Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT The 12-Gauge Garage

[Jack Olsen]

Thanks. On the big cabinets, I simply clean them, scuff the finish with a Scotchbrite pad or sandpaper, then clean with acetone and hit them with a roller and the semigloss exterior house paint. My reasoning is that they're already protected by the existing paint. I'm basically just putting on a cosmetic layer. And even in terms of cosmetics... it's a garage.

It's not how I'd paint a car.

These things are going to get scuffed up and dirty. The nice thing about such a low-standard finish is that it's easy to hit again with a roller when it starts looking bad.

That's the green. On the red ones, they're sprayed with Rustoleum. When cutting/welding/whatever leads to bare metal, I do a layer of self-etching primer.

 

[BBChevro]

...It's not how I'd paint a car. ...

It's funny that you should say that Jack, because that shade of green always reminds me of an old co-workers '67 F100.... it was also painted with house paint - applied with a brush!!!

Your cabinets look way better.

 

[shortykorte]

Thanks.

"It's just a garage" where dreams can come true and a place of solitude.

 

[Squankum]

Safety: I'm all for it... and for living rationally... and using what's available... but where you stop, well, it's still kind of a feeling and a mood. Jack's not charging into turn 1 on lap 1 with 20 other maniacs. Track weekends feel safer than that, and I'd guesstimate they are, on number of incidents, chances for boo boos.

Once the boos boos happen, though... I think of the video you posted recently where a kit Cobra spun out and could have been center-punched... well, you're not about to put NASCAR door bars in your car, are you? (See pic below.) If you don't do that because it's still a street car, and you like it dual-use, I can absolutely understand. (Also, all that weight would slow you down, oh wait, that's a horrible rationale... )

If we were like the people that I like to call The Volvo Pu... uh, Wussies, and living our lives rationally, we wouldn't be out on track. My personal queasies are open-wheeled cars, and that Miata video reminds me, cars without roofs.

Part of your quest is also building this car bit by bit to chase that lap time, no? Going out and buying a used vintage NASCAR road race car might be safer, just cost a lot more in fuel, trailer, tow vehicle, insurance for those, storage for those, and those things that just don't fit in your real estate/zip code/budget, right?

 

[James Wieler]

Protecting scissor lift from rusting (snow melting off of the car)

Hi guys,
I'm brand new to this forum, I got here via Petrolicious after watching Jack Olsen's video. Anyway, I have a Rotary brand scissor lift in my garage but because I live in NewEngland and that bay is used by my wife's minivan in the winter, the floor always has water on it. The lift is fine but it won't be that way forever.

I need ideas as to how to protect the base of the lift from rusting. I squeegee the bay out on the weekends as needed but I know there is a thin layer of water under the base. It is not bolted to the floor yet so i can move/lift it still. I was thinking of these potential solutions:

1) running a bead of caulking around the perimeter to seal it, but I'm not sure if that would seal in moisture coming up through the concrete
2) adding another piece of steel to the bottom of the base, sort of a sacrificial idea
3) combination of the above two

But I wanted to poll this list for better ideas
thanks
James

 

[Craptain]

James, welcome.
You should start a new thread with this question. Look around a little and you will find an appropriate place for it and find a lot of fun reads at the same time. Good luck.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

 

[Jack Olsen]

James, is the lift sitting on the floor or in a pit?

Either way, you could make a base for it out of wood, composite (like the stuff for decking) or aluminum to keep the rust-susceptible stuff slightly elevated. A really good coat of rust-resistant paint might be enough, too.

 

[James Wieler]

Hi Jack,
Really nice to meet you, loved your Petrolicious video.
Anyway the lift is just sitting on the floor not a pit. I'm not sure about putting something under it as the base is what it lifts off of so it would likely crush anything under it (unless it's a solid piece of steel that I am willing to sacrifice)

I'm leaning towards something like Por-15 unless somebody has a product that they really like and can give a source for it.
thanks
James

 

[Jack Olsen]

Easy enough to try the POR-15. Then monitor for rust.

