waiting for Back specialist ... also trying IDE 2
Hi Ralph, well my shed is starting to take shape, a comment I got off another forum was it will rot, well i'm nearly 74 so not in my lifetime but then got me thinking about a moisture sensor across the Pallet strips so as I have got most of the bits I will get 3 soil sensors and make a sketch up ... may be worth a project on your channel if you not already done, i'll put some pictures on my facebook if you can check me out LOL ...Regards John
I can't help thinking that it would be much easier to integrate your heater control, bin lid alerts etc if each device used MQTT and talked to a device running Node-Red. You can then define your logic within Node-Red and simply tweak it without having to re-flash the code on your devices if you want to make minor changes.
It would also be easier to add-in additional sensors to monitor temperature and humidity within the workshop, and override the basic timer logic for your heaters.
This is how I've built my home automation systems for my home and holiday home and it works really well.
Well, "easier" is a relative term but I agree that if I already had a simple MQTT/Node-Red system up and running it would be easy to add stuff to it. I wanted to do just this in my last workshop but never found the time (it's not exactly a two minute project, from scratch). But it's still on my list of interesting things to do, so you never know.
Suggestion - why not have a raspberry pi set up with node red or something similar set up to control everything, you could add the heaters on there, manual/auto override, set the temperature, your remote sensors for the bins out the back etc. Maybe a small display on the wall that shows everything you need it to.
I actually have node red set up for a few devices that control an outside lights module for floods and rgb strips, another for outside temp and humidity and a esp32 camera, all fed from my 12v solar system. I even have it set up on my home-screen of my phone to allow easy access to turn on the outside lights from inside my house to let the dog out!
You've described what I wanted to do in my _previous_ workshop but never had the time to implement it. Maybe I will have time now.
Nice workshop and well laid out, look forward to see your new projects.
You and me both!
Perhaps you need to set up a battery powered ESP 8266 sensor on the bins behind the shed that will display illuminated LED’s regarding the status of the bin lids. Use red and green like a submarine uses for its hatches, red open and green closed.
I'm sort of on the same lines, Bruce, but I'm now thinking Arduino with nRF24L01 - very reliable and can go to sleep with pretty much zero current. Red & green, deffo.
Nice walk through of your new workshop. Thank you for showing us.
Thanks for watching!
I’m jealous. Your workshop and layout are GREAT!
Too kind, Bruce, too kind. But I agree 😂
Nice.
You could maybe add a solar panel or two and a couple of lead acid batteries to provide 12v power to your shop.
I could, but I'm not sure what I'd use it for and I could never justify the cost. Solar panels are darned expensive!
Excellent very professional development lab setup. Pleased you have finally created your perfect environment.
Many thanks! It does feel good.
Congratulations Ralph. I'm sure it feels great to be back in operations. Enjoy!Why not put a pull rope on your bins and make it Dougle's job to make sure they're down when he's on patrol. Can earn his keep :-)
Great idea! Unfortunately, Dougle refuses to cooperate. Such a spoilt dog.
Thank you for this.
When they built your Man Cave, they should have also pulled fiber optic cable. If you don't need it immediately, you can leave it dark. Did you put fiber optic drops in the walls? What about gigabit Ethernet wiring?
You did not mention a surge protector or backup power.
What about an air exchange? Especially when soldering you will want fresh air.
Yes, the door can be opened but that is not always a good idea in certain weather conditions. Is the carpeting anti-static? Did you consider acoustic sound deadening ceiling tiles?
Wow! Lots of questions, here's come the answers:
1. I used Cat-7 ethernet cable to the workshop. My router is in the attic (in the house). That should be good enough for many 100Mb/s if I ever get offered fibre to the premises. It's the upload speed that is important to me.
2. A couple of my 6-way extension sockets under the computer workbench have built in surge protection but that's it.
3. No air exchange, but my windows can open and will be protected from rain due to the overhand. We'll see how that goes. As simple extractor fan would be easy enough to install, should I need it.
4. Carpet is not anti-static, I use the curly wrist earthing strap when I need to. Not often.
5. No sound deadening ceiling tiles, but I'm wondering what for? It does have 100mm of insulation foam board up there behind the plasterboard and in front of the ply with 100mm air gap (aka cold roof). Pretty quiet in here, unless I open the door/windows and a plane flies past (or a sheep baas!).
Comments?
