Robot is Happy creating our robot overlords one day at a time

Finally, Back to Work by Christopher Hazlett

I alluded to, a while ago, that both Alex and I had moved recently (not together, but the timing was eerily similar) and that had necessarily precluded any kind of electronics experimentation. Well, we're both getting settled into our new homes and at least one of us has been able to get back to electronics. That would be me, but my biggest experiment (my first kid) isn't due until January. So I better get cracking on all this other stuff that doesn't require diapers and midnight feedings.

My wife and I recently moved into our new home out in suburban New Jersey (much maligned but quite lovely I assure you). We moved mostly because we needed more room than our one bedroom condo could provide. So after 8 years of living the urban life style in Hoboken, NJ, we've finally made the leap 20 miles west to New Providence, NJ. We couldn't be happier. But my new bucolic atmosphere is not the reason for this post. The reason for this post, and maybe the real reason for buying the house, is that I finally have one room dedicated to electronics exploration. Previously, I had to keep all electronics and tools stashed in multiple shoe boxes and SparkFun boxes in my closet, under my bed, and behind books. Starting and finishing a project was an endless act of cleaning up after myself and infuriating both me and my wife with a constant deluge of jumper cables, glue guns, and robot parts spread over our dining room table.

Those days, my friends, are over. Now I can leave parts out (though I don't generally now that I have places to put things) until my heart tells me they should be put away. And although I share my workspace with the laundry, it's still a place I can call my own. Without further ado, the new workbench, where all future projects will be completed and lovingly dismantled for the next one.

The Workbench

The Parts

• 2x4 Basics AnySize Workbench Kit - This is a great workbench kit. You buy the 2x4's and plywood for the top and put the thing together. Took me about 2 hours to cut everything and screw it together, but I have power tools which help tremendously. All told, it cost me about $180 - $200 all in. For comparably sized and weight rated work benches, you can't find a better deal. Plus you get to put it together.
• Keter 18" Cantilever Pro Organizer - I saw this parts organizer while picking up paint for my now rented condo in Hoboken. It's fantastic for all the little screws, batteries, sensors, and shields. The drawers on the bottom actually fit an Arduino Duemilanove quite nicely.
• AOYUE 70W Digital Soldering Iron - Available from SparkFun. I finally graduated away from the $25 RadioShack soldering iron...possibly because I now have the space and a permanent place for a sweet, sweet iron, and possibly because I'm a grown man who should have such things. I finally fired it up a few weeks ago, and it really is nice.

I've got a new project in the works and the first write-up will be coming later this week (Spoiler Alert: Accelerometer and Xbees).

- Chris