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What does you garage/shop look like and what's in it?


Gary_N

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I'm really interested to find out what's in your garage and how you have it setup. I have a sizable space, and with a lift, but I have to go out outside to change my mind it's so tight in there. And I need to buy some more bulky items like a blaster, etc.

So, how's your shop set up? Pics would be really great! By the way, how do you actually post pics here anyway?

Thanks!

Gary

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I hope you find the answer because I have the same problem.

Your shop cannot be too big. Mine is 24 x 44, with 24 x 22 used for the cars and the other end for the work bench, small lathe, grinder, drill press, welder, air compressor, table saw, tool boxes and storage. I have a covered extension that has the mowers, lawn trailer, chopper/shredder, edger,etc plus wheels, tires and other stuff that does not need to have complete protection. I have an upstairs that is air conditioned and houses a computer, and years of automotive literature, and model cars. I would like to add on but my options are very limited. I am thinking about a second lift just to get another car in there.

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Gary,

There is never enough space. I have a 3 car, insulated garage with some depth. I can fit three full size cars in there. I own a 49 Roadmaster, 63 Bonneville and 68 Riviera all have the bodies off presently (outside) with rolling chassis inside.

Using directionals, on my east wall which runs the length of the shop, I have a high efficiency Pulse furnace, top of the line, a metal bench squeezed in between that and a long wooden bench. Then the small door to the garage. The metal bench was purchased for $10 from a Dodge dealership moving to the burbs and having an auction. I'll use it for engine/trans teardown.

On the south side, I have a storage rack for removed parts, a parts cleaning bin (the cheapo $50 ones from Northern), my pressurized sandblaster and various tools.

To the west are my 3 garage doors. On the north against my wall are my two tool chests, more piled up storage (tearing down 3 cars you never have enough space) and an overhead storage plus two kitchen style cabinets.

Above my benches on the east side, I have kitchen cabinets with the doors removed, cheap, visible storage.

My garage is only four years old, is insulated to R25, with three insulated garage doors. The ceiling is drywall, therefore, I can't have a hoist but those things are worth the loss in space - I'm sure most of us would agree.

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Guest Dans 77 Limited

Basically take one 2 car garage. place the usual items owned by a gearhead in said garage ( tools, parts, parts to cars I no longer own etc)place bicycles for adults and child(who just seems to collect them) Season with lawnmower , garden tools and ladders. Shake garage vigorously making sure all ingredients mix together thouroughly, once all other ingredients are mixed well add 1 full size & 1 mid size Buick.

Thats what my garage looks like

Dan

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My workshop is 20X30 and has the usual things. The east wall has work benches and a tool box.The air compressor is under one of the benches. The south wall has another tool box, the furnace and the torches and welders. It also has a spiral staircase that leads to the second floor where my Buick memorabilia is displayed. This room is air conditioned and has a pool table and "fridge "in it . When I get too frustrated working on Buicks, I go and shoot a game of pool , and that frustrates me even more, so I can go back to the cars.

The west wall has shelving containing the "stuff" you need to clean and maintain Buicks.

The north wall is the door.

I have a second building 32X48 where I store the cars and parts. It has a mezzanine for the special pieces, and a hoist for extra storage.

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Old Guy: I like your setup. I could use two buildings. I guess if I was working on only one car, it would be OK. I have an attached garage to the house that is supposed to be for usual garage attached to the house stuff like lawn stuff, freezer, etc. My shop is an out building that is 34 x 60. It sounded big when it was being built, but now is small. Seems we all have second floors. Mine is still unfinished, but it was supposed to be a playroom/guest room, with the play for car stuff.

I wish I would have put more thought into the garage before building it. I hate listening to the compressor. Seems like you need a "dirty room" (for grinders and the like); a larger room for the compressor, jack stands, hoists, and floor jacks, tires, and all of the other stuff that I keep walking into; and a small kitchen for the required beer supply and edibles. For me, all of this stuff is everywhere.

I do love having the lift and it was cheap. I bought a used 7,000 two post from a dealer of new and used Rotary lifts. Cost $1,800 installed. Looks used, but works great. Wish I had two!