@@RalphBacon
You could have a problem with floating ground since you are connecting the house with the Man Cave via the copper in the CAT-7 wire. We used to run into that problem when I worked for a system integration company in the '90s and were linking buildings on a corporate campus or military base. Back then we used an opto isolator. I assume they are still made but now for CAT-7. Or you could pull fiber from the house to the Man Cave which would also solve the issue.
The sound deadening tiles in the ceiling would be for better audio for your videos.
Thanks so much for the tour Ralph. I really enjoy your channel. Your workshop is wonderful. One thing that I didn't understand is why you keep your spares/extra parts outside of your workshop? I live in Canada (land of the Ice and Snow) so keeping anything outside means that it is inaccessible between November and March. Was there a reason you couldn't make your workshop bigger and bring your parts inside out of the weather? Also, as others have said, Welcome Back :-)
Good question!
My workshop is already quite a bit bigger than the previous one, and I had made the decision even before I moved that my workshop was going to be more like an electronics lab rather than somewhere where wood would be cut.
Of course, I wish I had a huge workshop with a partition for the "messy" stuff but I don't have enough money for that!
How about when you shut off the main power to the equipment you could have the heater keeping the heat to say 10 deg C to keep it frost free, looking after your equipment/gear.
So the heater could be controlled by a separate thermostat when your power is off.
Thanks for the video.
Spot on, Anthony. Just what I need. My designing cap will be going on soon.
Enjoy your new full-featured office.
Thanks, it is nice here.
Do you think you will need some sort of frost protection in the winter and what about condensation?
Yes, some sort of override on the heater would be a good idea. Not just a frost stat. Or maybe that would be the simplest implementation?
Fantastic workshop, lovely place to work.
Yes, I think so, Andrew!
Really nice setup. It should be a great place to work.
I think so too!
Great man-cave Ralph
That it certainly is, Juan, thanks!
Great shop but whry did you not add a second unheated storage room instead of the three bins
Short answer: money. Longer answer: lack of money and we had the 3 bins going spare (well, going to the local tip if I didn't make use of them!)
You are missing a tea & coffee station!
My tea and coffee station is about 6 meters away (in the house)!!! And I get to raid the fridge too.
However, importantly, there is a bottle opener on the edge of the work bench.
A man does need to have his priorities!
@@pileofstuff I saw that opener when you panned by. Handy. I'm sure you could put one of those college size refridgeraters under a bench if you need a cold one in the heat of summer. ;)
BEAUTIFUL WORKSHOP
Thank you very much!
For the bins it maybe better to have a high cover and a plastic drop down sheet, but it will not help with condensation overnight not sure the buns are the best bet a small tool shed and get rid of the bins maybe better:-)
I'm going to see how it goes this year; any issues and I will reconsider.
Sorry Ralph, but it's time for some tough love. If you have to store rain-sensitive stuff outside, the man cave is too small ...but you have decked out the inside very impressively.
Well, I made the decision to only have stuff _inside_ the workshop that was Arduino-related or that I use frequently, such as my Makita hand tools. But club hammers and circular saws are only used very occasionally, and then only for specific jobs, so they are definitely staying outside.
Also, crates of electrical 13A sockets and wires have no place in my day-to-day running of electronic projects so they can stay in the bins too. I did this for a year in my old place and there was no damp, condensation or mould so I'm pretty confident that it will be fine (especially once I get the crates organised properly).
I'm glad you like the inside though!
Thanks for sharing Ralph. You're almost set know, abed and a fridge and you'll never go back into the house. Enjoy brother.
Hush, Adrian, I'm positive my wife has similar ideas. You haven't been secretly texting her, have you? 😧
Did you consider just buying a house with an one more bedroom? I'm curious what that would cost vs. paying for new construction.
Good grief, no, that was never on the agenda and even if I had bought a bungalow with another bedroom I'd never use it as a man-cave. This my MY domain, where I can do what I want, when I want. I'd never be able to do that inside the house (which is where I started my TH-cam journey a few years back but quickly outgrew that room).
Fantastic man cave👍 , all the best rob
Thanks, Rob. I appreciate my new man cave every day I use it. Good size (but not huge like some I've seen in America, so easy to heat) and many workbenches!
Hi Ralph, I know this is heading for two years ago but, i'm thinking of building a new workshop and i'd like to know how you are getting on with yours, anything that you wish you had or hadn't done? And the ever testing question.... Is it big enough? many thanks and sorry for revising this old thread!
