Computer in the shop?

[Andy Griffith]

When I built my home shop in 94 or so I ran some cat cable out to the building for internet. I've had some sort of computer out there since that time and over the last number of years also have the option of hooking up to the wireless signal that comes from the house router.

I've had a couple of desktops and a couple of laptops. This computer does not leave the shop. I kind of like the laptop since it takes up less real estate and can be put on my service cart to reference service documents, use as a monitor for a usb camera, and sometimes use for vehicle/engine tuning interface/software. But the truth is, it spends 90% of its time on my shop desk where I use it for web surfing, pandora, etc.

What I don't like about the laptop is the last four I've owned didn't like to be plugged in 24/7 and they end up burning out the battery in a couple of years, and then even replacing the battery they never seem to work properly after that. I'd prefer to have a machine that I can at least leave it plugged into the wall 24/7, and even just leave the damn thing on so I don't have to go through that whole boot-up/shut down deal every time I want to use it.

The current laptop is fairly old and failing. I just put a new battery in it which helped for a couple of months but it's acting up again. Plus this laptop has the gloss screen which is almost impossible to see given the significant amount of fluorescent lighting I have in the building. So I want to replace it with either a desktop or another laptop.

What type of computer do you use in your shop?

Do you like desktop or laptop for the shop.

Is it possible to save a good chunk of money if one built their own desktop machine these days? My son has some left over parts from the many gaming machines he has had over the years that I could use but I have no idea if they are compatible with each other (motherboard, memory, video card, etc).

Thanks

 

[gabedad]

If you are just surfing the net for plans or projects - find one cheap on craigslist

If you want to build one - take a look at a few of these links - they may help you

http://www.google.com/search?q=how+...s=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=&oe=&rlz=

Or have your son help build one - if he has changed out parts and upgrades he should be able to assist

 

[pattenp]

I’ll speak to the building your own PC. I’ve built the 5 desktop PC’s I’ve had since the 80’s. I didn’t save a lot of $$. I built my own more to get exactly what I wanted, plus I just like doing it. If you don’t care about building it yourself then just buy one.

 

[skeletonizer]

I use a ten y/o Dell Inspiron 1100 in my shop. It doesn't even have a battery in it. The hinge is all jacked up and the monitor bezel is gone.

It's a perfect shop machine. I certainly see no need to spend $ replacing it.

 

[plung]

If you get a regular desktop, you can get a computer LCD wall mount or desk mount for $20. Desk mount might be able to bolt onto a cart with a little modification.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=109&cp_id=10828#1082802

 

[ptschram]

Used Toughbooks!

They're built for such an environment. We have four of them in my shop.

I like using a computer that can fall off the lift, get rained on, dropped in the snow, and keep on tickin'.

 

[Stuey]

I like desktops, and will eventually move to a mini PC.

Building your own PC usually costs more these days than just buying one from Dell or other OEMs.

 

[Jagmandave]

My 4 y/o HP is plugged in all the time, and it seems to not have bothered the battery....

That said, I got tired of the poor perfromance due to (IMHO) all the **** software that HP overloads over windows - so I bought a new harddrive and a fresh copy of Win 7 to replace the Vista that was on there, it now boots up in less than a minute and works perfectly.

My point is, buy a new no-name laptop that's not pre-loaded with a ton of software, put Win 7 (or Linux if you prefer) only on there and the few programs you need and I'll bet that will do perfectly. You don't need a lot of extra programs on your shop laptop, so load it lightly and you're good to go....

 

[Interex]

As Stuey said, it's not worth it these days to build your own PC. I used to build computers for a living and that quickly faded starting around '03-'04. Now, it's easy to find used PCs that have plenty of power for an average garage user. My recommendation would be to purchase a used laptop or Netbook on eBay. The great thing about either is that you can use a keyboard/mouse/monitor with them for normal browsing or disconnect it all and take it with you into a car or on a service cart. Docking stations for used laptops are cheap and would easily allow you to make your computer mobile.

 

[DodgeZ]

I gave up on the garage PC. Never used it much and took up too much space. My service manuals are in PDF or following a guide on a website. So I have been using a tablet lately.

The battery last the whole time I am in the shop. It is good for playing games on the crapper also.

 

[GN4WHLN]

I have an old Dell Optiplex that is thin in the bottom cabinet on a shelf. Below it I have an HP 4050 network laser printer. The monitor is on a mount I made so it can be swiveled and angled as necessary. The PC is plugged into the stereo in the upper cabinet. I use it mostly for Pandora, Mp3's, GJ, Autodesk, and parts/materials lists.

 

[ScaldedDog]

I like having the small HP desktop I got from my kid. I just use it to take remote control of my real machine in the house, so it doesn't need to be fast.

Mark

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

 

[wssix99]

What I don't like about the laptop is the last four I've owned didn't like to be plugged in 24/7 and they end up burning out the battery in a couple of years, and then even replacing the battery they never seem to work properly after that.

