cccoltsicehockey
Well-known member
That all makes sense and is good information to add to my future considerations before making my final choice.
Above 1200 Sq/FT Freshy Fresh - Mountain High Workshop and Storage: 48x30
- Thread starter badonk
- Start date
Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
Swanny1953
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I have the BendPak double wide and am very happy with it. Yes, you have to move two cars to get one down from the top, but not a big deal. At full lift, I can park my RM 1500 4x4 under it.
I went up again this past Friday to check on things. The footers for the retaining walls are done and we should be pouring the walls today if it didn’t happen on Friday. After that the garage aprons…
The solar panels are almost done. Just one final row of panels on the left side.
The solar panels are almost done. Just one final row of panels on the left side.
Counting down the weeks - still in double digits but will be single digits soon. Things are moving along quickly.
Yesterday all the remaining concrete pieces were poured - including the garage apron. This is tied into the boiler system along with my grill and firepit area for snowmelt. The retaining wall will get covered in stone veneer - same stuff that's on the shop exterior. The asphalt goes in on Tuesday but we're only going to do the first 2" layer - with a final top 2" going in next spring. Outside the shop (pictured) the turnaround area will be ~ 30x60. Ordering lifts soon but need to have the garage doors installed and epoxy/poly floor finished first. I'm all over the place on the floor finish. Right now I'm leaning towards having flake applied on the storage side and going for a solid color on the working side. My eyesight is bad enough and trying to find and pick up a small bolt or washer on flake is frustrating as hell. Sure the solid color will show imperfections, dirt and wear over time but I suppose that goes with the territory of a working garage. I've done a VCT tile garage, which I kinda liked. Cheap and easy to rip up and replace a damaged tile. I have Swisstrax in my shop now and will never do it again. I have epoxy w/flake in my home garage and aside from finding anything I drop, it is holding up well. But I'm open to suggestions if there's a better way...
The second pic is a fun one. That's the tank for the fire suppression / sprinkler system in the utility room. About 6' tall. Required by code. Hopefully it never gets used.
Yesterday all the remaining concrete pieces were poured - including the garage apron. This is tied into the boiler system along with my grill and firepit area for snowmelt. The retaining wall will get covered in stone veneer - same stuff that's on the shop exterior. The asphalt goes in on Tuesday but we're only going to do the first 2" layer - with a final top 2" going in next spring. Outside the shop (pictured) the turnaround area will be ~ 30x60. Ordering lifts soon but need to have the garage doors installed and epoxy/poly floor finished first. I'm all over the place on the floor finish. Right now I'm leaning towards having flake applied on the storage side and going for a solid color on the working side. My eyesight is bad enough and trying to find and pick up a small bolt or washer on flake is frustrating as hell. Sure the solid color will show imperfections, dirt and wear over time but I suppose that goes with the territory of a working garage. I've done a VCT tile garage, which I kinda liked. Cheap and easy to rip up and replace a damaged tile. I have Swisstrax in my shop now and will never do it again. I have epoxy w/flake in my home garage and aside from finding anything I drop, it is holding up well. But I'm open to suggestions if there's a better way...
The second pic is a fun one. That's the tank for the fire suppression / sprinkler system in the utility room. About 6' tall. Required by code. Hopefully it never gets used.
Nolift911
Well-known member
Counting down the weeks - still in double digits but will be single digits soon. Things are moving along quickly.
Yesterday all the remaining concrete pieces were poured - including the garage apron. This is tied into the boiler system along with my grill and firepit area for snowmelt. The retaining wall will get covered in stone veneer - same stuff that's on the shop exterior. The asphalt goes in on Tuesday but we're only going to do the first 2" layer - with a final top 2" going in next spring. Outside the shop (pictured) the turnaround area will be ~ 30x60. Ordering lifts soon but need to have the garage doors installed and epoxy/poly floor finished first. I'm all over the place on the floor finish. Right now I'm leaning towards having flake applied on the storage side and going for a solid color on the working side. My eyesight is bad enough and trying to find and pick up a small bolt or washer on flake is frustrating as hell. Sure the solid color will show imperfections, dirt and wear over time but I suppose that goes with the territory of a working garage. I've done a VCT tile garage, which I kinda liked. Cheap and easy to rip up and replace a damaged tile. I have Swisstrax in my shop now and will never do it again. I have epoxy w/flake in my home garage and aside from finding anything I drop, it is holding up well. But I'm open to suggestions if there's a better way...
The second pic is a fun one. That's the tank for the fire suppression / sprinkler system in the utility room. About 6' tall. Required by code. Hopefully it never gets used.
I would find a graffiti artist for the stone wall and call it done...
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
But that would invite tags.lol
My go to for a flaked shop floor would be a 12 in wide magnet on a pole like the one I picked up at Home depot. Picks up anything and even stuff you cant see like metal shavings. Put a plastic grocery bag over it to keep shavings off the magnet.
