The Electronics Workbench: a Setup Guide

Setting up your own electronics lab at home can be a daunting. This course will help you through the maze of options.

What you'll learn:

• Learn the basics components of a well-equiped electronics lab for the non-professional
• Learn about power tools, like the electric drill, the hot glue gun and rotary tools.
• Learn about soldering and soldering (as well as de-soldering) tools.
• Learn about simulation, computer-aided design and electronic circuit calculators
• Understand the use of sophisticated test instruments like the oscilloscope, and the function generator.

This course is designed to help you setup your own electronics lab.

If you are starting your adventures in electronics, and you are not looking to setup a professional electronics lab, then this course is perfect for you.

A lab is a place at your home that you have specifically organised in a way that promotes your enjoyment of working with electronics.

It is where your tools, components and instruments are.

It is where you do your circuit experiments and the bulk of your learning.

There are significant differences between professional and hobbyist electronics labs. That's because the amateur electronics lab is far more restricted in every respect to the lab of a professional.

If you are a hobbyist, using a spare room or your bedroom as your electronics lab, then this course will help you make the most of it.

In this course, I will discuss the basic features of an amateur electronics lab by showing you how I have organised mine.

I have most of the restrictions of an amateur, and with the exception of a few of the items in my kit, my lab is purely an amateur lab.

In each lecture, I present a specific topic and in most cases I demonstrate the use of a tool or instrument.

Through these demos, I wish to help you gain a working understanding of what these items are designed for.

You will not become an expert, but you will know enough to know when you need one.

I am always available to discuss any of the topics I present in this course, so please feel free to ask using the course's discussion tool.