PCs For A Workshop Environment?

bryanporter writes "I'm a geek-turned-homeowner, and am in the processing of setting up my workshop for doing odds and ends around the house. I want to install a cheap, decent PC out there for looking up building plans, shopping for tools while I'm on a job, etc. The shop is going to be in a wooden outbuilding with a shingled roof but the building won't be heated or cooled (although I don't plan on using it much in the summer)." Read on for a bit more on what he's looking for -- what would you suggest for computing in a hostile environment on a non-industrial budget? "I plan on doing things like sawing wood for shelves in here so dust will also be prevalent. Can any of you Slashdotters recommend components for building a machine resilient to cold weather and lots of dust? I was a PC upgrade/repair technician in a former life, so building my own machines is not daunting in the slightest (I've built all my own home machines). The ruggedized machines I've found online are all too pricey, and all seem more designed for avoiding shock damage than environmental dust and cold."

Comments

Quasi-dupe

[Anonymous Coward]

Check out Outdoor Computer Cases

Terminals

[nurb432]

Run a Cat5 and get yourself a Win or X or VNC terminal. Fanless, really rugged. Not too expensive to get a older model ( or used off ebay ).

Keep the 'real' hardware back in the house where it can be protected...

You can also get sealed keyboards for pretty cheap these days.

LCD screens deal better with bad environments then CRT as they run cooler, but they aren't what you would consider cheap.

How about a laptop?

[JeffTL]

You could carry a laptop to your outbuilding as needed -- bring it in when it's cold -- and something like an Apple iBook (with its cover closed) is relatively durable impact-wise; I've seen them survive after being dropped.

Cheap ass work PC

[Neuroelectronic]

That sounds a little over budget to me.

I was thinking getting a cheap p2-p3 system, whatever you can find lying around. Sometimes you can find them in the trash. just stick some of these babies on them (fan filters: http://www.directron.com/fangrill80bb.html) where ever there is holes in the case.

Get a cheap ass optical mouse. Try to find one that has an completely enclosed optical device. If it doesn't no big deal, you can find them for $3-4 at pricewatch.com.

Get a keyboard leaflet, this is a must. http://www.kador.com/leaflet1.htm
you can get one here for free, if you don't mind being "creative"

Finally a can of compressed air from your local office supply and your set.

SFF all the way

[visionsofmcskill]

If you dont need to do major upgrades that require internal space in your PC, a Small Form Factor PC is hands down the best solution.

Mainly due to their low price (can be had for about 400$), and their much smoother exteriors (less cracks for dust to find its way into).

Grab yourself a shuttle or jetway, if you dont need a cd-rom/floppy you can leave the sealing front plates on them, having only the rear fan's outake as an open oriface, and pushing your price down to nearly 300$ (www.zipzoomfly.com).

after that your pretty much home free, every few months you can slide the cover back (three thumb-screws or less) and give the interior a quick air-dusting...

Since the size is small, it can be safely tucked away somewhere more secure than a full fledged tower might go, and can be kept all the more less exposed to dust and other harmfull airborne materials.

Heat is rarely a problem with all but the oldest and newest models, so as long as you keep the arc weilder away from the power cables you should be fine!!

Invest in a wireless keyboard/mouse, and youve reduced your clutter/liabilities that much more.