Actual Garage Progress

[skeeters_keeper]

Most of the important bases have been covered! Definitely white work benches. I try to keep my 'clean'projects on one wall with a 16' workbench and pegboard. One end is set up with reloading equipment and i put a grid of 1/4-20 threaded inserts on a 6"x6" pattern for most of the rest of the bemch. I have little fixtures for holding rockets, guns, electronics etc that can be bolted down with little knobs based on the project at hand. I try to keep my 'dirty' projects on the other side of the shop with an 8' bench that has my big vice on it, grinders, welder, drill press, blast cabinet etc. Back wall has 2 8' wide 9' tall storage shelves.
Every wall has 20amp recepticles every 4ft. If you have to move to reach an outlet you're doing something wrong! Haha.

I still have a long way to get it finished but its getting there.

[lessersivad]

I have a trash can full of cheap cat litter. I have found it works rather well. I never thought to dump sprits on the floor 1st tho. Ill give that a try next time.

I actually came across it by mistake. Spilled some 'spirits' on the floor a few years ago and put floor dri down to soak it up. Swept the floor dri up and it was the cleanest spot of the whole floor...LOL. Been using it ever since.

[ThisVelologist]

My humble workspace

[Doug Brown]

If you have a narrow garage or storage space (10 - 12 feet wide), you can add a "second story or loft" in it for storing larger lightweight items. Lets you keep the floor space "open".

When I did mine (before buying a house with a huge shop) I used 2x4's and 1/2" plywood and screwd it all together with dry wall screws (to hold the plywood down) or 3/8" lag bolts to hold all the 2x4's together. Very strong and very easy to unfasten to either modify or move your structures.

I dis-assembled, moved and re-assembled all of my shelves, 2nd story, work benches from the 12 x 24-ft storage unit into my 30 x 33-ft shop in 3-days. Sort of a giant pre-fab construction kit!!! Don't forget to label which part goes where if you want to re-assemble everything the same!

There have been some really great ideas on this thread!

[mikemounlio]

The new shelf in progress.


The old corner bench is on the other side of the garage. The shelfs are going to wrap around the back of the garage all the way to the window by the corner bench. I will then add in led under lights.

[firebush357]

I wish I could get rid all of the stuff my Mother-Inlaw gave us that is just sitting inside my garage taking a bunch space I can actually have a corner to put a bench in... I hate China Cabinets!

[mikemounlio]

I wish i could get rid of my mother in law as well. O wait thats not what you said...

[blake4591]

I'm in the process of adding "drawers" under my workbenches now. I'm just buying plastic storage containers and building a self just big enough to fit them with guides to keep them organized. I like to be able to pull one out and have everything for a specific job together. For example I have one for brake line related stuff with tubing cutters, the flaring tool, brake line and various bleeders line nuts and line wrenches. When the jobs done everything goes in the bin and back on the self.

I will recommend getting an old house vacuum for the garage floor. There was one left in my house when I moved in that now lives in the garage. Beats sweeping or trying to use a shop vac to do the floor. It also takes care of the carpet that I have in front of the work benches. Also build a shed for long term storage of big items and large lawn and garden stuff like mowers. A couple of big items stored in a garage quickly eats up space.

[skeeters_keeper]

Also build a shed for long term storage of big items and large lawn and garden stuff like mowers. A couple of big items stored in a garage quickly eats up space.

This! Probably the best thing I've done for the garage since I started building it. Lawn mowers, tractors, extra bigger pieces of lumber, yard tools, etc. all get in the way. Most of that stuff needs to be under a roof, but not necessarily as enclosed as a garage, so I built a little shed off the back of the garage. Wish I could fit a few more spare cars in it but hey... #1 rule of garage: it's never big enough.

[ThisVelologist]

I've had the pleasure of seeing Nate's garage in person--it's quite impressive. Best scenery I've ever seen from a garage too!

[mikemounlio]

Stage one of my shelf system is complete. I even had time last night to start arranging things onto the new shelf. I will have the garage all cleaned up this saturday! I will have a nice neat spot for everything. I might even extend the shelf across the back of the garage and up to the window like i want to. I might as well do it now or chances are it will never get done.

SO much more room in there already tho. If i get the shelf extended this weekend i will have more space in the garage for actual projects then i have ever had. I cat wait to get home and get to work.

[FestYboy]

Don't forget to paint them white. You'll thank yourself later.

[mikemounlio]

Im not big on the white paint in the garage. IDK tho. after they are all build i might take a look at it again. Might look up garage pictures online.

[FestYboy]

It's not for aesthetics, it's for functionality and extra light dispersion. Especially the underside of the shelves.

[Shin Hayata]

Im not big on the white paint in the garage.

Agreed. I painted my garage interior white, and it feels blah and washed out even when all the lights are on. The walls highlight every cobweb, stain, scratch and the like, too. I've already lined up a Behr primer/paint formula at Home Depot -- a variation of sky blue -- that will maintain the bright vibe, so to speak, and provide a more comfortable aesthetic to boot.