Dave, my workshop is about 5m x 3.5m which for a non-woodworking workshop is a decent size. I wish it were bigger so the DIY bit of it didn't spew all the sawdust over the rest of the room!
It's insulated like a house (100mm insulation batts in the wall, floor and ceiling) and the wall are both lined with 12mm plywood then plasterboard (and skimmed). Very warm and efficient to heat.
I wish I had installed air-con from day one. I'm still considering it. Last year I could not use my workshop for a few days during the 40ºC heatwave the UK had.
Storage! Never enough. I have 3 outdoor storage containers (Keter, plastic) but it is a pain having to go out there and the condensation in the winter is ridiculous. A larger workshop would have enabled better indoor storage.
You can email me for more details (and pics) if you want!
WOW. I had no idea how big of a project you had in mind. Looks great. Your wife will never see you anymore. I saw the bottle opener, where is the fridge with the bottles????????????
Actually I think that's my wife's hope! Keep me out of the house and causing mess! Dougle would miss me though. And I have to go into the house to get the beer out of the fridge there.
@@RalphBacon AHHH!!! Another project. Dougle controlled doggy door on house and shop so Dougle can bring you a beer and visit.
I can't believe that you keep your electronic modules and components in outside bins!
I think lots of viewers have this misunderstanding. All electronic modules go into the orange bins inside my workshop. Resistors, capacitors, transistors all inside too. Outside is currently very little, stuff I don't use much, so tools, cables and the like. It remains to be seen what eventually stays out there! As if!
Quite envious right now. I live in a flat. btw don't you have any fume extraction for when soldering?
No fume extraction, but I do have variable speed USB powered desk fan which at least blows the fumes away from me!
Looking great, I'm Happy for you
Thanks for sharing👍😀
So nice of you, thanks Asger.
Hi Ralph. Thanks for your videos, so much appreciated. Your workshop is so like mine but unlike mine, so very tidy! A quick question. I use jlpcb a lot and I like the idea of trying out 3D printing. What software would be easy to learn and preferably free ? Also what file formats are acceptable. Thanks so much. Bob Clarkson
Not so tidy any more, Bob! It's been about a year now and there are so many components and bits of equipment... but at least it is organised.
3D printing software? I was recommended to use the free course from Autodesk Fusion 360 but it's a steep learning curve.
The starting place for a "personal, not for commercial use" licence is here:
help.autodesk.com/view/fusion360/ENU/courses/#fusion-360-academy
It reminds me only too well of PCB design which took me a good year to learn well enough to produce PCBs that were acceptable (and I'm _still_ learning).
I just need more time!
Sweet workshop, well deserved.
Thanks, Paulo, I'm not whether I deserve this workshop but my wife said I could have it so here it is!
Oh, that's amazing Ralph. I'm quite jealous. Looks like you've done a really good job with it, learning everything from Workshop v1 and taking it to the new one! I still think that nRF24L01 sensor networks are the way forward and have an idea about your heater on/off problem. You could use a CT clamp to detect current going through the switched circuit and then set up something to turn off the heater when low usage is detected. You also have the added benefit that you could see how much power usage your switched circuit is using and you wouldn't have to cut into an AC wire. Anyway, I'll leave it for now while I patiently wait for your reply to my email (maybe it went to spam again :[ ) :P
Thanks Jess. Sorry it took so long to spot your comment (I've been reading your emails, looks like you've been busy).
Just a word ... Nice! 👍
Thank you very much! One word is enough, Bob!
Is the Man Cave larger on the inside than it is on the outside?
I knew you'd spot that, Terry. I covered up the TARDIS sign for filming but knew someone would figure it out.
I love it, congratulations.
Carpeted, but I imagine no issues with static electricity: you are in England :-) Where is the 3D printer going?
No static issues that I can detect, but I use a wrist strap when I touch components, mostly. And the humidity is usually quite high, 40-50%. Now, that 3D printer, hmm, I wonder?
Well worth the wait!
Yup, I think so. For me, I mean.
4:58 A Clocking On/Off work clock LOL
I never clock off, always working!
Nice cave !...cheers.
Glad you enjoyed it
Its the fridge door all over again LOL x3
Ha, ha! You ain't kidding Colin!
Why not use a simple thermostat with time day settings?? for the heater, and where is the 3D printer in the workshop??
3D printer is on my list of things to now look at (I now have the space, and easy to install some ventilation for it). But a simple thermostat, timeclock etc (the heater has all that already) is just not Arduino enough for me! I just know I will leave it on 22ºC overnight. A programmable thermostat would be a step forward but, once again, not really Home Automation enough!
