Brass Mile - a SouthernMonkey living room

[SouthernMonkey]

Every man has to walk a mile to gain knowledge, this is where I walk mine.​

So background - I'm jj, a grease monkey on planes for uncle sam. Been back stateside for about 2 years now from 8 years in England. Most of that 8 years was spent building and offroading. From comps to fun runs to hours in the barn building. Loved every min of it.

Jump ahead to now and the drop in pay, wife not working, a little one running around. Offroading is slightly out of the question for a few years. Till I found a new hobby - a man has to build things right?
RC crawlers - I have always had a love for these toys

Enough of the introductions - on to the Brass Mile...
Sorry for the fuzzy photos, not sure why my photo skill were off. Thinking it was the moonshine and paint fumes.

the beginnings...

unfinished garages - really??? who does that...

alittle white to help with lighting, alittle grey for flavor, and either an orange stripe or actual brass strip around the room later.

Now this house was way smaller than the last and we have a lot of stuff. But the builders were smart enough to give the garage a raised ceiling.
faux attic...

 

[SouthernMonkey]

Thats about all time allowed before it was time to start moving in.
And this happened.....

Gotta love moving day!
That was last weekend - spent all this weekend clearing it back out and getting other household things sorted so I can finish the attic storage and move on to the work tops, and machine benches.

But I did get to pick up this....

Can't wait to put some logos on it and plug it in!!

 

[FunkyfullWidth]

Nice lookin rigs! Looks like a nice spot to work on em to boot. Any specs on the jeep, and what was that a defender?

 

[Jay Sco]

Good start, keep us posted.
Funky, I'm guessing that's an Axial Dingo (RC stuff).

 

[dubber]

I like how this is progressing, keep it up!

 

[SouthernMonkey]

Nice lookin rigs! Looks like a nice spot to work on em to boot. Any specs on the jeep, and what was that a defender?

The Mod List on the TJ is longer than my arm. Young couple with no kids and really decent pay checks. ANd yes the Wife supported and even called every order in. Short List:
97 US Spec TJ
Unimog 404 axles
40in Swampers
RaceRunner coilovers
3 winches
Full Hydro steer
And every other bell and whistle you can shake a stick out.
It was built to walk over anything England and Europe could throw at it. Now its stomping around Belgium I believe.

Good start, keep us posted.
Funky, I'm guessing that's an Axial Dingo (RC stuff).

The first one is a full custom 1:10 scale Ratrod. The frame rails, skid, links, cage, even the front axle is custom built from scratch. This second photo you can see the full metal bed I built for it. She is really due a rebuild her shortly.

This is a mates Scout on a SCX10 (dingo or honcho) frame set. The cage and all other work is all custom metal work. No plastics in the Southern Monkey house!

Hope that helps - if anyone wants to see more let me know, I keep my Flickr stacked and love photo editing and graphic design.
Jay do you crawl?

 

[55cadillacking]

^ I did this with my '82 Plymouth Horizon and it didn't turn out too well!

I love the color scheme you are cooking with. I'm hoping you have even more plans for the garage.

 

[SouthernMonkey]

^ I did this with my '82 Plymouth Horizon and it didn't turn out too well!
I love the color scheme you are cooking with. I'm hoping you have even more plans for the garage.

Thanks Mate - it took a lot of thinking and debating.
I have more ideas than I will be able to complete in a year - thats for sure! It should be able to fit a car but that is not set in stone. And will be a mixture of a living area, hobby room, fab shop, and garage.
Who does that?

My little girl turns 2 this weekend and she loves RCs and playing in the garage with daddy. My last garage was not easy for her to be in without a strict eye, this area will be highly different.
All the metal working will be pushed to one side and out of the way, a lot cleaner all over. We have a 40in flat screen thats moving from the bedroom to the garage. The other side will house comupters/office/ work bench for planning and putting these crazy toys and other together.

We still have to finish cleaning out the rental this week and weekend but with some luck another two weeks I will start pushing hard.