Why not just plug the laptop in and take the battery out of the machine (to preserve it) when you don't need it?

I'd prefer to have a machine that I can at least leave it plugged into the wall 24/7, and even just leave the damn thing on so I don't have to go through that whole boot-up/shut down deal every time I want to use it.

You should try having a SSD (Solid State Drive) installed in your next laptop. I have one on a marginal Windows 7 laptop and it boots up completely in less than 30 seconds. The SSD makes all the difference! I'll never use an old style drive again.

What type of computer do you use in your shop?

I'd suggest holding out for up to another year until Windows 8 releases. Those machines should be perfect for the shop. Items like gesture interfaces, touch interfaces, and tablets that detach from the keyboard will make them many times more versatile for working in the shop. (with dirty and ******* hands, etc.) They will also boot much faster.

http://www.stuff.tv/news/computers-...dows-8-laptop-prototype-has-a-built-in-kinect

 

[LSU]

I've got wireless signal in my shop.

I move my laptop in and out but am finding that I like having my IPad out there.

Never thought I'd see the day that I wanted a computer in my shop but I find that half the stuff I need to know is on the internet.

I keep my Adobe PDF reader up to date so I have no trouble downloading diagrams, etc.

I do not print in my shop only because I've got a huge printer in my office.

 

[Plump]

I'm with the desktop crowd. Got a cheap computer on Craigslist, added a video card for watching ESPN3, YouTube, etc. Had everything else including a cheap LCD that I slapped on the wall to keep it from getting knocked around. Wireless mouse and keyboard.

Music, manuals, how to videos, are absolute necessities for me in the garage.

Had a laptop that worked/works OK but it's a million years old and can only do one task at a time. Plus, it's just in the way. The desktop set up allows me to put everything but the mouse on the wall or hidden away.

 

[Falcon67]

Dell Latitude D630. I think it's a core2duo, 2G RAM and 250G hard drive. Works plenty good. Usually plugged in, battery good for 2-3 hours off the grid. Wife has a newer Dell laptop with a dual core, runs rings around our P5 desktop but it weren't cheap. Good ones aren't. Laptops over 5 years old are generally junk because of processor and memory technology advances recently.

 

[ptschram]

Laptops over 5 years old are generally junk because of processor and memory technology advances recently.

My ten year-old Toughbooks can beat up your new laptop.

 

[karl1672]

Wireless and a tablet here

 

[slacker garage shop]

I've had a computer in the shop for about 10 years but last year I got one of these galaxy tablets and haven't even turned the computer on since unless I need to print something.

 

[SINISTER]

I build computers as a hobby. The truth is you so not need a computer that is powerfull for tuning software, engine diagnostics, web surfing ect. Your not going to build a gaming quality or HD editing computer with a 16G DDR3, 6core processor 4+ghz, SSD's, RAID arrays, and giant PSU and high end GFX card.

Generally for a shop computer, you would want to build something with quality components. Maybe 6G ram max, a low-mid range processor dual to quad core 3.2GHz, Maybe 500gb HDD max. Use a good quality MOBO with decent intergrated GFX. Trick for this build would be quality not quantity, you dont want to be in the shop playing games and Fukcin around on the PC. Its just not productive. One main problem with a desktop in the shop is mobility, you need the mobility to do road test diagnostics ect.

My recommendation would be to, get a laptop. Most off the shelf laptops SUB 600$ beat those specs no problem and wont break the bank. What you will want to do is wipe the **** that came installed and to a fresh clean Win7 install, wiping all the add ware, and trial software that eats new machines. Then install yourself a decent anti virus like AVG and be good to go. Less real estate, more mobility, enough power. Just make sure you are going through reviews before you buy, some laptops are better with battery's than others. Some aftermarket battery's are better than factory.

 

[shirkdog]

Interesting discussion here...I thought I'd offer some photos of the computers and computer benches / cabinets we use here in the factory at Garage Pals.

Some of the workstations / cabinets we use to hold our computers are things we built ourselves and others were purchased.

Below is a photo of a diamond plate base cabinet next to one of our machines that holds the laptop we use to program the machine.

This photo below shows a rolling computer workstation that we have set up near a different machine.

Below is a photo of a computer arm on a work bench.

And below is our customer service work area where we took a standard 6 Foot Base cabinet and removed the doors. The guys also installed a 6 Foot Shelf to hold the monitors and file folders.

I hope these photos help with other ideas.

Any questions about the details of these cabinets / workstations just email.

Thanks.

 

[RedFalcon]

Mine is very similar to this one.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883220112

Then I just have a wireless keyboard with a built-in track pad to go with it. I just recently upgraded to a nice 24" monitor to go with it.

