Lets see your shop computer...

[Mastermind]

Looking into setting up a computer at work...used to have a laptop sitting in my box. It worked. But my thought is a desktop tucked to the side with a 32" tv for monitor, wireless mouse and keyboard. Thoughts? Btw I have a 68" epic with a left side locker. I got room.

 

[gonmad54]

Subscribed!


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[tremek]

 

[Mastermind]

This is similar to what I want to do. Except build a hutch to mount the monitor....

 

[tremek]

This is similar to what I want to do. Except build a hutch to mount the monitor....

Yeah its not setup there but it will be soon. My spot in the shop is being moved so everything was just moved there in a rush

I just ran some CAT5 to the pc Yesterday im not a fan of wifi on a PC

 

[bfm336]

Using 3rd gen iPad, only a homeowner/tinkerer - but nice because I can get it dirty and wipe it off, look up youtube vids on it, take pics and list tools on eBay with it. Helps that I got it for free with a shattered screen and spent $20 to fix it.

 

[Mastermind]

I have a tablet at the shop currently, still a bit too small for Mitchell and the like. I like to be able to print wire diagrams too. I haven't figured out how to print from a tablet yet lol

 

[Mastermind]

And I can't get full access to Mitchell on a mobile device.

 

[Jeeper]

I have a tablet at the shop currently, still a bit too small for Mitchell and the like. I like to be able to print wire diagrams too. I haven't figured out how to print from a tablet yet lol

But a wireless printer with AirPrint. I have a canon and it works well. Not in the shop...wife would get mad.

 

[ibedayank]

But a wireless printer with AirPrint. I have a canon and it works well. Not in the shop...wife would get mad.

need new wife

 

[R.Anderson]

Here is what I have for my electronics workbench. I know its not a tool box but the idea maybe utilized to one to make it more adjustable and keep the monitor and keyboard off the surface.

 

[Scuderia-F1]

Subscribed for inspiration!

Currently using my iPad mini in the shop, but a "real" computer would be a whole lot nicer.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[rt dak]

Small tower desktop PC hanging from the ceiling to keep it out of the way. It's connected to a 26" LCD TV for a monitor. Wireless mouse and keyboard and a good soundbar.

 

[vartz04]

Small tower desktop PC hanging from the ceiling to keep it out of the way. It's connected to a 26" LCD TV for a monitor. Wireless mouse and keyboard and a good soundbar.

Never mind. That's a good idea for the tower

 

[Tron]

Nice setups so far. I just bought an optiplex 760 or something similar from a public auction. I literally got it for $3 including tax, from my local gov't. It's a core 2 duo, so nothing fancy, but it runs windows 7 fine. I have it connected to an old monitor on my workbench (something I would like to upgrade). The audio output goes to an old 5.1 system I have mounted.

 

[Mastermind]

Rt dak...I like it. That pretty much what I had in mind. Already have the klipsh thx certified speakers on my box, I figure I can tuck the tower next to my locker and maybe a little cover for the dust. Wish there was room in the locker, maybe I can fit it. Then I like the arm r. Anderson has for the monitor....I've had good luck with the $14 full motion tv mount from amazon, the 32" in the bedroom has been on it for a year, I added lock washers to the tilt bolt.

 

[amolaver]

I haven't done it yet, but it's on my agenda.. An Intel NUC comes with a VESA mounting plate so it can either be mounted to the back of a tv or monitor, or mounted to a wall and hdmi connected to the monitor/tv. The NUCs have integrated wifi (at least n) and wired gigE. Power consumption is amazing - I bought one for an htpc (openelec) and max power is something like 6 watts. And that's the latest quad core braswell. It's not screaming fast running Windows but certainly usable to browse the web / pdfs. Extremely slick little boxes:
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/nuc/overview.html

They sell up to i7 based ones but those are expensive - my braswell was $230 all in. $180 nuc, $20 ram, $30 32gb sdd.

 

[JoeFin]

I just have a Work Station out in my shop. Nothing fancy just an old XP machine with a couple Mirrored Drives for storing Data files of G-code I would prefer not to lose

and because it is still running an unsupported XP platform it is also totally disconnected from the internet.

Not too fancy but it does allow me to do some quick editing

 

[G_P]

Mine's just an old Compaq laptop. The battery pack failed a long time ago so it has to be plugged in at all times to run.

 

[gte718p]

What are you planning on using it for?

I have a Raspberry pi taped to the back of an LCD monitor and plugged into the stereo. It is really down there to control the Mill, but is excellent for playing music, video, and checking email. It is a little slow for serious web browsing, but I find I use my Amazon fire most for pulling up diagrams and web surfing. At $49 if it gets broken, so be it. I have about $130 dollars ******* in the PI and the monitor.

 

[ovrrdrive]

I couldn't find the picture of it, but I'm going to use a HF Tool cart to put mine in when I get to that point. The cheaper black one seems ideal. The monitor mounts to the inside of the lid and the pc site on the shelf on the bottom. If I manage to find the pic I'm talking about I'll post it.

 

[Gotmayhem]

Looking into setting up a computer at work...used to have a laptop sitting in my box. It worked. But my thought is a desktop tucked to the side with a 32" tv for monitor, wireless mouse and keyboard. Thoughts? Btw I have a 68" epic with a left side locker. I got room.

It would be nice if you had a hutch to mount the monitor on. My box always ends up being used as a bench for whatever projects I'm working on and I wouldn't want to give up space. I have a 15" laptop for looking things up and printing and works just fine.