 

[Jay Sco]

Jay do you crawl?

Only when I've drank too much.

No but I am starting to get back into RC's along with my son. We have a couple short course trucks, but I like every kind. That rat rod of yours looks pretty trick.

 

[SouthernMonkey]

So I have been thinking...... Bad thing I know.

1/3 of the garage is going to be office style. Dry assembly, clean work area, computers, ect ect ect. We all know even when you have a barn to work in, storage is always a key ingredient in making your space usable.
I have the over head area I am building, but who wants heavy stuff above your head. On top of the fact that some of that area I am loosing to the wife. Holiday gear and such.

What if I built a raised level for the office side to sit on? In floor storage if you will. I can think of any number of things that could easily fit in a foot-foot and a half under floor. But what are the down falls?
All I can think of is how hard it would be to get to the space under the work benches.

Any ideas......

 

[Jay Sco]

Interesting idea for sure. Are you thinking of making the entire 1/3 area with storage underneath, or just a layed down shelf sized spot? How heavy is the stuff your planning to store? I think it would be way cool, and well hidden, but it would take a lot of work and material to create not very much usable storage space. Maybe someone can chime in to prove me wrong, I'd like to see something like this.

 

[Kevin54]

Where did you get the paint sample at for the orange? Is it Copper Gleam? I like it, and think it will look great with the other colors. It looks like it has a metallic in it. Is it an automotive paint or an interior paint?

Hurry up and get it painted, I want to see more pics.

 

[SouthernMonkey]

Where did you get the paint sample at for the orange? Is it Copper Gleam? I like it, and think it will look great with the other colors. It looks like it has a metallic in it. Is it an automotive paint or an interior paint?

Hurry up and get it painted, I want to see more pics.

You have a good eye Sir.
Copper Gleam - Valspar Brand. Says I need to use Tawny Bluff as the base coat. I am still debating if I want to use paint or actual Brass. But I need to get everything up on the walls before I pick where I put the stripe

 

[SouthernMonkey]

Last week I got the Garage cleared out to where I can start work again. Which means my loft and the Wifes sewing room is packed....... I hate moving

Started the day with this...

A Mate came by and we went to work. Figured we'd started throwing the main office/work bench together.

I 45'ed the end so I can round the corner. Should make coming out the house a little nicer.

I have 3 of these smaller toolbox toppers. Figured might as well use them, but my math was was off and the lid hinge was giving us issues. Another day....

And my wonderful water cut offs - Why they put them so high on the wall, I don't know. But heyho.
We came up with a hundred ideas, but a simple box to cover it and ease of access won.

Not bad for half a days work. I have a few more braces and screws to attack, and a shelf to sort - Thinking right where the 2 colors meet. If so my stripe will have to go above, about an inch into the white.

 

[Buickguy]

Its off to a good start

 

[Kevin54]

You have a good eye Sir.
Copper Gleam - Valspar Brand. Says I need to use Tawny Bluff as the base coat. I am still debating if I want to use paint or actual Brass. But I need to get everything up on the walls before I pick where I put the stripe

So it's interior paint then? Isn't it Lowes that on the commercial with the Chameleons that they say if you don't like the paint, they will give you a quart or so of another of your choice?

I'm liking the Copper Gleam though. I may have to do something in my garage just to be able to use some.

 

[SouthernMonkey]

So it's interior paint then? Isn't it Lowes that on the commercial with the Chameleons that they say if you don't like the paint, they will give you a quart or so of another of your choice?

I'm liking the Copper Gleam though. I may have to do something in my garage just to be able to use some.

Yep interior paint. I think I have seen that one - I don't watch a lot of cable. I loved it when I saw it. Regardless if I use it on the walls I have been thinking it and dark grey Hammerlight for all my shop tools. Should look great and be different from the normal, reds, blues, and greens. Thats mainly what I was after - Something a little different.

 

[BeachBoy]

Unimog portal axles.. I'm drooling on the floor.

That's some serious mods..