 

[Jagmandave]

My recommendation would be to, get a laptop. Most off the shelf laptops SUB 600$ beat those specs no problem and wont break the bank. What you will want to do is wipe the **** that came installed and to a fresh clean Win7 install, wiping all the add ware, and trial software that eats new machines. Then install yourself a decent anti virus like AVG and be good to go. Less real estate, more mobility, enough power. Just make sure you are going through reviews before you buy, some laptops are better with battery's than others. Some aftermarket battery's are better than factory.

Pretty much the same thing I wrote too....

 

[slacker garage shop]

The typically view from my shop

I think a tablet is the best for in your shop.

 

[plung]

Laptop + cheap USB keyboard/cheap mouse. Those keyboards and mice are going to get greasy so it's not much of a loss if you have to throw them out.

Also if you have an LCD TV in the shop, you can connect the laptop via VGA, DVI or HDMI and read PDF's or photos on a giant screen.

 

[Doctor_Ink]

I built my own tower and It's way faster then any computer you could buy for the amount of money I put into it. It has an i5 in it, and if you don't know what that means... It makes the computer about 5x faster than a laptop computer. I paid around $700 for all the parts.

 

[Doctor_Ink]

I use a plastic cover over my keyboard. Keeps it dry and clean. Remove and spray down with the hose and you're ready for round two!

 

[terpfords]

I use an iPad. It's quick, easy to view, simple to read and out of the way.

I ditched my PC and bought a mini in 08 and never looked back! It's the best computer I have ever owned. We have a 3 iPhones and 3 iPads and store all our information on iTunes within the mini.

I just Jacked up the mini with a new processor, memory and SSD. I am going to let it ride for a couple of years and then get a new Mac.

edit: this site is fast now!

 

[rwreuter]

i just haul my laptop out there and use the wireless signal.

i want a nice lcd tv but am afraid that the cold weather would damage it....

 

[gabedad]

what more do you need in the shop

http://bellingham.craigslist.org/sys/2799237454.html

 

[Rye425]

Small Dell tower and a cheap lcd monitor. Use it for manuals, streaming music, and keeping oil change information.



Got the mount from monoprice

 

[98TJ]

Cheap laptop or an iPad. Just depends on what I'm doing.

 

[Dboone04]

I built my own tower and It's way faster then any computer you could buy for the amount of money I put into it. It has an i5 in it, and if you don't know what that means... It makes the computer about 5x faster than a laptop computer. I paid around $700 for all the parts.

you said it exactly...I build pcs for a hobby and must say with the price of components one would be nuts to buy an overpriced underpowered laptop unless you just have to have the portability. You can put your desktop in a very small tower made for a home theater pc for real cheap off newegg. With these 2nd generation i3 processors and the cost of ram you would be wasting a lot of money buying a laptop compared to a desktop. If you need any help building a pc send me a pm I would love to be able to help.

my last pc build was under 400 bucks without a monitor

good luck

 

[m32go]

32" LCD TV so I can watch the games on DirecTV with a Logitech Revue so I can access the internet and watch Google TV.

My wife bought it all for me. I just think she wants me to move a cot out there and live.

Speaking of the cot she did mention a murphy bed at some point. I wonder how long it will be until the house locks are changed. Lol!!

 

[racer8432955]

just a 10 year old laptop that won't run for more than 20min on the battery alone (so its always plugged in..) . Its not fast, but I only use it for pdf manuals, and a little message board research. I do air it out with the blow gun now and then, because it sure does gather dust.
When it dies, i'll go to craigslist for another old beater laptop, or desktop.

 

[Mr.Mix]

I use my old Lenovo S10 netbook that wasn't getting much use , it is a really great solution for me personally. 10 inch screen, full keyboard, bumped up ram, it does what I need it to do and if it gets a little dirty no big deal. With the price of older versions of netbooks it is a good solution for those who need a shop computer on a budget.

 

[Slain]

Here is mine:

Its a HP ex office computer off ebay as well as a old phillips stereo mounted inside a Mobil Round Petrol Bowser. Panels arent installed yet as i am still polishing them and still need to tidy up the wiring.

I purchased a wireless keyboard/mouse thing like a tv remote control off ebay as well as a tv tuner card so now everything runs through it.
I also run it dual display back to a 32 inch LCD TV mounted above my workbench on an arm so it can be seen from anywhere in the garage which is handy for my workshop manuals.

 

[jomobco]

Ditto on the mini. I bounce the wifi with airport exresses from my router into the shop and off to the back of the property. I'll bring a laptop or iPad out on occasion. It's great to look up things when you're working on projects.

 

[Outlander]

I have an old DELL M50 laptop in my workshop at home, and have been carrying my iPAD or laptop (Dell M70) to the garage at the cottage. They work fine for looking up pats, manuals and help.

 

[JCQuick]

I've got a couple of old Dell inspirons sitting here that need hard drives I'm going to try and build one for the garage one of them has a wireless card and we can use the household wifi