Other Workshops: Zen and the Art of Model Making -- Please Comment

This one may seem a bit far off our normal path, but I think this fellow has a lot of philosphy that applies to ham radio homebrwing.   His story of the art teacher who advised his students to get up each morning and do something that you love to do is good advice.  

What other advice and philosophy did you hear in this beautiful video? 

KW4H -- Steve -- "Knobs > Menus"

 

I really like the "KNOBS are greater than MENUS" sign.  For years we have been saying that menus are for restaurants.  FB Steve.  

Steve's resotation man-cave is very interesting, as are the rigs he has on the shelf or on the bench.  Lots of good work is obviously being done there.  

I also have one of those KP4USA QSL cards. Steve and I got into ham radio at around the same time, so it is possible that he was on the other end of that QSO.  I will check. 

Check out Steve's QRZ page: https://www.qrz.com/db/KW4H

Fixing up a Nice Old (but not TOO old) Receiver in the UK -- What would you have done? Please comment below.

Crikey! Blimey! The parts are wonky!  Then he fixes it and they are all lovely!  These are some great descriptive words that you just won't hear in a U.S. workshop.  Pity.  

I liked the receiver.  I had never seen one of these. 

The Ultrasonic cleaner was nice.  As was the oven.  

His repair of the switches was very cool.  I like his technique for repairing the many leads that got broken. 

When he started unplugging the plugs on the boards, I got nervous.  Pull out the cell phone and take some pictures first!  

Opening up those old pots was really going the extra mile.  I would have just squirted some deoxit in them.  

He ended up changing almost all the caps on the AF amplifier board.   The Capacitor Police would indeed been annoyed.

Great job.  It was fun watching him work.  But what would you guys have done differently?  Please comment below. 

Thanks to Rogier PA1ZZ for sending me this. 

Some Great Workshop Ideas from Germany -- What do you think? Is there any overkill? Should I stick with the baby-wipe boxes?

Here we continue our series on workshops.  This one is in English, so most readers will not need any closed captions nor translation.

There are a lot of good ideas in this video.  I found myself thinking about my shack in Virginia and the one in the Dominican Republic.  My parts strorage is very outdated.  Here in Virginia I make use of old cardboard shoe boxes, and plastic "baby wipe" boxes (they are really old).  I may need a 3D printer.  

Check out this fellow's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@greatscottlab  

A Homebrew Workbench from Norway -- Please Comment: What would you have done differently?

I admit to being biased in favor of any project from Norway.  This is the result of the fantastic videos of Helge LA6NCA.   But even without the influence of Helge, this workshop/workbench project would stand out.   It is really good.  It is filled with good ideas.  I like the way he makes use of 3D printed parts.  The lighting scheme is excellent.  I like the chair he got.   There is a lot of humor in this video. 

But you may have done things a bit differently -- please comment on what you would have done. 

Thanks to Frengen Engineering.  Here is the YouTube channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@frengen_engineering

A Really Interesting Workshop Video -- Please comment!

My posting of this video should clearly demonstrate the I am not a Ludite (one d), and that I am not opposed to technological change.   I mean, look, Will has a Pick-and-Place machine.  He has 3D printers.  He has microscopes.  I will likely never have these things in my shacks. But he has them, and uses them, and does a great job of explaining them.   

I was also attracted to the video by the 12'x8' size of this shop.  This rougly matches the sizes of both my Virginia and my Dominican Republic shacks.  

I really liked the way Will built this shack.  Many good ideas are in there.  I especially liked his choice of flooring, and his ceiling mounting of video camera and microphone. 

Like I said, lots of good ideas here.   What did you find useful in the video?  Please comment below. 

A Nice Workshop (With The Logical Song)

 

How to Build a MODERN Electronics Workshop (and How Much it Might Cost) (PLEASE COMMENT)

First, kudos to this fellow for pronouncing "solder" correctly.  The L is silent (sorry to our British readers).  He does have an accent, but he is in Texas, and has picked up the CORRECT pronunciation.  So kudos. 