But also keep in mind that the weight of a car sits on four very small patches. Most concrete could bear the weight of the car perched on a single tire without any issue. You could put 1/4" Neoprene underneath it -- at the corners ad maybe every 3 or 4 feet, depending on the design of the base -- and be fine. If it's putting the rollers right on the concrete, then I'd agree that your want steel there.

 

[Squankum]

I'm pondering putting some tool chests under my workbenches, so I went googling for info about Jack's garage the other day when I spotted this:

http://www.hotrod.com/cars/featured/ccrp-1104-jack-olsens-garage/

What? That was four years ago?


Like Groucho Marx said, "Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana."

 

[Outlawmws]

This thread started over 5 years ago now, and he'd already completed "Version 1".

This is what it looked like in Pic one, Post one...

He'd started it in i think 2009...

 

[Jack Olsen]

Outlaw, that first post in the thread has been (frequently) updated.

But it's true about time flying. For me, the easy marker is watching my kids get older in the pictures. The project got its start almost 8 years ago, when I was faced with a work stoppage and no more excuses for my unusable and packed-with-**** garage. Day one of the strike, I got my wife pregnant. (More her idea than mine, of course. But there you go.) On day two, I started cleaning the garage.

So here's a picture from last week of the kid who was conceived at the same time as the garage.

And here's how the garage started out -- when I was pretty pleased with the place. I could actually park there! The initial idea had been to clean it out and then re-use stuff that had been sitting inside the place to make the storage shelves and benches. The first exception to the rule was a trip to a used lumber place, where I got a solid-core door for a better bench. My budget shot up from $0 to $500.

It got floor tile right around the time we learned we had a kid on the way.

You can see the basic design is pretty much there -- even thought all of the components will change as the place evolves.

This '12-Gauge Garage' thread is the second gallery thread on it. The first was called 'Poor Man's Retro Retreat -- in 440 square feet.' That wasn't as good a title, in my opinion. I started the new thread when I started putting in the Strong Hold cabinets.

 

[YoungMedic]

The project got its start almost 8 years ago, when I was faced with a work stoppage and no more excuses for my unusable and packed-with-**** garage. Day one of the strike, I got my wife pregnant. (More her idea than mine, of course. But there you go.) On day two, I started cleaning the garage.
.

I hope the disciples are jotting this down. 12 Gauge Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning .."

 

[Red Leader]

Howdy Jack, I hope you and yours are doing great in 2015 and thought I would stop by to say hi after a period of absence. Your garage looks phenomenal as always and is never short on inspiration. I think I see something newly inspiring each time I see it.

 

[Jack Olsen]

Hey, Dave. Great to see you here! You've got a pair of young kids, right? If so, I completely understand the short disappearances. They put everything in perspective.

I thought of you when I was putting this guy in, recently. I only have the two bench-top Craftsman tools in my shop, but both of them have been troopers. And the new one how has the buffing wheel you introduced me to.

 

[bagged89s10]

Hey, Dave. Great to see you here! You've got a pair of young kids, right? If so, I completely understand the short disappearances. They put everything in perspective.

I thought of you when I was putting this guy in, recently. I only have the two bench-top Craftsman tools in my shop, but both of them have been troopers. And the new one how has the buffing wheel you introduced me to.

Jack, I've been reading your garage thread for quite some time and have to say it's one of the biggest inspirations for my garage build. The colors and smart use of space has helped me tremendously. I actually have a green countertop from my gutted kitchen that is similar and I think I'm going to put it in my garage. My garage is only 20x22 and I'm trying to use the space as efficiently as possible. Thank you.

Also, that's a cool warning you made for your block grinder.. I saw. It on the block grinder thread. Do you have the template in a photoshop file or something? I need to make a label form one of my block grinders.

