Micro Project: DC Lab Supply on the Cheap

Regulated DC power supplies for lab use (or just simple prototyping) are hideously over-priced.

One option is to build your own, using a transformer to step down the 120VAC from the wall, rectify and regulate using capacitors and voltage regulators (LM79XX and LM78XX are the typical garden variety). This will be fine and good, but certainly not a fantastic DC supply.

Option two: pimp out an ATX power supply. Everybody I know who knows anything about computers has at least one ATX supply sitting around doing nothing. Why not put it to use?

Check out these sites for details:
http://www.instructables.com/id/E6D9DB9RPPEP286BR9/
http://www.wikihow.com/Convert-a-Computer-ATX-Power-Supply-to-a-Lab-Power-Supply
http://web2.murraystate.edu/andy.batts/ps/POWERSUPPLY.HTM

It's very simple to do... check out mine:

DC Power Supply