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

[PassnThru]

Jack,
Saw this cabinet & my first thought was 'this would go great in Jack's garage'

I think it was at this point that I finally realised that I'm a garge addict!

Gedore are a German company manufacture quality cabinets & also some tools.

Postage would be a downer...

Yes - when you start shopping for other people's garages you probably have a problem.
There are, of course, worse problems to have

 

[Jack Olsen]

It looks like Gedore makes some nice stuff. CNC cut metal pegboard is a nice touch. I like the drawers, too.

 

[02hawk]

I love the garage you crafted....writers are very organized....just a note on safety...I would never keep an LP tank in doors or in a cabinet...They do leak. Get it out side. If it is empty still keep it out side

 

[BetterDays]

Jack,

Perhaps I missed it elsewhere, but is there a fail safe in place to prevent the bench from crashing down while working on it?

 

[Jack Olsen]

...never keep an LP tank in doors or in a cabinet...They do leak. Get it out side. If it is empty still keep it out side

Agreed. I was waiting for someone to notice that. In cleaning up, I put it on that shelf, but I've already moved the tank outside. I might run a longer line in from outside for future use, so the tank can always be in a place where a leak would be less likely to knock down my garage walls. I'll always turn the gas off at the tank, not (only) at the heater.

Perhaps I missed it elsewhere, but is there a fail safe in place to prevent the bench from crashing down while working on it?

Which one? Both benches are pretty secure, in my opinion. With the wood one, the legs fit in between those blocks which are secured to the wall. You couldn't kick them out, and my car can pull in and out without touching them -- I'd have to hit the table top first, and then hit the legs.

On the steel table, the work surface would hang a little lower if the legs came out, but it would have to tear out all five sets of wood screws to go too far past its normal working position. And again, with the weight of the table and the legs (and the 200# magnets that help them snap into position), you wouldn't be able to kick or push the legs out of position very easily. A car driving under the table would do it, but at that point I've got some big problems no matter what happens with the bench top.

I've thought about using a winch to raise and lower the table, since it's pretty heavy. But I haven't done it yet. Gravity (and the magnets) mean the legs swing and lock into position as the table lowers. I think if you saw it in person, you wouldn't think an additional cable or brace is necessary.

But then, anything can be made safer. I'll think about it.

 

[BetterDays]

Which one? Both benches are pretty secure, in my opinion. With the wood one, the legs fit in between those blocks which are secured to the wall. You couldn't kick them out, and my car can pull in and out without touching them -- I'd have to hit the table top first, and then hit the legs.

On the steel table, the work surface would hang a little lower if the legs came out, but it would have to tear out all five sets of wood screws to go too far past its normal working position. And again, with the weight of the table and the legs (and the 200# magnets that help them snap into position), you wouldn't be able to kick or push the legs out of position very easily. A car driving under the table would do it, but at that point I've got some big problems no matter what happens with the bench top.

Just trying to fail safe the table from going past 90° (level work surface), especially while working on it. That is one advantage of the flip up is that the hinge should only open so far (by design) and then complete failure may take over.

I am thinking maybe something on the ground to put the legs into or at least secure to the floor.

Of course, a car hitting them will cause failure. I am just thinking about stops to prevent the top from going past the designed 90°

 

[E.rodz]

vey nice way to take advantage of the space that you have.a mans garage will never be done just keep evolving.keep up the great work.

 

[stewart]

Jack

You're definitely OCD, buts that's not always bad. How do you work on that anvil, it looks like it slides out from the wall? But is it rigid?

 

[ddrewyor]

Jack,
awesome layout and use of space. The car is ok too

Dave
________
SUZUKI SATRIA

 

[Vernmotor]

Jack I just love what you have done with the place !

 

[Jack Olsen]

Thanks, guys.

How do you work on that anvil, it looks like it slides out from the wall? But is it rigid?

I took the plywood off and put in a steel base that mounts to two of the wall studs. It's pretty rigid, but I wouldn't do crazy pounding on it. I keep a vise in that receiver more often than the small anvil. It comes in handy with the fold-down welding table.