I really liked the video.  It represents a movement into the modern age of electronics.  I know that we usually talk about HDR, and homebrew rigs that -- while solid state -- are from the early 1970s.  There  has been a lot of progress since that time.  This video is a reminder of that, and talks about what we can do to participate in this modernity. 

Some observations: 

-- The microscope.  Looks cool, but it is kind of scary... 

-- The tiny digital rechargeable soldering iron looks like a great idea. 

-- I agree on the mechanical (non chemical) soldering tip cleaner idea. 

-- The 3D printer info is very useful.

-- Enclosures?  I am still in the 1/8 inch plywood era.  I have a ways to go. 

-- We could use more info on CNCs. 

-- I didn't know that you could get a pick-and-place machine for the home.  Probably just as well! 

-- I like the thermal camera.  I also like his suggestion that you could just burn your fingers! 

-- I think an oscilloscpe is a must, even early on.  I agree on the need for a multimeter.  

-- Indeed, a good PC is a must.  

What were your reactions to this video? 

A Very Nice Audio Workbench -- With Lots of Great Ideas

We covered Ben Hase's workbench earlier this week, focusing on his findings about glue, fusible resistors, and relays.  

This is a more complete look at his workshop.  

-- Very useful were his descriptions of his "daily driver" 'scopes and sig gens.  

-- I like the fingers for the patch cords. 

-- It was nice that he has one analog 'scope. 

-- WOW, HE HAS A KLH RECEIVER.  SO DO I!  ROGIER SENT IT TO ME! 

-- His use of Scan-Snap is potenially useful for us. 

-- I like his organization of parts bins. 

-- His use of the "tray truck" is ingenious. 

-- He has a good chair.  I note that he has a physical therapy T-shirt. 

-- His obvious devotion to HAKKO soldering tools is understandable. 

-- He has the obligatory drawer full of Fluke meters. 

We covered Ben's workshop when he was in Manhattan:  https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2024/06/another-great-workshop.html

It is great to see that he has more room now.  His acknowledgment of his wife's support was very nice.  

In this video, Ben visits Matt in the Pacific Northwest and swaps ideas on workbench construction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ0rupOQKvE

And in this one we see Ben's work on a badly mangled Sansui receiver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w-wH4CGeT0

With a workshop like that,  Ben should be a ham.  A homebrewer.  

A Really Really Complete South African Workshop

This is really almost too much.  But I include it here because it is just an obviously impressive set of tools.  There are also many CNC machines (machines that Pete keeps talking about).  Finally, this video comes to us from afar, from South Africa. And SolderSmoke remains committed to INTERNATIONAL solidarity.  Thanks Ed for this wonderful video. 

Vintage Audio Restoration: Glue, Fusible Resistors, and Relays

 This guy is restoring VINTAGE audio gear.  It is definitely younger than the Boatanchors we usually work on, but it is a lot older than more recent gear that is made with largely pick-and-place machines and surface mount components. There are mostly through hole components here.  

There are some challenges I've never thought about: glue that over time starts to mess up the circuitry.  Fusible resistors?  Who knew?  And then there are relay contacts that go really bad.  We use a lot of these kinds of relays. 

All in all, there are a lot of good ideas in this video. His other videos are probably worth watching too.  I think it will be especially useful for my friend Bob, KD4EBM who does a lot of work in this area.  

Please let me know what you think.  Comment below.  

The Snake Shack of the Amazon

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/29/science/snake-collector-mera-ecuador.html?unlocked_article_code=1.o1A.2O0_.gzrRsoBWgWvH&smid=url-share 

Think of this as part of our "other kinds of workshops" series.   In this case, it is literally another kind of shack. 

The article describes an understandable cultural message that says snakes must be killed.  Like the people in this story, we have to fight against similar cultural issues in the Dominican Republic.  

Anyway, I liked the story.   I hope the link survives.

