Frame-foundation

The bench-work

The bench-work itself was made from wood using the L-girder open-frame method: combining 1x4 inch vertical and 1x2inch laths on top of them, glued and screwed, provides a rigid and strong supporting frame. The upper edge was constructed 27 inch above the floor, leaving enough room to duck-under, and not too much height for the staging yards to be built upon it.

To get the same height everywhere I used a gardening-hose as a large water level. Doing lots of running up and down the room, I managed to draw a line around the walls of an exact height. The rest of the frame height was measured starting from this line.

The frame was strengthened by screwing it to the walls at three sides (not under the sloping roof-end). The supporting legs (2x2 inch), are placed at most 3 feet apart, and are screwed to the floor using L-shaped metal bearings. Where necessary, diagonal laths were placed. The frame became very sturdy this way.

The electric power supply was put in place, as well as the first wiring: a common mass connection, current for illumination, and a connection to the working tables. This way I got power to build and test the control panels and other electronics to come.