I've got a bigger anvil that I'm hoping to clean up and put on a regular-height base. I'm not going to do any work on hot metal, but I'd like something to bend or flatten a piece on now and then. Currently, the larger anvil is sitting on a small furniture dolly. You can see it in the lower part of this picture.

 

[rustbucket49]

Out of curiosity, I took a peek at e-Bay for Strong Hold cabinets. All I got was a bunch of hair spray.....

 

[Jack Olsen]

There's a place out here in California that buys up inventory from machine shops and re-sells it on ebay. They sold dozens of them this past year. But you can go long stretches without any showing up at all.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Out of curiosity Jack, where are you getting your misc metals from? Like the 1" square tubing for that welding bench, sheet metal, etc? I'm looking for a cheap (preferably close to free!) source for 16 or 18 guage sheet metal to make some patches on the firewall and floor of my old truck, and of course I'm thinking about making a welding bench too.

Hey, your OCD is slipping - you haven't painted the legs of the table in the photo above! Take care, Dan

 

[Jack Olsen]

That's true -- those legs would look nice in green, wouldn't they?

The photo above shows the table from toddler's-eye-view, and was possibly going to lead to some stitches one day. So I took 10 minutes and rounded the corners on it this weekend.

It's safer now. Looks better, too.

I've found the best prices on steel at Bobco, which is on Alameda just east of downtown. I've only bought full pieces from them, but they do have remnants and stuff. You might be able to find better prices at a junk yard or recycler, but Bobco was by far the cheapest source when I was looking for materials for my fence.

Their web site is pretty terrible to navigate, but you can call them directly. I've always dealt with a guy named Phil, there.


http://www.bobcometal.com/
(877) 952-6226
2000 S. Alameda St.
Los Angeles, CA 90058

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks Jack.

Green? I thought you'd probably paint them the same dark machine gray as the table saw stand. Besides, that will be availabe in a rattle can.

P.S. Smart move on the table corners. This sounds stupid unless you've been the parent of a little one: Spend some time on your knees crawling around and you'll see all sorts of hazards you'd never see otherwise.

 

[mustangmccance]

I like the way you have maximized the space you have. I have moved three times since I got out of school and got a real job. the first garage I built was 24 x 32 for one car and a work shop. every time I move I decide my shop wasn't big enough. the second house I owned I built a 42 x 40. this time I built a 40 x 60 and every time it just fills up. I never found this site until just recently and now my shop is starting to get organized. I am building cabinets and work benches and storage. I am trying to learn from guys like you how to make better use of my space because I have to park 5 vehicles in this building. plus have space to do some work. anyway I love what you have done with your garage.

 

[jarel]

Great garage...loving the color on those cabinets!.

 

[6 Grrrs]

Nice garage. Also Nice Porsche.

 

[Kent Skinner]

I've found the best prices on steel at Bobco, which is on Alameda just east of downtown. I've only bought full pieces from them, but they do have remnants and stuff. You might be able to find better prices at a junk yard or recycler, but Bobco was by far the cheapest source when I was looking for materials for my fence.

Their web site is pretty terrible to navigate, but you can call them directly. I've always dealt with a guy named Phil, there.

I'd almost forgotten about BOBCO. We always called "BOBCO 3rd World Metals". This is the place where guys would drive through the parking lot with a forklift - loaded, with the mast at full height, bouncing over the train tracks, with materials over customers and cars. I would never let my guard down while shopping there. I'm amazed I never saw a horrible accident.

Great prices though. I wish there was something similar in the bay area.

As of two or three years ago they had a big remnant bin, and scales inside.

They had the best prices on common stuff (1" 16G square tubing, 1x1x1/8 angle, etc) but it was always a bit rusty.