Building an Electronics Work Bench (and fixing an old CNC Lathe)

It is interesting to Watch Wes Work.  Recently I came across his YouTube channel when he described his effort to repair an old CNC machine.  Being the frequent beneficiary of Pete N6QW's $250,000 CNC machine, naturally I took a look (see below).  

I am really glad that Wes built a proper electronics work bench (above).  He has flux!  He has rosin core solder!   I just hope and pray that he is not using lead-free solder.  I admire his use of the 3D printer.  And he has some cool tools, especially that de-burring device.  He has a Rigol oscilloscope and he has a big collection of leads.  Is Wes a ham?  If not, he should be.  

Here is the CNC lathe video. 

Wes's YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/@WatchWesWork

A Very Impressive Workshop from the UK

This one is almost scary.  There is an amazing number of machines crammed into that workshop.  There is even more stuff in the drawers down below.  Honestly, I sometimes thought that we radio homebrewers would be the worst offenders in this regard, but I see here that most of us are not even close.  This guy wins!  

At the end, at about the 24 minute mark, he demonstrates the use of a "scissor table" that can be used to bring the item he is working on to the needed height.  That is pretty cool, and would be quite useful for those working on really heavy gear -- think DX-100s or R-390As.  I have heard of hams installing small cranes in their shacks to move these heavy boatanchors around (they do seem to get heavier with time!).  The scissor table would take care of this.  

After showing the scissor table, he hits a button and an empty work table top drops from the ceiling to cover the scissor table.  Very cool.  Very useful.  

One note of caution.  I found myself worried about all those propane torches that he seemed to have stashed in odd corners of the workshop.  I would be worried about the danger of fire.  It might be wise to add a fire suppression sytem to the impressive inventory of gear in that shed.  

Sorry for that nanny-state suggestion.  That said, this workshop is magnificent.  Three cheers for the owner.  

Other Workshops: Homebrew Sailboats

In the Dominican Republic I sometimes find myself wanting to take sailing lessons on Juanillo Beach.  Maybe next winter. I've also been following the far more sophisticated wooden boat-building effort of Leo Sampson and the Tally Ho.  All of this helps explain why I watched this video.  And a big part of this is simply an interest in "other kinds of homebrew workshops."  

There is some practical advice for us:  The importance of pilot holes.  The fact that Philip head screws sometimes break (who knew?). 

Check it out.  Thanks to Hack-A-Day for alerting us to this.  And thanks to the Cumberland Rover guy. 

Solar Powered Drone from South Africa

 I've been flying a DJI 4K Mini drone here in the Dominican Republic, so I am interested in the whole drone thing.  The technology involved is pretty amazing, with many of the drones featuring GPS tracking systems, onboard compasses, and inertial (gyroscopic) stabilizers.  This in addition to high resolution, stabilized cameras, look-down landing cameras, and obstacle avoidance systems.  Oh yea, if you lose sight of the 249 gram drone, you can just hit the HOME button and it will miraculously fly to its start point and land.  Wow.  

This fellow in Capetown takes things quite a bit further. I like his solar-powered drone.  He has a really cool workshop.  There is something for everyone here:  He uses 3-D printing, carbon fibers, and computer assisted design tools.  And he does a lot of good-old soldering.  I really like his portable wind meter.  I will get one for this very windy location in the Dominican Republic. 

The Mahbood Radio Service Company of Hyderabad, India

Our friend Farhan sent this today.  It is really beautiful and captures very well the magic of radio.  Thanks Farhan. and thanks too to Mohammad Moinuddin of the Mahbood Radio Service. 

“Before television and smartphones, Hyderabad listened to the world through radios. And in those days, my father ensured that the city stayed tuned in.

My father, the late Shaik Mahboob, founded Mahboob Radio Service in 1933 in Dabeerpura. At a time when radio was still a luxury, he began selling and repairing sets for households across the Old City. In 1948, after Hyderabad’s accession to the Indian Union, he shifted the shop to its present location in Chatta Bazar, where it continues to stand even today.