 

[Jack Olsen]

A garage project. Max and I made a version of the 'nail in wood' trick for his show-and-tell at school.

The idea is that you find a way to get a nail where it doesn't look like you could get a nail.

These are the pictures we put together for him to show after his fellow kindergarteners had made their guesses as to how we got the nail in there.

And after you boil it for 10 minutes a second time, the final result:

 

[sean Buick 76]

Super cool thanks for sharing!

 

[slik560]

Clever! I had no idea that wood would squish down like that.

 

[Jack Olsen]

And then, a morning project for the deck. Over time, the hardwood releases tannins and all sorts of particulate nonsense comes down from the air we breathe hear in Los Angeles. The wood is still smooth. But it's less pretty.

Step 1. Hit it with a hose to get the dust and dirt off.

Step 2. Mop it with an Oxalic Acid solution.

Step 3. Let it dry. If you look closely, you can see more of the old Penofin (rosewood oil) was preserved where the rugs and couches sheltered it from the sun and rain.

Step 4: Apply Penofin.

Step 5. Let it dry.

It's surprising how quick this is. It took about half an hour yesterday to mop the acid stuff on. And then it took two hours this morning to apply the stain. I can move the furniture back later today.

Note below: what a difference this makes.

 

[Denwood]

Jack, that's a very impressive transformation. The wood is gorgeous all oiled up ...

Your little guy and my daughter would have a lot of fun..she loves hanging out in the shop just like he does.

I just picked up one of these for my Westfalia paint project. It's surprisingly comfortable, zero fog, and makes for some very clean breathing. Clean intake is pulled into the face area via the filters, then into the nose/mouth sealed area via a one way valve, and then is expelled out the front.

 

[JeremyBurke]

Jack,
I'm bringing my 3 boys down to the LA area for a Disney trip and to The Tar pits at the end of the month. Any chance I could arrange a tour of your world famous garage for my scrapbook while i'm down there?

Cheers,
Jeremy

 

[alpinewhite]

Jack,
I'm bringing my 3 boys down to the LA area for a Disney trip and to The Tar pits at the end of the month. Any chance I could arrange a tour of your world famous garage for my scrapbook while i'm down there?

Cheers,
Jeremy

I'm sure he could arrange it if you paid him the same amount you will be paying to get into Disneyland. Lol.

 

[Squankum]

I'm sure he could arrange it if you paid him the same amount you will be paying to get into Disneyland. Lol.

Yeah, but the next thing you know, everybody will want to go on the rides!

Do you know how exotic Black Beauty would be to those kids? Why, I bet they've never taken a ride in a car with manual door locks or manual steering before!

(Or rear engined or air cooled or...)


Jack, how did that shield help? Were things splattering in your face? Were there fumes? Do have a mask like Denwood's? I just got a 3M mask like that (fumes only, no face shield) after inhaling a big breath of spray paint gas last summer, and yep, it's much nicer. And healthier.

 

[Huxley]

File under the "you didn't even know you needed it" category... 3M makes some extremely comfortable shields. The HEPA versions are pricey but very useful.

If you are patient, you can get a good deal on them via Craigslist and eBay. I was able to piece one together - helmet/shield, battery, charger and an older fan unit. It works great when you need protection and/or fresh air. I use it when grinding concrete, performing demolition, working with insulation, painting and when the wood dust is really flying. They also have welding versions. I think mine is an Air Mate with an M-100 helmet.

The helmets are offered in a variety of protection levels and the filters can protect from dust, viruses, radiation, etc.

Allergies are getting the better of me right now - it could even be a boy in the bubble starter kit.

Don't Google Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR). It could get pricey.

 

[Jack Olsen]

The homespun version is a lot cheaper, although not HEPA-tastic like the high-end 3M models.

Step-by-step:

http://steampunkworkshop.com/respirator-shtml/

 

[Huxley]

Ooph. I thought mine was rough because I used some duct tape on a duct.