Kent

 

[Cardboard Man]

Another great read, Jack. I'm glad you re-made this thread - it reads kind of like a "best of" Jack's garage. Like many others I am impressed with your creative use of space, organization of work areas, and making use of used items or materials at little or no cost. I have used some of your ideas in my own shop, such as the fold down workbenches (one finished and two more planned). It also doesn't hurt that you are a professional writer, as your posts are fluent, cohesive, and entertaining. I always look forward to reading a Jack Olsen post, as I know it will be interesting and worthwhile. Keep up the good work.

 

[tman74]

Great Build!!! Great ideas and use of space!!!!!!

 

[nzm.031]

love it... head over heels love it.

inspires me that there is hope for my pokey little 20x20.

one question though.. as im having difficulty with it at present...

when you are working on your car... where do you put all the bits without getting it too cluttered??

 

[Jack Olsen]

when you are working on your car... where do you put all the bits without getting it too cluttered??

At the '66 Tour de Corse:

Vic Elford: "That's great. Car looks great. But where are the spare parts?"

Huschke von Hanstein: "We don't have spare parts. Porsches don't break."

 

[nzm.031]

didnt i see a picture in one of your other thread with the rear guard hanging off it after you showed it some wall love??

saying porsches dont break is like saying guns dont kill people hehe.

 

[rustbucket49]

Awesome crib, Jack.. I am still curious how those storage sheds were built. I drew some out on paper to get a materials list and it ended up being a shed that would probably survive a Cat 5 hurricane..... I know there has to be a simpler and cheaper way.......

 

[Jack Olsen]

didnt i see a picture in one of your other thread with the rear guard hanging off it after you showed it some wall love?

It hit the wall, was out on the track again in half an hour, got me all the way home from Sonoma to Los Angeles, and then made a track day the next day at Willow Springs.

I had to put paint caps on the taillights to stay legal for the drive down, but the Porsche was only bruised, not broken.

Ten years of track driving -- year round, usually once a month -- on the same drivetrain. It just keeps going. You can pound nails with these things.

[Porsche ad over.]

Awesome crib, Jack.. I am still curious how those storage sheds were built. I drew some out on paper to get a materials list and it ended up being a shed that would probably survive a Cat 5 hurricane..... I know there has to be a simpler and cheaper way.......

I framed out the floor, but was able to basically frame the main body in 48" sections. I guess it's 24" centers on the studs if you don't mind the fact that the middle one is horizontal and supports a shelf. That plywood stuff is stout enough to provide pretty much all the structural strength, especially if you are able to fasten it to a wall, like I did. The roof joists are attached to the plywood, with screws going through the plywood and then into the heads of the joist. I supported them underneath as an afterthought, but -- again -- the plywood is strong stuff. The roof is stronger than normal, too, because of the curve, which makes the thing more rigid, structurally.

The only way I built conservatively was that I used stainless spacers between the wood and the concrete, so water wouldn't get absorbed. Using lag bolts to tie it into the house studs made it very strong. It was pretty minimal construction, but I can jump up and down on those roofs.

Here's another angle on the sheds (although this particular picture makes everything look kind of skewed and crooked):

And a funky angle on the garage:

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Jack,
I know this isn't the place for it but I was talking to a work friend about the '67 911R today and I did a quick Wiki search to find there were 20 originals, all with fiberglass hoods, trunk lids, doors and I think some plexiglas - sound familiar? Basically YOUR car. BUT...I think they said they were running 906 engines; with which I a unfamiliar and some had mechanical fuel injection, some with Webers but whatever they were I doubt they made the power your stock 3.6 does, did they? Your body is similarly set up so how do you suppose your car compares to the original R? Just curious. Sorry to hijack

P.S. And with yours having the advantage of 17" modern (and a LOT wider) rubber, your car would seem to HAVE to be dramatically faster(?).

 

[thomask]

Hey JACK,

Always enjoy your posts. I see you have now done a remodel. It does look even neater than before.

I think you have a very bad case of the "garage bug".

It is going around. Hahaa

Thomask

 

[rustbucket49]

So how much $$ total is in the sheds?? I'm coming up w/ about $450 for just a single 4' D x 8' L x 6' H....... Is that way out of whack ??