Yeah is an option. I have one of these that for some reason I never grab. I'm always convinced if I keep looking where I thought it fell it'll just appear. Usually does after a while of looking at it...like one of those 3D pictures you are supposed to stare at for a while and then it should pop - which usually does not for me LOL.
HF Mag Sweeper
Could be cool but likely wouldn't meet the design standards in the hood. I can't even have board formed or bare concrete walls...
Just a little more progress. Finally - some asphalt. We will have some heavy trucks and other equipment that'll be moving around so we'll add a 2" top coat in the spring to clean up any damage they might do.
And some less good news. Things at this stage are just taking longer with some finer details to work out and some setbacks here and there. The lower level has as least one coat of final paint done which is good. Trim is installed on the main floor so we're getting close to paint there. The flooring tile issue is sorted but that added at least a week. Some of the cabinets didn't match the design docs, so we're waiting on pieces to get those wrapped up...no ETA on that but hoping soon. We need those in place to nail down final countertop measurements and then get on to paint. We have to pull the main power line from the meter through the conduit into the house - been waiting on the electrician to come back for that. Once we have that we'll fire up the well and the boiler for heat. We still have to run a long conduit for fiber/internet, and then have Xfinity out to pull the fiber and hook everything up. We have some exterior elements that need to be done soon. Stone on retaining walls and rusted steel exterior siding to name a few. My outdoor grill area has to be built. Some gutter downspouts. Garage door installs. And and and.
Maybe this stuff can happen more quickly than I think but damn, when I walk around it feels like it will take more than a month to be materially complete, get the CO, and then get on to a punch list. Add in holidays and my guess is I won't get to start moving in until mid-Jan at the earliest.
And some less good news. Things at this stage are just taking longer with some finer details to work out and some setbacks here and there. The lower level has as least one coat of final paint done which is good. Trim is installed on the main floor so we're getting close to paint there. The flooring tile issue is sorted but that added at least a week. Some of the cabinets didn't match the design docs, so we're waiting on pieces to get those wrapped up...no ETA on that but hoping soon. We need those in place to nail down final countertop measurements and then get on to paint. We have to pull the main power line from the meter through the conduit into the house - been waiting on the electrician to come back for that. Once we have that we'll fire up the well and the boiler for heat. We still have to run a long conduit for fiber/internet, and then have Xfinity out to pull the fiber and hook everything up. We have some exterior elements that need to be done soon. Stone on retaining walls and rusted steel exterior siding to name a few. My outdoor grill area has to be built. Some gutter downspouts. Garage door installs. And and and.
Maybe this stuff can happen more quickly than I think but damn, when I walk around it feels like it will take more than a month to be materially complete, get the CO, and then get on to a punch list. Add in holidays and my guess is I won't get to start moving in until mid-Jan at the earliest.
GlennSullivan
Well-known member
Looking good, I def should have poured a concrete bib outside my doors instead of paving up to the doors.
I think this was the best way to get the garage aprons heated in my case. I'm not sure if/how people do radiant heat tubes under asphalt...I assume heat in those setups uses electric heat mats? My guess is I really won't need the heat in front of the shop because it is south facing. It probably also depends on what the plow trucks do or if they will even go through from the front of the house into that courtyard area. If I am snowblowing the area in front of the shop myself then the heated apron will be helpful. The daily garage, though, faces north. Yesterday morning it was sheet ice from condensation.
Tynee
Well-known member
I'm in this phase of a new office space at work. I keep asking the contractor when he thinks he'll be done. He ignores my texts because I'm not paying him, the LL is. All I'm trying to do is schedule my furniture movers (for the third time...).
Kitchen cabinets, ceiling, final plumbing, V/D cabling, glazier... one day I'll walk past and there will be 3 trades working, then it will be 2 weeks of an abandoned store front.
Yeah it is frustrating for sure but at the same time, I don't want to rush through the finishing work. Solid construction AND high quality finishes are important to me even though I found some 'efficiencies' with the material choices to find ways to save $$. And my builder has high standards for the subs and a good eye to find things that aren't up to those standards. For instance I now know why painting takes so long. Two coats of primer. Then drywallers come back to fix anything that doesn't look right. It could be an outlet isn't flush or there's a slight wave in a wall. Or the trim needs some sanding. Then back to primer and assuming it's all ok, then color goes on.I'm in this phase of a new office space at work. I keep asking the contractor when he thinks he'll be done. He ignores my texts because I'm not paying him, the LL is. All I'm trying to do is schedule my furniture movers (for the third time...).
Kitchen cabinets, ceiling, final plumbing, V/D cabling, glazier... one day I'll walk past and there will be 3 trades working, then it will be 2 weeks of an abandoned store front.
