One of the biggest annoyances on a workbench isn’t power consumption or automation — it’s where manufacturers put the power switch. Especially equipment witch a small form factor has one thing in common: the power switch is on the back of the device.

Soldering stations, bench power supplies, fume extractors, lab instruments — they all seem to assume you enjoy playing power‑switch hide‑and‑seek. Push button or rocker switch, front side or back side.

This project addresses that unconveniant issue by bringing all power control to the front of the workbench: clear, accessible switches for each device.

But the real magic is the master switch.

At the end of the day, I flip one switch and everything that’s currently on shuts down instantly. No walking along the bench, no hunting for tiny power buttons, no second-guessing myself when I lock the door.

The next morning is even better.

I flip that same master switch again, and only the devices I had enabled the day before come back on automatically. Same setup, same tools, same workflow — ready to go in one click.

Why This Is So Handy

• Individually switch 10 mains-powered devices
• One master switch to shut down the entire bench
• State memory: devices that were on stay “remembered”
• Power back up and continue exactly where you left off
• Perfect for daily workshop routines

This makes a huge difference in day-to-day use. I don’t want everything on all the time — just the tools I actually use. And I definitely don’t want to power up the whole bench every morning just to reach for a soldering iron.

Color-Coded LEDs for Instant Visual Feedback

Each outlet is paired with a color-coded LED, so at a glance I can see what kind of device is powered and what’s currently active on the bench.

The colors are intentionally fixed by function:

• Green – Fume extraction
• White – Workbench lighting
• Red – Soldering equipment
• Blue – Power supplies
• Orange – Miscellaneous tools

This turns out to be surprisingly useful in daily use. Even from across the room I can instantly see if the fume extractor or soldering gear is still on, or if I forgot to switch off a power supply before leaving.

Combined with the master switch, the LEDs give clear visual confirmation of what will come back on the next day — no guesswork, no surprises, just a quick glance and full control of the bench

How It Works

The system uses:

• An Arduino-compatible controller
• An I/O port extender for easy connection of 10 switches
• Solid state relays to switch mains power
• A compact switch box for user input
• An isolated 5V power module for the control electronics

Individual switches toggle each outlet, while the master switch acts as a global power gate without losing the on/off state of each channel.

The Goal

This isn’t about fancy automation or Wi‑Fi control. It’s about practical workshop ergonomics:

• One action to power down safely
• One action to restore your preferred setup
• Less clutter, less thinking, more building

It’s one of those projects you stop noticing — until you work at a bench without it.