 

[Jack Olsen]

I don't have the 'steampunk' one. But I think something like it would be better than nothing.

 

[Boosted1]

Your deck looks fantastic.

 

[shortykorte]

The homespun version is a lot cheaper, although not HEPA-tastic like the high-end 3M models.

Step-by-step:

http://steampunkworkshop.com/respirator-shtml/

Definitely better than nothing. Pretty creative if it works.

 

[Von Dutchoven]

I would want to make sure the silicone had fully cured and off gassed.

 

[Squankum]

People, don't be fooled by Jack's homemade mask ideas. He's actually rehearsing for the revival of the play, "Murder in the Cathedral", produced by Buzz Aldrin's Mercury III players!!

.

 

[Lippyp]

The homespun version is a lot cheaper, although not HEPA-tastic like the high-end 3M models.

Step-by-step:

http://steampunkworkshop.com/respirator-shtml/

Needs a K&N filter to replace the paper one..........

 

[Nate k]

Use a car cabin filter most are HEPA filters.

 

[Jack Olsen]

Making my own race-car wing

An old Porsche generates a lot of lift at speed. On a track, it's helpful to put some kind of wing on the back of the car (and a splitter up front) to keep the thing better-stuck at speed. I've had a bunch of different wings -- some of which I bought second-hand and some that I've made. The first was made out of aluminum and worked well, but was a pain in the neck to make. More recently, I've had EPS foam cores cut by a CNC hot wire cutting place and then skinned them, variously, with aluminum, heat-shrink stuff, packing tape, and contact paper.

I had a wing fail last week, and now I want to try a different size of wing next. But the waiting time and price of getting a new core cut are enough that I've decided to try and cut my own with a primitive hot wire cutter that -- if it works -- will slice through (and seal) the foam, and give me a wing for not much more than the cost of a sheet of wall insulation.

The first step was testing to see if I had the stuff I needed to build a hot wire cutter. So I grabbed an AC wall adapter and a current-adjusting dimmer switch off from my deck, and clipped a piece of .023 wire from my MIG welder.

I think I'm going to document this project with video, so here's the first 3-minute clip of me awkwardly talking to a camera in my garage.



Let me know what you think of it. And anyone who knows more about this kind of project than me, please feel free to nudge me in the right direction where I'm doing stuff wrong.

 

[Jagmandave]

Re: Making my own race-car wing

All the ones I've seen in the big shops use a thin blade rather than a wire - you can form a blade to a specific profile, then just make a pass thru it and get your one side cut. Then flip it over, insert blade #2 with the other side's shape pre-formed, run it thru again and Bob's yer uncle.

I don't know how you'd cut a complex shape like that with a wire....how would you tension it properly over a 60" length?

It will be fun to see how you engineer this, looking forward to part 2!

 

[countryroad82]

Re: Making my own race-car wing

Pretty cool Jack! I'll be looking forward to your next step into doing this.

 

[404]

Re: Making my own race-car wing

Music is annoying but this video shows the method.

 

[stomperxj]

Re: Making my own race-car wing

Nichrome wire is supposed to work better than plain steel. Looks good so far-

 

[Jack Olsen]

Re: Making my own race-car wing

Thanks!

It's odd, I hadn't seen the practice of using a pair of airfoils on either side of the block -- thought it was an idea that just came to me -- a real 'ah ha' moment. But now I see it whenever I Google. I wonder if I'd seen it and just not processed it before.

Music is annoying but this video shows the method.

That's an interesting way to get a steady movement. I'd assumed I could just keep moving over the wire, but I suspect now that I'll be producing a groove whenever I stop for a moment -- and unlike with a blade, the heat from the wire will keep cutting whether it's moving or not. I guess the key with their setup is to have the pushing force be extremely constant.

Nichrome wire is supposed to work better than plain steel. Looks good so far-

I saw that in some Googling I did today, and I'll have some 26 AWG Nichrome next week. Until then, I'll keep experimenting with the MIG wire.