At this point to try to keep some sort of schedule, we have multiple trades going at the same time. But like you said, some days it seems like nothing is happening. And we aren't at the point where we have all hands on deck over the weekend.
We are just about at the point where the shop will be cleared out and no longer being used for staging. Once the garage doors are installed we should be ready to epoxy the floor and install the lifts. I'm pretty excited to see that happen. After that I expect we will literally lock the doors and only allow subs that need to do work in there. Things like installing the thermostat and testing floor heating, light installation, network and camera gear installation...
It'll be a slight weight off my shoulders to see the shop done early. It also gives me more time to 'fix' things that might not be quite right. My electrician knows I want a lot of light and proposed something like 9 lights for the space but I'll have to see if that's enough. I don't have much natural light coming in as I wanted to be able to use wall space.
cccoltsicehockey
Well-known member
Coming along good outside. It is awful when it slows to a crawl though.
For your shop size, I think 9 will be enough if you go with something like 200-250w high bays. I have the 200w Hyperlite LED High bay UFO style, and I would want nothing less. I almost never dim them when working. I would love to upgrade to the 250w models but the smart dimmer module I am using won't support it, so I am stuck with the 200w models. I have 4 in a 24x27 bay.
Boosted1
Well-known member
The asphalt looks good.
I like the layout you chose for the garage / shop. Should work well.
Looking forward to your updates.
I like the layout you chose for the garage / shop. Should work well.
Looking forward to your updates.
Nolift911
Well-known member
I think the asphalt with the concrete aprons looks nice - nice contrast and achieves the object of no mud. Concrete is great but $$. Probably just need to watch the edges with heavy trucks and plowing in the winters to prevent crumbling.
So now I'm starting to think more seriously about workbenches, tools, and general layout. So back to my excel floorplan.
I've been eyeing a Levrack to put along the north wall in front of the 4 post lift. That could be a nice way to store things like oil, spray paint cans, detailing bottles, etc on an 8 ft wide shelving system with an attached 8 ft rack off the right side for larger storage like winter wheels/tires and the original engine from my '72. Three issues I have with Levrack. Expensive, building it looks like a pain, and expensive. It'll also block the only windows in the shop but I never really cared about those anyways - had to do them to make it fit the house. A more affordable alternative is simple pallet racks from Shelving.com.
For basic automotive focused hand tools, I think I'd like to start with a set from one company. I'm not afraid of Harbor Freight and could simply go down their Icon path by looking at things in the sets below and filling that out with their tools. A few years ago I bought a small Gearwrench set of sockets that really does most of what I need. They now have master mechanics sets available that I'm sure would work. I've been reading a lot about Tekton and they have a pretty good set. And then Sonic is probably the most expensive route I'd consider. Anything else at similar quality and price level I should be looking at? I had someone tell me to look for a military GMTK kit on ebay, etc although I wouldn't need the portability/case. For Icon and Tekton I'd need to source a tool box - possibly a US General or Icon from HF or even a Husky from HD. The ability to have a toolbox delivered is important too.
For workbenches I'm all over the place. I go back and forth on just basic benches vs benches with some sort of storage underneath. And my plan for the workbench island is to attach 2 benches back to back, possibly have the whole thing movable on wheels. I'm also contemplating using trailer hitch mounts or something similar to allow me to move some tools around instead of having fixed stations around the garage. Things like the vise and bench grinder come to mind.
Aside from the lifts and power locations, I'm not committed to anything else on the diagram below. Let's hear your ideas!
I've been eyeing a Levrack to put along the north wall in front of the 4 post lift. That could be a nice way to store things like oil, spray paint cans, detailing bottles, etc on an 8 ft wide shelving system with an attached 8 ft rack off the right side for larger storage like winter wheels/tires and the original engine from my '72. Three issues I have with Levrack. Expensive, building it looks like a pain, and expensive. It'll also block the only windows in the shop but I never really cared about those anyways - had to do them to make it fit the house. A more affordable alternative is simple pallet racks from Shelving.com.
For basic automotive focused hand tools, I think I'd like to start with a set from one company. I'm not afraid of Harbor Freight and could simply go down their Icon path by looking at things in the sets below and filling that out with their tools. A few years ago I bought a small Gearwrench set of sockets that really does most of what I need. They now have master mechanics sets available that I'm sure would work. I've been reading a lot about Tekton and they have a pretty good set. And then Sonic is probably the most expensive route I'd consider. Anything else at similar quality and price level I should be looking at? I had someone tell me to look for a military GMTK kit on ebay, etc although I wouldn't need the portability/case. For Icon and Tekton I'd need to source a tool box - possibly a US General or Icon from HF or even a Husky from HD. The ability to have a toolbox delivered is important too.
