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PCs For A Workshop Environment?

Posted by timothy on from the giant-dust-hood dept.

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."

3 of 383 comments (clear)

  1. Quasi-dupe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Check out Outdoor Computer Cases

  2. Terminals by nurb432 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
  3. Cheap ass work PC by Neuroelectronic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.