Christian Fromentin is a Rennes, France-based innovator who transformed an extra room into an electronics workspace. Each day, the retired innovator, who has been reading Elektor for more than 11 years, heads to his workspace to tinker with radio tube sets, construct measurement equipment, and build devices to help people with disabilities. Let’s take a look at his workspace, which features a cabinet packed with handy test and measurement tools that he has acquired over five decades. 
 
Christian Fromentin is a Rennes, France-based electronics workspace. Look! He has some Elektor books on his shelf: 311 Circuits and Mastering Microcontrollers Helped by Arduino.
Tell us about your workspace. Where is it located?
It is a space large enough for me and one or two people who accompany me in my crafts. It is an old room transformed into an office or DIY space that can be used to receive occasional guests. All the furniture is on casters.
 
How long have you had your space?
This was completely finished one year ago.
 
What did you have in mind when you set up your workspace? 
My goal was to be able to use this room in several configurations: electronics, guest room, a place of discussion, drying of the linen.
 
Any special interests? Tell us which kinds of projects you work on in your electronics workspace.
I am passionate about several areas. The refurbishment of old tube radio sets. The construction of measuring devices. The creation of devices aimed at helping people with disabilities: low force joystick, sensitive button, motion detection, etc
 
Much of your test equipment, and many of your tools, are stored neatly. They seem easily accessible in your cabinet. Tell us about some of equipment and tools do you have in your electronics workspace.
I have a lot of measurement equipment that I have acquired over 50 years: oscilloscope, continuous LV power supply, HT, THT. Alternative power with insulation transformer and variac. A 3D printer, micro-lathe, mini CNC milling machine, mini table saw for ICs, microscope, lamp meter, hot air station, welding and de-welding. Spot welding by capacity discharge, by TBT (i.e., Very Low Voltage Transformer: Très Basse Tension). Mylard printer. Roland plastic cutting machine. HF, LF millivoltmeter, LF, HF generator, frequency meter, multimeter, capacitance meter, spectrum analyzer, etc.
 
What a great storage solution. And useful lighting!
So, you have been accumulating equipment for quite some time. What are your most important pieces of equipment?
The most important devices are (in order): the oscilloscope, the power supplies, the soldering iron, the multimeters.
 
Anything interesting about your space? Or perhaps you have some special tools or equipment you like to tell us about?
I have several devices to help me. I use it to keep PCBs designed for CMS components. Flexible adhesive supports intended to maintain the mobile phone on the front boards of the vehicles. I hold the measurement leads at heights by articulated supports. The test leads with alligator clips are hung on a magnetic rail. The leads are easier to store or take. To work in the sector without human risk and for low power devices, I use transformer for razor 220-110 / 220. I made compartments in imp3D which are placed in the drawers of the RACCO lockers. This increases the capacity of the drawers.
 
Additional tools and space to work. 
Any plans in the works for your space? Maybe you will be ordering some new equipment soon?
For the moment, the only device I plan to buy is a four-channel digital oscilloscope with logic analyzer.
 
Tell us about your favorite electronics-related project. What did you build and why?
José den Brok and Ronald Dekker: a proportional joystick with Hall effect with low displacement force <5g and a host USB for Microsoft XAC.
 
What are you working on these days?
For the moment, I am working on the realization of a device intended to measure the characteristics of components called "Vactrols." I realize the graphic interface with "processing," and the card is for the moment an Uno R4 card associated with DAC and ADC.

Do you have a dream project you would love to tackle?
I would like to have the time to refurbish all the tube radio stations that I have in my possession.
 
Have any advice for members of the Elektor community?
When nothing seems to be working, do not insist. Ask a third person.
 

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