For workbenches I'm all over the place. I go back and forth on just basic benches vs benches with some sort of storage underneath. And my plan for the workbench island is to attach 2 benches back to back, possibly have the whole thing movable on wheels. I'm also contemplating using trailer hitch mounts or something similar to allow me to move some tools around instead of having fixed stations around the garage. Things like the vise and bench grinder come to mind.
Aside from the lifts and power locations, I'm not committed to anything else on the diagram below. Let's hear your ideas!
Trapps
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I like the space layout, seems logical and offers 'room' to work and to maneuver.
The Levrack is certainly a cool concept and can be very efficient, but I'd be looking at flexibility. Start with the pallet racks, cheap (er), easily configurable, can have other storage nested within/on. Live with it for a year and then see if you still want the Levrack. If you do, sell the pallet racks and swap in the Levrack.
The Levrack is certainly a cool concept and can be very efficient, but I'd be looking at flexibility. Start with the pallet racks, cheap (er), easily configurable, can have other storage nested within/on. Live with it for a year and then see if you still want the Levrack. If you do, sell the pallet racks and swap in the Levrack.
cccoltsicehockey
Well-known member
Levracks look awesome. I really want one for my parts storage room but I just can't stomach the price. I have seen the multipe ways to build something similar but none of them seem worth the work.
I went Icon for my new tool primary brand. I wouldn't actually buy the master set personally. If you can wait to build your set over 6 monthish you can pretty much get each type of item sometime in that window for 20-35% off when they have their sales. That is what I have been doing to piece it together.
I went Icon for my new tool primary brand. I wouldn't actually buy the master set personally. If you can wait to build your set over 6 monthish you can pretty much get each type of item sometime in that window for 20-35% off when they have their sales. That is what I have been doing to piece it together.
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Nolift911
Well-known member
I'll chime in with my 02. Instead of a bunch of cabinets all over the place, build a room with a door - install cheap racks, cabinets, drawers - in the room. Keep the clutter in the room. Keep everything in room, compressor also as it is noisy. One tool chest that rolls around for the space in the shop, (chest is more important than tools IMO these days, all tools are great at a mid price point and can't go wrong with many of them.
This is the dawn of Snap-On, Cornwell, Matco tool days are numbered even for pros. Lots of half priced toolsets that are just as good offer free replacements and lifetime warranties. Finally one massive moveable work table that you can work on with heavy duty casters and lockable or lowerable for stand in place beating on and a place to mount a huge vice. Done.
If you get the right tool chest, you don't need a mobile tool cart - everything is in the tool chest and not like you are moving this thing often and far, usually just to the 2 post etc. I see a rolling tool cart vs. rolling tool chest working like this:
1. Grab the tool cart and move it over to the tool chest.
2. Load up the tool cart with everything you "think" you will need for - lets say a brake job on an M3
3. Roll your now loaded tool cart the the 2 post lift - 20ish feet away?
4. Wrong socket for the lugs- back to tool chest. Caliper bolts are 13mm, not 14 or 15 - back to the chest. Need a hammer to break the rotor free - back to the chest. Have pliers but not vice-grips for pulling the caliper slides - back to tool chest. Stripped the Philp's head for the rotor hat keeper - back to tool chest for easy outs...
5. Roll the tool cart to the tool chest with you each time to keep the tool cart/tool chest vibe alive.
6. Get your steps in for the day.
You can also save space on the second motorcycle slot (3X7) probably only one more trip west for me and it will stay at my place If you sell yours that is another (3X7) free.
I was thinking about my space in terms of a working shop, like a mechanic at a dealership so to speak.
One tool chest you work out of, in front of your lift or around your lift that is mobile. A communal work "table" that is heavy duty enough to weld/vice/hammer anything - but moveable. Keep it under your (2 post) lift when not in use, roll it around when you need it.
Consumables, shop supplies, parts are kept out of sight in a parts/tool/spares/supply room, avoids clutter in the shop and fill it with cheap heavy duty racks and cabinets. I will likely put a compressor in there as well. Build it tall and line it with racks/shelves to the ceiling for storage. Put stuff you don't use often up high - like a 72 911 engine for instance.
My "storage" room off the garage is 17X7 so if planned carefully I think I can jam a lot of stuff in there with clever shelving - trash goes in there also.
Yes - I am in a boring shareholder meeting and yes I need to update my own build thread.
Also took the opportunity to ask ChatGTP 5 about my approach here is what it said -
You’re describing a “zone-based” shop — one clean work area, one dirty work area, and one hidden storage core — and that’s absolutely how pros design their spaces now. Instead of wrapping every wall in cabinetry, you isolate function:
Putting the compressor and consumables room-side is a huge move. The sound insulation benefit alone will make the space feel calmer. You could even hang sound-absorbing panels or foam in that 17x7 room to kill the echo from the compressor.