 

[SouthernMonkey]

Unimog portal axles.. I'm drooling on the floor.

That's some serious mods..

Thanks mate, you'll be happy to know I blew up a portal box on my first outing in 2WD. Lol
It was built to hold up to British and Euro winch events. And once the bugs were worked out it handled everything like a treat.

 

[SouthernMonkey]

Time for some updates....

Went to HF over the sale holiday...

Finally something thats closer to all my tools in one box...

And I found this little helper for re organizing my stuff - she works for cheap too...

A buddy came by to help me finish up the over head framing...

Will it ever end - working over my head is getting old...

Then I started in on the machine bench....

I just need to top it and finish the drawers, praboly take me another 3 weeks. I've never made drawers...

Start in on a pretty big size cabinet tomorrow. Hoping to go get materials to to work benches and make the drawers next week. My right hand is sooo tired of drywall screws.....

 

[teuflhund]

Area doesn't look that bad. Concealed carry while you work in garage?

 

[Jay Sco]

Area doesn't look that bad. Concealed carry while you work in garage?

Looks like open carry to me. Gotta keep those pesky stray cats away somehow.

 

[SouthernMonkey]

Thats Alex in the photo - not myself. He open carries just about everywhere he goes. If I could stop spending cash on the garage maybe I could pick one up myself.....

 

[Holt]

Looking good. Your buddy looks like he packing.

 

[SouthernMonkey]

I have been slacking in my posting - But I have been busy.....

Built a deck...

Got the fridge running and stocked....

Cooked some food...

Oh yeah - I did get some work done on the shop in between all that....:mrgreen:

 

[SouthernMonkey]

I didn't really take photos between building like I had palnned. Life and work got in the way and a lot of this was done after the girls were sleeping or early mornings before work.

But here is were I am, I had to get the place usable - AxialFest is coming and I want a JK to drive....

Machine side - next on the organizing and setup list.

For now the metal storage is on the wall under the bench till I get a better idea. Soon the rolling island is going away and a sink will mount between the workbench and the water heater.

Main work area

The height came out perfect, high enough to stand at but a little higher than normal so when sitting the work is in your face without being cumbersome.

Back wall

TV needs mounting on the wall and the shelves will go away for custom built wall mounted items. Job is just never done is it?

 

[SouthernMonkey]

Now time to start building - AxialFest is 20 days away. 1 rig to finish and 1 I haven't started..........

 

[Cris B]

Nice space, taking shape now. How did that angled work bench near the door turn out?

How do you fabricate the small steel roll cages? Are they just brazed rod?

 

[kkcshipp]

Where did you get the frig?

 

[SouthernMonkey]

Nice space, taking shape now. How did that angled work bench near the door turn out?

How do you fabricate the small steel roll cages? Are they just brazed rod?

The kick out on the work bench is great - holds my laptop when I am wrenching for the most part. But it also useful for reference papers and what not.
I just need to find a way to trim the rounded corners. Wood don't bend so well.

As for the RC cages. Either solid rod or small tube like brake line. And some guys weld some braze - I prefer Tig but it depends on the piece.

 

[SouthernMonkey]

Where did you get the frig?

A buddy got it from a friend that works at a grocery store. They ordered to many. No idea on pricing as it was free to me......BONUS!

 

[SiGmA_X]

I read through your thread a few months ago but didn't have anything to say besides nice work at that point, and sweet rigs. So now I'm saying it

Those Vegas garages are so small! My family lived there for a year during my middle/highschool (half 8th & half 9th for me) time and I remember how damn cramped our garage was compared to all of the houses we have had in Oregon! You definitely made the most of the space, I love it. The angle bench is something I've always thought would be useful. I have a question, how high are your benches? I'm pretty short (5'9") but I really enjoy a 40-42" working height. My old employer (auto shop) had 38" benches are they were okay but a touch short for my liking. Then again, I have a bad back so leaning over excessively is just not fun.

How do you like the access to the 'attic' in the garage?

Keep up the good work!