I've scanned through the comments and I'm trying to offer stuff I haven't seen. I also emphasize things that were said but I feel strongly about.
A metal wastebasket, used with a bin liner. When you have a possible pickup problem, remove the contents with the bin liner and invert the wastebasket over your circuit. Plastic won't do it. If you're at a larger company, get a "Calibration not required" sticker from QA. Then when facilities runs off with your wastebasket because it helps keep down the static at the shredder, you can prove it isn't their wastebasket (guess how I know this).
Sink. Someone said to put your bench in a concrete floored room like a garage because then you could put in a drain. I think a concrete floor has to be the worst place to install a drain after the fact. You can put a drain anywhere. My new metalworking shop has a sink, and just being able to wash brushes and hands is a huge plus.
Second story shelf on bench for equipment--should be obvious to one skilled in the art.
Goggles if you do power electronics.
Quality soldering iron. I like Hexacon for a straight iron, but they have their problems too.
Computer for instrument control and data capture. Think about where the keyboard is actually going to be useful; do you want it on a tray under the bench, or under the second story shelf so you can use it standing up?
Instruments
The tiny little scopes made now are great if you need portable or are desperate for space. If you've ever used a fine lined analog scope and switch to an inexpensive one like my TDS2014, you'll hate the display (I think it's only 8 bits and shows a lot of quantization). Mine is borrowed, so I put up with it.
DO NOT buy a digital scope without having used it for a few hours. Some of the early ones had horrifying user interfaces, and they worked about that well too.
Regardless of whether you have a digital scope, get a Tek 2465. One of the best analog scopes ever made.
Instruments now come with LARGER screens, what a great idea.
High accuracy dvm; Keithley 2000, various HP's.
Stereo dissection microscope with zoom and light--pick this up surplus.
Other fine instruments to fit your specialty. HP is almost always a good bet.
Remember, unless you're 90 years old, you don't have to get it all at once. Putting together a lab should be spread out over time, especially as you learn that you should do things a different way, or encounter deals at auctions or other used.
Steve