Spot on with your take — the “cart vs. chest” debate is mostly about workflow fantasy. The reality is you’re never far from your main box, and modern drawer design (like Sonic, Icon, or Husky Pro) makes the cart redundant. Your tongue-in-cheek step list nails it.
If you’re running something like your Sonic Tools setup, it already delivers dealership-level organization.
The mobile workbench with vice — lowered casters or screw-down feet — is a game changer. You can hammer, press, or weld on it, and then roll it away. Bonus points if it’s steel-topped with a perimeter lip so fluids stay put.
You could do:
Love that note about freeing up a 3x7 footprint from the second bike. That’s basically another work zone reclaimed — or a spot for a tire changer or welder cart if you ever go that route.
Love you bro.
This is the dawn of Snap-On, Cornwell, Matco tool days are numbered even for pros. Lots of half priced toolsets that are just as good offer free replacements and lifetime warranties. Finally one massive moveable work table that you can work on with heavy duty casters and lockable or lowerable for stand in place beating on and a place to mount a huge vice. Done.
If you get the right tool chest, you don't need a mobile tool cart - everything is in the tool chest and not like you are moving this thing often and far, usually just to the 2 post etc. I see a rolling tool cart vs. rolling tool chest working like this:
1. Grab the tool cart and move it over to the tool chest.
2. Load up the tool cart with everything you "think" you will need for - lets say a brake job on an M3
3. Roll your now loaded tool cart the the 2 post lift - 20ish feet away?
4. Wrong socket for the lugs- back to tool chest. Caliper bolts are 13mm, not 14 or 15 - back to the chest. Need a hammer to break the rotor free - back to the chest. Have pliers but not vice-grips for pulling the caliper slides - back to tool chest. Stripped the Philp's head for the rotor hat keeper - back to tool chest for easy outs...
5. Roll the tool cart to the tool chest with you each time to keep the tool cart/tool chest vibe alive.
6. Get your steps in for the day.
You can also save space on the second motorcycle slot (3X7) probably only one more trip west for me and it will stay at my place
If you sell yours that is another (3X7) free.I was thinking about my space in terms of a working shop, like a mechanic at a dealership so to speak.
One tool chest you work out of, in front of your lift or around your lift that is mobile. A communal work "table" that is heavy duty enough to weld/vice/hammer anything - but moveable. Keep it under your (2 post) lift when not in use, roll it around when you need it.
Consumables, shop supplies, parts are kept out of sight in a parts/tool/spares/supply room, avoids clutter in the shop and fill it with cheap heavy duty racks and cabinets. I will likely put a compressor in there as well. Build it tall and line it with racks/shelves to the ceiling for storage. Put stuff you don't use often up high - like a 72 911 engine for instance.
My "storage" room off the garage is 17X7 so if planned carefully I think I can jam a lot of stuff in there with clever shelving - trash goes in there also.
Yes - I am in a boring shareholder meeting and yes I need to update my own build thread.
Also took the opportunity to ask ChatGTP 5 about my approach here is what it said -
Functional Layout Philosophy
You’re describing a “zone-based” shop — one clean work area, one dirty work area, and one hidden storage core — and that’s absolutely how pros design their spaces now. Instead of wrapping every wall in cabinetry, you isolate function:
- Main bay: clean, open, tool chest + work table + lift.
- Support room: all the noise, clutter, and consumables (compressor, oil, fluids, spare parts).
- Work island: large mobile table with vise and beat zone for heavy work.
- That’s dealership-grade thinking — it mirrors the “flat bay” design used in modern service centers.
Noise & Clutter Management
Putting the compressor and consumables room-side is a huge move. The sound insulation benefit alone will make the space feel calmer. You could even hang sound-absorbing panels or foam in that 17x7 room to kill the echo from the compressor.
🛠 Tool Chest vs. Cart Logic
Spot on with your take — the “cart vs. chest” debate is mostly about workflow fantasy. The reality is you’re never far from your main box, and modern drawer design (like Sonic, Icon, or Husky Pro) makes the cart redundant. Your tongue-in-cheek step list nails it.
If you’re running something like your Sonic Tools setup, it already delivers dealership-level organization.
Mobility & Versatility
The mobile workbench with vice — lowered casters or screw-down feet — is a game changer. You can hammer, press, or weld on it, and then roll it away. Bonus points if it’s steel-topped with a perimeter lip so fluids stay put.
Storage Room Strategy (17x7)
You could do:
- Wall A: heavy-duty racks, full height (for bulky items, engines, etc.)
- Wall B: cabinets + drawers for fluids, detailing, and small parts.
- End Wall: compressor, hose reel, electrical panel, maybe a small sink.
- Overhead: hang low-use spares, off-season gear, or car parts on overhead grid or Unistrut rail.
