After a couple of unsatisfactory attempts, I’ve landed on this design. (Shown in place on one of the carts, which are already built.) The idea is that there will be slots in the workstation top to receive the shelf legs, giving a secure fit, but also allowing the shelf to be easily removed when the workstation is needed for other duty.
The shelf will have an integrated power strip and lighting. Those lights, and all tools carried on the shelf, can remain plugged into the power bar, even when it’s removed, so hot-swapping the shelves will be fast and easy.
Additionally, this design allows shelves to interlock securely for compact vertical storage when not in use, by alternately rotating them 180°.
With this design now in hand, I can proceed to building a prototype and assess how sturdy it is and whether any of the dimensions need to be tweaked. The first unit will be built for the electronics station, and will need to hold my bench power supply, bench meter, oscilloscope, and soldering station.