Saw a picture in a hot rod magazine showing the shop of a guy building three cars at the same time. I wonder how he kept is so clean. Let's see, I have cleaning people for the house, maybe there should be cleaning people for the shop?

Gary

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Guest imported_Thriller

Keith - I love your description.

Joe - I'd have expected a trip to the fridge after the pool, and forget about the cars...at least that is what I'd do.

I have a 40' by 120' lot and a zoning variance was required to build my garage...something about them not wanting the entire lot covered in building...sigh. Anyway, from the house to the back alley across the width of the lot is covered in concrete. Inside a wide gate is the tent trailer and boat. In the corner is the oversize double garage - 22' by 30'. I use wheel dollies to get a car sideways up at the front and use the main space for parking two drivers. Currently I have the '56 Special sideways...you'd think that would leave a nice space in the corner, but that bugger is about 17' or so...good thing it isn't a Roadmaster. I have a small workbench with peg board backing in that corner...I also have a rolling cart...that helps somewhat. Assorted parts (including AMC parts for a Javelin I haven't owned since 1993) in the trusses. The big double door is insulated.

This was built last summer, so isn't exactly finished yet...I need to get siding put on, then we'll start thinking about insulation. It does stay well above the ambient temperature in the winter when we have the truck and the Rainier in there (the Rainier gets driven daily). Shortly I'll be taking the Wildcat and '62 Special out to storage in the country for the winter.

I'd love to have a lift, but to use one for storage, I'd have needed to go for 10' walls, which would have required another variance. After the mortgage is paid off next year, I'll get more serious about looking for a rural property, which would wind up with at least a 40' by 60' quonset. We'll see how that pans out.

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The answer to your initial question is to build overhead storage if you can. I moved into town four years ago and lost my barn storage along with the three acres I had to park my enclosed trailer, parts cars, etc.

Immediately after we moved into town, I built the biggest shop I could leagally build onto the side of my house. (it took two years of looking to find a house with enough side yard to build a shop).

I used two double trusses front to back to match the roof lines of the house. I also matched the siding, paint & roof materials to keep my neighbors happy. Some of my "snowbird" neighbors didn't even know I had a shop for months after they returned from spending the winter elsewhere.

It is 26 X 34 and now has a four post lift on the left side centered under the roof peak and far enough from the front to clear the 7' X 16' roll-up door. With the lift (not shown in the older photos), I can park five cars and still have room for my tools & work bench. I currently have four Buicks parked inside, two on the right, one on the lift and one under the lift on the left side.

The chain hoist on the 6' I beam swing arm has been replaced with a half ton electric hoist that works well for pulling engines and lifting heavy stuff up to my heavy storage area (built with a 10" stringer on the truss bottom & joists under the five foot space between the post and the house). The light storage area (the insulated area over my work bay & corner bench is built with 2" X 6" joists) is for stuff like fenders, wood, aluminum canoe, etc.

The left rear corner has become a catch-all for parts waiting to be cleaned and dis-assembled. My big horizontal tank compressor is on the back wall under a window that provides cross ventilation on warm days. The water heater next to the side door (that leads to the rear deck and entrance to the house) is my heat source for the two circuit radiant floor heating system. This allows me to control the temperature of my work area separate from my parking areas.

Overall, I am happy with my shop, but it will never be done. I still need to finish the ceiling, finish insulating the walls, etc. etc....

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Guest imported_MrEarl

What does you garage/shop look like and what's in it?

Hell, I wish I knew. For a while it was such a mess all I could do was open the door and pitch stuff in. Now it's to the point that I can't even open the door. I think Buttercup is in there somewhere, If it ever cools off maybe I'll dig in and find out and report back. crazy.gif

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Well, as of this evening, its full of junk and a dusty 72' Caprice Estate wagon.... laugh.gif

Photos are worth 1000 words.....

crazy.gif

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This baby is coming out of here this weekend for a bath!

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  • 1 month later...
Guest Reatta1

Well, I guess I could be jealous of some of you guys with the big shops, but, wouldn't change what I have. Mine is a 24 x 36 that I wish was a 30 x 40. During the summer it houses the Reatta and the 66 LeSabre convertible. In the winter it houses the motor home and the convertible. At the end of the motor home bay, there is an 8 foot portion partitioned of for a work bench and peg board tool storage with a metal shelving rack along the narrow wall.(you guessed it, it's a short motor home) There is a loft storage area above the work area. The other bay is the full 36 feet long and was originaly designated for winter storage of the boat. Don't have a lift or some of the other equipment that would be nice for working on the cars. Just today moved the Reatta to the attached garage and put the motor home to bed in the shop for the winter. Now if I could just figure out how to keep the cat off the Reatta ------.