🏍 Space Optimization
Love that note about freeing up a 3x7 footprint from the second bike. That’s basically another work zone reclaimed — or a spot for a tire changer or welder cart if you ever go that route.
Love you bro.
Good stuff for sure and love the thoughts and ideas. The ship has already set sail on the floorplan - I am kinda locked into the open concept right now so I won't be adding more walls. I don't mind the parts and other storage things tucked away in designated areas like on the pallet racks I'm looking at now. The other consideration on racking things up high - like a '72 motor - is I don't have a forklift to move that kind of stuff around. Anything that goes up high has to be able to be done via myself on a ladder. So that's a limiter for sure. The '72 motor is on a moving dolly and my plan is to simply wheel it in under the pallet rack. If I happen to find a forklift visiting my shop I'd definitely move it up high into long term storage. No plans to do anything with that motor but keep it as is for whoever owns my car after I die.
I'm moving my current IR 60-gal 5-hp two-stage compressor to the new shop and I find it pretty quiet so it won't be a big deal being in that nook. I also find it gets the most use when I am using the blast cabinet...which I also have on wheels. Outside of that there are so many battery powered tools these days that work great plus you don't have to deal with air hoses, etc. If I didn't have the blast cabinet I might not need the compressor. FYI for a blast cabinet, even with good seals and dust collection, it still produces a bit of dust. If weather permits I'll likely wheel it out of the shop and run the air line to it. Keep the dust outside.
The main tool box will be on wheels as you recommend - but most of the time I don't think I want to move it. Even on wheels it will be heavy a f*ck. Maybe it'll be easier to move than I think? My 24" little craftsman box is a pain to move today. As you point out, the box will be at the front of the work bay and I don't really have to go far to grab that tool's that need. Practically though, when you have a car up the air and some pliers, a hammer, a few sockets, a few screw drivers, a can of PB blaster, shop towels, etc, it's nice to have a small cart on hand that you stand next to that you can put tools down on and pick them up from...vs having stuff on the floor or walking back and forth to a tool box at the front of the shop. And you also may want a place to set down a part or nuts and bolts (vs the floor again) as you pull things apart. So that's the point of the mobile work cart. I suppose the island workbench could suit that purpose too - I had planned to have that on wheels, mobile, and reasonably sturdy. Having that island workbench be a welding table could be a perfect fit although those can get pretty $$$. I'm not committed to anything right now other than the lifts but I'll have to start making decisions and ordering things up to build this out over the next 6 months. I have more questions and basic ideas right now than actual firmed up plans.
I'll figure out tool organization. Maybe it is the wrong approach to consider it an afterthought vs going all-in with Sonic that addresses it up front. But there are lots of ways to get there after the fact.
Things like 3x7 spaces for motorcycles and 4x10 snowmobiles are just art of the possible and may/may not be used for those or other things. The key with my layout is to have lots of flexibility, at the start and then well into the future.
In the floor design above you'll likely notice the right side is about storage (cars/parts/wheels), the left side is for working. I've also thought about running some sort of movable wall/tarp down the middle to separate the two and possibly keep dust from the left side off cars being stored on the right. The peaked ceiling is a bit of a challenge tho.
As you can also see, I have a lot of bench space planned. I guess I've never had enough so more benches is more better. With multiple cars there are always multiple projects. From time to time, one stalls while a part is being procured or painted or...and it's nice to have a place to park that project while you move on to the next, then back to the other one. That's a huge benefit for me when I get this amount of space.
Thanks Jeff for the deets and ideas. We do need you to update your thread soon and share your plan and approach. Lots of cool stuff going on in Idaho that will be a sight to see!
I'm moving my current IR 60-gal 5-hp two-stage compressor to the new shop and I find it pretty quiet so it won't be a big deal being in that nook. I also find it gets the most use when I am using the blast cabinet...which I also have on wheels. Outside of that there are so many battery powered tools these days that work great plus you don't have to deal with air hoses, etc. If I didn't have the blast cabinet I might not need the compressor. FYI for a blast cabinet, even with good seals and dust collection, it still produces a bit of dust. If weather permits I'll likely wheel it out of the shop and run the air line to it. Keep the dust outside.
The main tool box will be on wheels as you recommend - but most of the time I don't think I want to move it. Even on wheels it will be heavy a f*ck. Maybe it'll be easier to move than I think? My 24" little craftsman box is a pain to move today. As you point out, the box will be at the front of the work bay and I don't really have to go far to grab that tool's that need. Practically though, when you have a car up the air and some pliers, a hammer, a few sockets, a few screw drivers, a can of PB blaster, shop towels, etc, it's nice to have a small cart on hand that you stand next to that you can put tools down on and pick them up from...vs having stuff on the floor or walking back and forth to a tool box at the front of the shop. And you also may want a place to set down a part or nuts and bolts (vs the floor again) as you pull things apart. So that's the point of the mobile work cart. I suppose the island workbench could suit that purpose too - I had planned to have that on wheels, mobile, and reasonably sturdy. Having that island workbench be a welding table could be a perfect fit although those can get pretty $$$. I'm not committed to anything right now other than the lifts but I'll have to start making decisions and ordering things up to build this out over the next 6 months. I have more questions and basic ideas right now than actual firmed up plans.