 

[Brad Beam]

FYI THere is a very good article about your garage in "Great Garage Makeovers" Congrats on your celebrity status

 

[Grizz1963]

Just re read this thread, love the usefull compactness of your shop.

Those cabinets really seem to be worth having for a lifetime.

 

[Quiksilver]

Jack- looks great, but where do you keep your welder? I have looked at the pics, am I overlooking it?

 

[StumpXJ]

Jack, a true inspiration as usual. Thanks for combining it all, it really is a nice transformation. I look forward to all of your posts regarding the garage and your projects, very well done on it all sir!

Now I am going out to the garage to see what I can hang up or organize. Thanks for the ambition boost...

One random question though, what is the red thing above your steel fold down table on the left wall???

~James

 

[jktruck150]

Saw the garage magazine today at Sprawlmart. Noticed you were in it. Good job man!!!

 

[Jack Olsen]

So how much $$ total is in the sheds?? I'm coming up w/ about $450 for just a single 4' D x 8' L x 6' H....... Is that way out of whack ??

It seems high, but I don't have any records on what I spent, other than that I used a $500 Home Depot gift card to buy everything -- and I don't remember going over that total. I don't remember the unit cost on the siding, but it looks like I used 6 4'x8' sheets. I used OSB for the back wall, the floors, and all the shelving, since it wasn't going to be visible. Then it was just some 2x4s and some hardware. Are lumber prices up or down right now?

FYI There is a very good article about your garage in "Great Garage Makeovers" Congrats on your celebrity status

Thanks. I saw a few Garage Journal man caves in there. I think mine might be holding down the low end of the spectrum, but I'm proud to be included.

It's funny that most of what's in my garage has changed since those pictures were taken.

Jack- looks great, but where do you keep your welder? I have looked at the pics, am I overlooking it?

The tall section of the outside shed holds the welder, as well as an Oxy-Acetylene setup and some other welding supplies.

what is the red thing above your steel fold down table on the left wall???

It's a creeper. I don't know where I got it. It's a steel tube frame with plastic pieces suspended between that, where you lie down.

 

[Jack Olsen]

Here's a very small update. I keep most of my tools in the cabinets, and some in my race car trunk, for track days. But I use the pegboard for things I want handy. I got a Harbor Freight set of pliers for like $7 that I've been using recently as my 'quick grab' set, and it was bugging me how lousy they are. I guess I shouldn't complain about a $1 tool being not very good, but it prompted me to finally go shopping for a set of pliers that weren't made in China.

Snap-Ons are just ridiculously expensive, even used. So I compromised and got a used set of 10 Mac (Matco) pliers -- I'll admit I was swayed by the fact that they were red and fit my color scheme. They're a huge step up from the Harbor Freight set, in terms of quality (price, too). But imagine my surprise when I got them and saw the 'Made in China' label.

Like I said, they're good tools. But like the Irwin Vise Grips I put next to them, they're good tools that are also not made in the U.S.

It's a shame.

Here's a picture where you can see are the old orange HF wrenches:

Here are the new Matco ones, along with the new quick-release Vise Grips:

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Looks excellent Jack. Do you mostly leave those cabinets open like in these photo's, or do you tend to leave them closed? I ask because the white pegboard behind those doos could be used for other stuff. I know (it's obvious) you don't like a lot of extraneous "stuff" (tools) visible, but maybe some commonly used things?

As for the Chinese made stuff? I agree the American made stuff is better overall and I WILL pay a bit of a premium for it, but not multiples of cost.

Personally, I don't think "Made in China" is automatic ****...it's more likely to be suspect so you've got to watch what you buy from China, but as these Matco's attest, they're pretty good value for the money - would you agree to that?

 

[Steve from Socal]

Jack,

For future reference Channel-lock pliers are made in the USA and very good quality and value. I like the up-dates and congrats on the mag article.

Steve

 

[ckucia]

Have to say that your garage is inspiring.

My place is only 17x17, built in about the same era. It's a different set of challenges trying to shoehorn a functioning shop and car storage, in this sort of space, and you've done a great job and aesthetically pleasing too.