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Guest imported_Thriller

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 'Reatta1'</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Now if I could just figure out how to keep the cat off the Reatta ------. </div></div>

I'm sure Barney Eaton could supply you with a cover - it wouldn't keep the cat off, but it would keep the dust off and prevent the cat from dragging anything across that might scratch the finish.

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Guest Dans 77 Limited

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 'Reatta1'</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Now if I could just figure out how to keep the cat off the Reatta ------. </div></div>

This comes to mind

34023247zmUNhy_ph.jpg

Just kidding I have 2 cats and love em both. Even tho the older one has walked across both of my cars after just washing them.But I let him live.

Dan

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Gee Wis..... I have a Garage door in a basment that is like 40 X 60 that is packed full of tools. Two lathes, a mill. Wood working stuff. Sand blast cabinet and compressor, welder's and small tools galore, (It only took me 35 + years to get it all.) and I almost don't have any room for a car. cry.gif And then I have a pole barn that is 100 X 32 and that is also nearly stuffed and then there is the stuff that is outside that probably should be indoors. And you should have seen the stuff I got rid of! crazy.gif

Moral to the story. No mater how big you go it is never enough! eek.gif

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Guest rlbleeker

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1DandyDaves</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Moral to the story. No mater how big you go it is never enough! eek.gif</div></div>

Absolutely true. My shop is 40' x 75', my storage building is 40' x 70' and I've got a 12' x 20' garage for my driver Skylark. The new cars live outside ('96 & '99 Rivs), still got stuff in my dad's barn, got stuff outside that needs cover, and nowhere inside to work on a car.

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Guest Reatta1

Well, it's not one of Barney's covers, but I do have one on her. It still doesn't keep the cat off but it does keep the fur off the finish. We have three cats and one of them has a thing for sleeping on the cars. frown.gif

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<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: n1gzd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Sometimes it is a real mess: </div></div>

That's a mess? C'mon, you gotta really work on that to call it a mess. For most of us, if our better half only saw that, we'd all be heroes for getting the garage cleaned up.

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Gary,

My blaster is a cheap no name brand from china (I am pretty sure anyway). It was very cheap $180 I think. I think that it is about 4 feet wide and loads from the side. it came in about 4000 pieces and took me about two days to put it together and then after all that it leaked so I had to add lots of rtv caulking. If I had to do it again I would spend the money on a better one. I will find out the brand name and post it (after I get back from a trip to Canada which will be next weekend if I remember).

Rebecca

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Guest imported_Thriller

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: n1gzd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">(after I get back from a trip to Canada which will be next weekend if I remember).

Rebecca </div></div>

Rebecca - Canada's a big place grin.gif Are you just hopping across the border, or heading somewhere else? Just wondering...not terribly nosy...just thought you might want to give us a chance to be hospitable if you are heading into our neck of the woods.

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Gary,

The blaster that I have is from TIP Tools in Canton, Ohio. Yes it is an expensive unit but I have never been sorry for buying it. If I remmember right it is a model 1400 with almost 5 foot of working area. Another alternative would be to buy a presure blaster and do the parts outside on nice days. The first thing that you need to keep in mind is that you are going to need a large enough compressor to keep up with the demand for air. Not in terms of tank size, but in turms of CFM. ( Cubic Feet Per Minute. ) Pressurerized Pot blasters are not that expensive and actully do the job faster, but it takes longer to clean up the mess if you blast in an area that you don't want to leave the sand. I have a 99er that Tip use to sell. These are still being produced but under a different company name. Dave!

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Guest rlbleeker

I've got almost the exact same setup as Dave. I only use the pot blaster if I can't get the part in the cabinet, they really do make a mess. Don't under estimate how much compressor you need. I've got a 7 1/2 HP and it works good, used to have a cheapy 5 HP and it wasn't adequate.

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