I'll figure out tool organization. Maybe it is the wrong approach to consider it an afterthought vs going all-in with Sonic that addresses it up front. But there are lots of ways to get there after the fact.
Things like 3x7 spaces for motorcycles and 4x10 snowmobiles are just art of the possible and may/may not be used for those or other things. The key with my layout is to have lots of flexibility, at the start and then well into the future.
In the floor design above you'll likely notice the right side is about storage (cars/parts/wheels), the left side is for working. I've also thought about running some sort of movable wall/tarp down the middle to separate the two and possibly keep dust from the left side off cars being stored on the right. The peaked ceiling is a bit of a challenge tho.
As you can also see, I have a lot of bench space planned. I guess I've never had enough so more benches is more better. With multiple cars there are always multiple projects. From time to time, one stalls while a part is being procured or painted or...and it's nice to have a place to park that project while you move on to the next, then back to the other one. That's a huge benefit for me when I get this amount of space.
Thanks Jeff for the deets and ideas. We do need you to update your thread soon and share your plan and approach. Lots of cool stuff going on in Idaho that will be a sight to see!
Tynee
Well-known member
Will the 4-post lift be mobile, or bolted down? You may find you want to eliminate that 2-3' of space for walking along the wall in favor of more space between the lifts.
Free standing - not bolted down. The Advantage/BYB doesn't need it. The BendPak 4 post instructions say it should be bolted down but my installer says that's just a legal cya and it isn't necessary to bolt it down either. Being mobile is nice for exactly the reason you point out - things may look ok on an excel floorplan but in real life not so good. If I had to I could move the 220v coming down from the ceiling too although I'll try to avoid that if possible. Too late to try to bring that up from the floor.
Boosted1
Well-known member
Some ideas:
For the Vise mount bench, I made a 24"x30"x1/4" steel plate top and metal base I welded together.
On one end I made legs shorter and bolted on 2 wheels. On the other end I made legs all the way to ground with cross bar.
I mounted the vise on end with no wheels / legs touching the ground. Super solid. When I want to move it, I put a floor jack under the cross bar to lift the 2 legs and just drag the jack with table in tow.
When you get to Cabinets, I have used New Age in 2 shops now and think they are a good value for quality and price. I am referring to the Pro version ( if I remember correctly ) that is made with thicker gage metal.
For the Vise mount bench, I made a 24"x30"x1/4" steel plate top and metal base I welded together.
On one end I made legs shorter and bolted on 2 wheels. On the other end I made legs all the way to ground with cross bar.
I mounted the vise on end with no wheels / legs touching the ground. Super solid. When I want to move it, I put a floor jack under the cross bar to lift the 2 legs and just drag the jack with table in tow.
When you get to Cabinets, I have used New Age in 2 shops now and think they are a good value for quality and price. I am referring to the Pro version ( if I remember correctly ) that is made with thicker gage metal.
I'd like to hear more about the vise mount for sure. And yeah I have the New Age Pro setup in my garage at home and they are pretty good while be reasonably priced (sourced from Costco). I don't like the upper cabinets - maybe I have them mounted too high or maybe I'm too short. There is a lip along the lower front edge and it blocks visibility into what's in there. I suppose the answer is to only put taller things on those shelves?
Tynee
Well-known member
Never rule out a late-in-life growth spurt!!
Too bad those only affect our horizontal dimensions!
I went up to the house yesterday and have no major updates or progress. The interior paint was supposed to be done but it wasn't - after primer my builder saw a few things he wanted fixed so drywallers were back cleaning up some things and mud has to dry. Paint should finish next week I hope? I'm told we will start counter installs next week regardless. And we have all the plumbing fixtures on site ready to go too. The electrician was there to finally pull the power main through the house and get a few basics hooked up.
The garage doors also were not installed. So that too pushes to next week. I don't know when the fiber internet conduit gets trenched but at least I have a quote for it (ugh). That's a sign it will happen soon. The deck railings went in and they took final measurements for the stair railings...which should go in next week. Decking can now go down and after stair railings, final trim out of the stairs will start.