If I were you I would just get an inexpensive/used laptop with HDMI and hook it up to the TV. That way you have diagrams/Mitchell/Alldata/whatever up on the big screen, but can still unplug the computer and take it with you if you ever needed to. Saves you money on a keyboard too. Any modern laptop is going to be more than enough to run whatever programs you need in a repair shop.

 

[Bobioz1]

Dell e5400 on medical cart.

 

[latest project]

If you're going to mount it to a hutch what about an all in one, takes up less room, less wires but probably a little more expensive

 

[Steevo]

Here's my shop computer:

I just yanked it out of my shop this week and tossed it in a bin.

I got tired of it wanting to do 45 minutes of updates every time I turned it on, and needing new virus software every year, etc.

It wasn't worth the trouble for the few times I used it in the shop.

I usually just use my iPhone if I am looking up something, and I always have it anyway, since I also play a lot of streaming tunes from Amazon Prime on it.

I hate Windoze anyway

 

[xmech0626]

We install both of these designs where I work. They both work great.
http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/desktops/thinkcentre/m-series-tiny/m93-m93p/
http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/optiplex-9020m-desktop/pd
I hear Lenovo's warranty *****, but we have yet to have a problem with one.
Intel has a new 4" foot print PC out that looks pretty sweet.
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/nuc/overview.html

 

[Dirtydan69]

Don't have one in the shop/garage. i use my iPhone or if i need something bigger I use my iPad. Sometimes they do get stumped though with certain websites so I resort to my desktop which is also Apple. If I want a computer to work for me I use an Apple. If I want to work on a computer I use a pc. Hence no pc's in my future. Although i will say i just bought an old Dell laptop to be able to run and program my power commander V. At $89 it was way cheaper than software on my Apple to run the PCV software. I don't keep it connected to the net. If i need something I'll simply log on and get what i need and then i'm off.

 

[stang2007]

i have a Rasperry PI and it handles all the basics have it hooked up to a really old LCD TV.

 

[Outlander]

i have a Rasperry PI for and it handles all the basics have it hooked up to a really old LCD TV.

I was thinking this would be ideal! Mine is on my electronics bench near my basement shop.

 

[stang2007]

since I had the TV(monitor) my whole setup was 65 bucks (thats keyboard, mouse, HDMI to VGA, the PI, case and power cord for the PI oh and Micro SD for Raspian)

I have Lib-re office installed and i setup a "access" Database to keep track of my car stuff like oil changes and repairs.

I have Kodi installed and YouTube works great in that environment, plus i have access to my Pandora stations with out draining my phone.

 

[brittf]

I'm using an Apple iMac with the 21.5 inch screen. This is networked to an Apple Mac mini running OS X server software. I have my Apple iMac with a 27 inch screen in my home office. This way I'm able to store manuals, catalogs, pictures, etc. on my server and access them in my home office and my shop office.


You'll also see in the picture a Brother label printer. I use this to make labels for ZipLoc bags used to store small parts such as nuts, bolts, etc. so I know where they go.

I was an early adopter of Apple Macintosh technology. I've owned Apple Macintosh computers from the second generation in the early 1980s. I upgrade every three years or so. I did own one PC laptop running Windows software. I purchased it so I could use Autodesk AutoCAD and some home automation software. I now run Windows 7 in VMware Fusion 8. In the Windows environment I run Bend-Teck SE to design brackets and tubing items. I also use Windows 7 to access my Leviton/HAI alarm panel and to program Universal Powerline Bus devices. I use a Apple Macintosh laptop to program the FAST engine management computer in my Factory Five Racing Roadster.

I also keep my iTunes music library on the shop computer and create genius playlists and play them in the shop.


Britt

 

[Robby321]

Works for me! Lower left corner..

 

[winlinmac]

Anyone running a Linux Distro on their Shop Computer? Install Ubuntu and Feel the Difference

 

[winlinmac]

Looks like a control panel on the International Space Station

Here is what I have for my electronics workbench. I know its not a tool box but the idea maybe utilized to one to make it more adjustable and keep the monitor and keyboard off the surface.

 

[vartz04]

Just ordered a chromebit. It'll be going in the 22" monitor I have and mounted to the wall. Anyone else use one of the "pc sticks "

 

[Mastermind]

I have chromecast on every tv and the audio one for my speakers. They are awesome.

 

[KTMrider]

These work well

 

[Bloodystumps]

Just ordered a chromebit. It'll be going in the 22" monitor I have and mounted to the wall. Anyone else use one of the "pc sticks "

Those Intel Sticks or Lenovo sticks (Lenovo is the same specs just cheaper) are really good for what they are and for a shop toolbox PC that would work great or if you need more ponys the I3 NUC would be bad ***..


I am currently workin on putting a toolbox PC together right now but till I get it how I want it I am using my old Laptop with dual boot Linux on it.

Since we are on the subject, has anyone seen or know anything about the Snap On Monitor,keyboard, tablet brackets for the master and Epiq boxes ?

 

[zkling]

Anyone running a Linux Distro on their Shop Computer? Install Ubuntu and Feel the Difference

Yep, I run CNClinux ubuntu on my mill and Lubuntu on the garage laptop (old thinkpad) which just runs internet, gnumeric and PDF viewer mostly.

 

[winlinmac]

That's awesome, its good to salvage old machines and use them as shop computers, they work great in such environments

Yep, I run CNClinux ubuntu on my mill and Lubuntu on the garage laptop (old thinkpad) which just runs internet, gnumeric and PDF viewer mostly.