joesregalproject
Well-known member
So this isn't so much of a "build thread" but more of a journal where I want to document a lot of the projects with and within my garage.
This will be sort of an introductory/background post on what I've got going on. I've documented a lot of my projects on one particular forum however due to the varying projects that I'm working on and more recently a loss of some valuable members on said forum, I believe GJ would be more suitable.
My garage is an attached two car garage with a man door. It is built into my house in Suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The garage itself is approximately 20' deep by 30' wide, with 8.5' ceilings. Two garage doors that are 9'x7'. It is not climate controlled, I use a propane torpedo heater in the winter. I am limited to 120V power although most of the outlets are on separate breakers so tripping breakers has never been an issue.
Here's a rundown on some of the "landmark" tools in my garage. Number one is my Husky 30 gallon air compressor. It is not as big as I'd like but for 90% of jobs it does quite well. It's only a few years old and while it isn't a commercial grade compressor I've had no problems with it.
Number two is my workbench and vise. The workbench is wood with a stainless steel top. The vise is maybe my single favorite tool I own. It is a Prentiss no. 21 swivel jaw, swivel base vise. My Dad bought it along with the workbench at a yard sale for $25 back in the 70s. The swivels were rusted stuck until a few years ago when I took the whole vise and soaked it in Evaporust, disassembled and repainted it.
Number three is my Hobart Handler 140 MIG welder. I love this machine. I have it set up with a bottle, and I'm running .024" wire in it. I've only had it a couple years but it is an asset to have around.
Number four is Craftsman 52" tool box. I used to work at Lowe's and this particular box was returned because there was a small cosmetic dent in the corner. I was able to purchase the whole box for $50. I only have the bottom box but one of these days I'll get a top box for it. Its filled with lots of socket sets, ratchets, wrenches, specialty tools, etc, as well as a Milwaukee M18 impact and drill which I use quite often. Most of my tools are older Craftsman, though I have plenty of Harbor Freight along with some Snap On, S-K, and a few other brands.
Project number one and the one that I hope to primarily be working on and posting about is the car that you can see in the garage. It is a 1987 Buick Regal that I have been working on since 2012. The car has been an on and off love-hate project throughout. My plans are to make a nice street strip car. I'm currently in the process of replacing the floor pans. I already have an engine built for it which was a project in itself. The engine is a modified Buick 350. This project is the biggest thing I have going on and I really should focus all my attention on it but due to the love-hate relationship, progress seems to happen in short bursts. I'll post a more detailed explanation of the car and the project soon.
I've got a dozen or more other short and long term projects going on at different paces and I'll be posting about those soon enough. They include my Cub Cadet tractor, my F150 pickup, my large chainsaw collection, my other pieces of yard equipment and small engines as well as my backyard chickens and some of my home projects. Hopefully some of you will find this interesting. Stay tuned.
This will be sort of an introductory/background post on what I've got going on. I've documented a lot of my projects on one particular forum however due to the varying projects that I'm working on and more recently a loss of some valuable members on said forum, I believe GJ would be more suitable.
My garage is an attached two car garage with a man door. It is built into my house in Suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The garage itself is approximately 20' deep by 30' wide, with 8.5' ceilings. Two garage doors that are 9'x7'. It is not climate controlled, I use a propane torpedo heater in the winter. I am limited to 120V power although most of the outlets are on separate breakers so tripping breakers has never been an issue.
Here's a rundown on some of the "landmark" tools in my garage. Number one is my Husky 30 gallon air compressor. It is not as big as I'd like but for 90% of jobs it does quite well. It's only a few years old and while it isn't a commercial grade compressor I've had no problems with it.
Number two is my workbench and vise. The workbench is wood with a stainless steel top. The vise is maybe my single favorite tool I own. It is a Prentiss no. 21 swivel jaw, swivel base vise. My Dad bought it along with the workbench at a yard sale for $25 back in the 70s. The swivels were rusted stuck until a few years ago when I took the whole vise and soaked it in Evaporust, disassembled and repainted it.
Number three is my Hobart Handler 140 MIG welder. I love this machine. I have it set up with a bottle, and I'm running .024" wire in it. I've only had it a couple years but it is an asset to have around.
Number four is Craftsman 52" tool box. I used to work at Lowe's and this particular box was returned because there was a small cosmetic dent in the corner. I was able to purchase the whole box for $50. I only have the bottom box but one of these days I'll get a top box for it. Its filled with lots of socket sets, ratchets, wrenches, specialty tools, etc, as well as a Milwaukee M18 impact and drill which I use quite often. Most of my tools are older Craftsman, though I have plenty of Harbor Freight along with some Snap On, S-K, and a few other brands.
Project number one and the one that I hope to primarily be working on and posting about is the car that you can see in the garage. It is a 1987 Buick Regal that I have been working on since 2012. The car has been an on and off love-hate project throughout. My plans are to make a nice street strip car. I'm currently in the process of replacing the floor pans. I already have an engine built for it which was a project in itself. The engine is a modified Buick 350. This project is the biggest thing I have going on and I really should focus all my attention on it but due to the love-hate relationship, progress seems to happen in short bursts. I'll post a more detailed explanation of the car and the project soon.
I've got a dozen or more other short and long term projects going on at different paces and I'll be posting about those soon enough. They include my Cub Cadet tractor, my F150 pickup, my large chainsaw collection, my other pieces of yard equipment and small engines as well as my backyard chickens and some of my home projects. Hopefully some of you will find this interesting. Stay tuned.