New Subscriber. What is the shelf outside your workshop used for Ralph? Thanks for sharing.
Hey Brian, nice to see you here. That shelf under the window outside my workshop is where I put my coffee or food as I unlock the door. That way, I don't end up wearing my food & drink! Stainless steel, foldable hinges, so no rust and I can fold the shelf down as needed. Very useful.
@@RalphBacon Stainless Steel, great for the outdoors.
oh yer very cool set up man i wished i could do something like that. nice one :)
Thanks!
Very nice shop! But truthfully, do you expect anyone but you to set off the burglar alarm?? I know that would be my luck. 🤣👍
😅 I sincerely hope not, but if someone _did_ manage to break in and steal all my £3.50 cloned Arduinos the insurance company wouldn't pay up.
There is just something about you brits and your sheds.
A "small" space can be much more cozy and everything is reasonably within reach.
"MANCAVE" you call it but where is the naughty callender or the pool table and the draft beer plant. 😂
I just don't understand why you didn't build it a bit bigger to house the 3 bins or at least extended the ruff out above them.🤦♂️
Of course there is a room for the the/coffee bar. Good to hear that you are allowed in the kitchen. 🤣
Your helper still have a lot to learn, leaving the bin open, bad boy. He could, at least, have told you or didn't you listen.🤔
I wouldn't say I'm "allowed" in the kitchen, Flemming, I just sneak in to get a beer now and then! And Dougle is worse than useless; not only did he not tell me about the open lid, he doesn't even know C++. I was so spoiled with Benny's mentoring.
Where is the space for the 3d Printer Ralph??? :-)
When, and if, I get a 3D printer, I think there is room in the corner of the soldering desk. But I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Still so much to do! But I shall certainly talk to you if I decide to get one, no worries.
Try drilling some drain holes in the bins.
Yes, others have said the same and I will have to do that.
Why don't you have a roof over the bins, you don't need walls just posts. Also humidity is a concern storing electronics outdoors even if weather protected. This leads to corrosion very easily, you need some sort of airtight seals on the bins as well as a roof.
Roof is a good idea but it's a wide length, the wind would rip it off in a heartbeat unless it were secured very firmly to the floor via posts. Too big a project for right now. I used one bin in my previous place for electricals and they all survived the winter very well. We shall have to monitor.
@@RalphBacon cement post holders in when you're ready Can even be two roofs beside each other to reduce the footprint. Maybe you could put an Arduino sensor in the bin to monitor humidity to see if electronic components and modules are at risk.
When you eventually put a secure roof over the bins that roof and the shed roof would be ideal for solar panels.
Hook a weight on the lid so it won't stay up.
But I want the lid to stay up, just not when it's raining or when I leave the workshop. Keep tuned, project on the way!
Hehe, went down to 0. You mean 0C? You do know that many of us yanks wear shorts and t-shirts in 32F weather, right? It commonly drops to -20F :)
Great video and some really good ideas, even for a small room in a basement.
Yup, 0ºC which is when water freezes. Only _real men_ would wear shorts and a T-Shirt in such weather. Oh, I guess that all you "yanks" then 😅
Glad there were some good ideas even for a basement conversion - but basements get flooded as my brother can testify, as he has a few feet of water in his basement after the floods in Europe - and not clean swimming pool water, but muddy, stinky water with who-knows-what in it. I guess he might need a few new tools. 😬
Good video
Awesome, thanks Dr.xxx!
Do you use ESD desk mats?
Not as such. When the occasion arises (that is, I'm dealing with ESD-sensitive components, even MOSFETs) I use a blue wristband connected to GND on my 'scope.
At other times I try not to put my fat fingers all over the components but most components I use are not affected by ESD, especially if built into a 'dev module' of some kind.
I thought the heater was overkill for a small building like this, a 200-400W should be plenty IF you have a really efficient heater, and don't open doors for no reason, I used to heat my flat with an Intel Pentium 4 CPU! Was always too hot even in the winter.
I brought this from my previous workshop. I have to admit it probably is a bit powerful but that does mean it heats up the workshop quickly and then cuts out and stays mostly switched off (using its in-built, rubbish thermostat).
@@RalphBacon fair enough, wasn't complaining, I just thought it would be a bit inefficient, and you'll get too toasty, and grab a drink 😉 to cool off. Then you'll never get anything done.