Now that the parts have been ordered, and the wait is on, it's time to think about the area in which you are going to construct the machine.


A computer system is a precision piece of equipment. Fortunately, all the rocket science has been standardized. What has not is some of the attributes of construction. This article will attempt to lay down some basic ground rules for building a system.

Some of the following may seem over cautious to some, but the recommendations here are based on dozens of PC builds and a wealth of information from forum interactions in the last three years.

Be sure to afford the same care to the area that you choose as you would in working on a grandfather clock, or some other intricate machine. Some attributes to consider are;

  • Work Area - low incidental (Kids, dogs, flying objects, etc) traffic
  • Work Table - should be very sturdy, and NON-CONDUCTIVE
  • Lighting - Make sure you have good lighting all around the work table
  • AC Power - Close access(3.5 feet) to a 3 prong outlet - A good 6’ Socket Strip is best

A lot of PC hobbyists build computers in the garage, and if the environment is right, no problem. But you should always avoid areas that are high humidity, or areas where static electricity is a problem. You should also consider if the area is susceptible to intrusions by those can could innocently cause disaster in the building area. It doesn’t take much to break circuit boards, and an errant ball, or toy flying into the case, or even an ice cream cone falling in, can ruin your day. The worst case I have ever heard about was a cat that thought the open case was a litter box, and promptly “marked” it as his own!

I have included a picture of a 'sample' Home assembly area, your area may vary!

The table featured is what is called a "sale" table. It's commonly used at oudoor sales, and bazzars, or trade shows. It has a nice plastic veneer finnish top, that is non-conductive, and somewhat non-slip. The table also features study leg construction, strong enough for a 250lb. man to stand on, and each leg has a rubber foot. Cost of tables like this are about $27.00 (us).

Beyond the construction process, an investment in a table of this type pays off significantly during the holidays when extra dining space is always needed, or during yard sales, when you sell off obsolete PC parts!

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