Interestingly, he did not begin with radios. In the late 1920s, he was involved in the PVC pipes trade. But as radio technology slowly entered Indian homes, he recognised its future and transitioned into the business of radio sales and repairs. That decision shaped our family’s destiny.

Like my father, my brother and I grew up surrounded by valves, wires, and wooden cabinets. After school, we would sit beside him, carefully observing how he handled brands like Murphy, Philips, Bush, Marconi, and later Sony. Those were the golden years of radio in Hyderabad.

Among our customers were prominent families of the city. We even serviced radio sets for the palace of the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan. Payments would arrive in a sealed lifafa — a gesture that felt both formal and special. In those days, radio wasn’t just entertainment; it was how people heard news, music, cricket commentary, and the world beyond their homes.

Over time, technology changed. Transistors replaced valve sets. Then came television. Now, smartphones have taken over. Radio sets are no longer common in households. Many shops that once repaired them have shut down.

My brother, who shared this passion with me, is no more. But I continue to open the shutters of our shop every morning. People still travel from different parts of the country — some carrying radios that are older than me — hoping to restore a memory. I repair them not just as machines, but as pieces of someone’s past.

Today, in my late seventies, I sit at the same wooden table where I learned this craft as a boy. Because this is not merely a business, it is continuity. It is a responsibility.

On World Radio Day, my only wish is that people remember the warmth of gathering around a radio set. I also hope today’s radio jockeys continue to create thoughtful and meaningful programming. Because radio is not outdated — it is timeless.  As long as I am here, Mahboob Radio Service will remain tuned in.”  

– Mohammad Moinuddin, Mahboob Radio Service

Bricoleur -- "Someone Who Fixes Stuff with Whatever he Finds Around"

A short time ago Paul VK3HN told us about the term bricolage. It seemed to capture much of the homebrew spirit.  This morning I heard Van Neistat's video-cast  (also something that came to me from Paul VK3HN) talking about the related term "bricoleur."  His  video (above) also has some great workshop ideas.  

Here is a nice Wikipedia discussion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bricolage

Note from the Wikipedia page: 

• MacGyver is a television series in which the protagonist is the paragon of a bricoleur,^[28] creating solutions for the problem to be solved out of immediately available found objects.

Some Great Analog Pictures from MIT Building 20 and other Analog Locations

Here is a picture of Jim Williams taken through a Tektronix oscilloscope camera.  I never used one of these things, but Dean KK4DAS did.  Here are the details of the shot: 

I took this great photo of Jim Williams with a Tek scope camera sometime around 1977 or so. There was no digital (or analog) manipulation. It was a simple double exposure. I first shot a scope waveform, then just to see what would happen, I pulled the camera off the scope, stuck it Jim’s face and snapped another shot before pulling the film. I never expected it to look this good….a view from inside the oscilloscope!

Here is the collection of pictures that this 'scope shot came from: 

https://lensprojects.com/analog-history/

Thanks to Len Sherman for the pictures.  On his site you will see, among other things, the upside down Christmas Tree of dead parts, and Bob Pease's Volkswagen Beetle. 

More info on MIT's Building 20: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_20

California Typewriter -- Full Movie with Tom Hanks

I think this one is a bit over the top.  They are way too interested in the old typewirters.  The artist who destroys the old machines to make robots and sculptures... the "musical group" that plays songs on old typrwriters... all the people who decry modern digital tech, but then create internet pages that save the old typewriter shops.   But hey, who am I to criticize them?  Some readers really liked the New York Times article on the Bremerton Typewriters Company.  And there is a lot of overlap between these typrewriter fanatics and the many shades of  ham radio fanaticism (boatanchor-oligists, I'm looking at you!)  So here (above) is the full movie.  

One personal note:  My paternal grandmother was part of that original typewriter revolution - she remained proud all of her life of hwer ability to use that machine.  She kept her own typewriter in her house all of her life. And she used it. 

There are  a LOT of YouTube videos about old typewriters and workshops that service them.  Here is one about the last typewriter shop in Melbourne, Australia: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxx6ZutCU5w