I approved the quote from the epoxy installer and picked a finish - Domino flake. I'd just deal with not being able to find anything on the floor and while hiding things that I drop, it'll also hide wear and tear and dirt. That should get going soon after the garage doors go in. I have quotes for the lifts and am back to going with an all Bendpak setup. The 10APX for a 2 post and the HD-9SWX for the 4 post double wide. I was originally worried about the 9K total capacity on the Bendpak vs the 10K on the BYB lift. And I've seen the BYB lift in person - it is pretty solid. But I was actually surprised that the shipping weight of the HD-9SWX is 3000 lbs and only 2000 lbs on the BYB? At least that's what is on their websites. The more I think about how I'll use it the additional 1K capacity is a non-factor. I don't have a bunch of heavy trucks that would test that capacity limit. Plus the installer thinks I'd be happier with the locking system on the Bendpak. Cost is within $100 or so although the BYB comes with some decking and more drip trays. Something about the additional complexity of the compressor bugs me but oh well.
The garage doors also were not installed. So that too pushes to next week. I don't know when the fiber internet conduit gets trenched but at least I have a quote for it (ugh). That's a sign it will happen soon. The deck railings went in and they took final measurements for the stair railings...which should go in next week. Decking can now go down and after stair railings, final trim out of the stairs will start.
I approved the quote from the epoxy installer and picked a finish - Domino flake. I'd just deal with not being able to find anything on the floor and while hiding things that I drop, it'll also hide wear and tear and dirt. That should get going soon after the garage doors go in. I have quotes for the lifts and am back to going with an all Bendpak setup. The 10APX for a 2 post and the HD-9SWX for the 4 post double wide. I was originally worried about the 9K total capacity on the Bendpak vs the 10K on the BYB lift. And I've seen the BYB lift in person - it is pretty solid. But I was actually surprised that the shipping weight of the HD-9SWX is 3000 lbs and only 2000 lbs on the BYB? At least that's what is on their websites. The more I think about how I'll use it the additional 1K capacity is a non-factor. I don't have a bunch of heavy trucks that would test that capacity limit. Plus the installer thinks I'd be happier with the locking system on the Bendpak. Cost is within $100 or so although the BYB comes with some decking and more drip trays. Something about the additional complexity of the compressor bugs me but oh well.
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Happy thanksgiving everyone. The project continued although I wasnt around to check in. We were on the road to the east coast over the holiday covering nearly 4000 miles. Saw the ocean with my pups and had a chance to hang with @Nolift911, poured a few. Thanksgiving is a big production for my family. We sat over 30 this year. I was in charge of the turkey and was only allotted one oven. Came out great!
We are in the finishing stages on the house. Paint is done. Most exterior stuff is done. Doing final electrical, hvac, and low voltage trim outs now. Plumbing trim starts in 2 weeks. That’s also the week that the epoxy goes down in the shop and garage.
The first week of January we install appliances and then final inspections begin. And of course a few weeks to address the punch list.
Any Black Friday sales I should have paid attention to? I managed to get to HF to get some ratchets at 40% off. I’m starting to stockpile some tool basics. I have a huge list and I’ll probably fill it out little by little. They were out of Daytona jacks. Yes, I’ll still have a floor jack even with the lifts. I still use the cheapo one I bought from sears (not craftsman) 30 odd years ago. I’m not starting a vise thread or war but I was watching some of the Wilton tradesman ones. Then somehow decided on a fireball tool compact. I know it isn’t USA made but whatever…I get a sense he makes quality stuff.
For shop storage I’m skipping levracks. Too much $$$. I’ll be fine with some wardrobe cabinets (new age etc) and then generic pallet racks. Oh well.
I’ll head up on Saturday to see the progress person.
We are in the finishing stages on the house. Paint is done. Most exterior stuff is done. Doing final electrical, hvac, and low voltage trim outs now. Plumbing trim starts in 2 weeks. That’s also the week that the epoxy goes down in the shop and garage.
The first week of January we install appliances and then final inspections begin. And of course a few weeks to address the punch list.
Any Black Friday sales I should have paid attention to? I managed to get to HF to get some ratchets at 40% off. I’m starting to stockpile some tool basics. I have a huge list and I’ll probably fill it out little by little. They were out of Daytona jacks. Yes, I’ll still have a floor jack even with the lifts. I still use the cheapo one I bought from sears (not craftsman) 30 odd years ago. I’m not starting a vise thread or war but I was watching some of the Wilton tradesman ones. Then somehow decided on a fireball tool compact. I know it isn’t USA made but whatever…I get a sense he makes quality stuff.
For shop storage I’m skipping levracks. Too much $$$. I’ll be fine with some wardrobe cabinets (new age etc) and then generic pallet racks. Oh well.
I’ll head up on Saturday to see the progress person.
Nolift911
Well-known member
Looks good - spatchcock for the win!!
So I went up yesterday just as a big storm was starting. Threw the Hakkas on the SUV - showing their age being 7 years old now. This will be their last season for sure. Passable still but it can be much better. Have new ones on the M3 this year.
Things are starting to feel like a house now. Flip a switch and lights go on. Heat is running - with only one thermostat for now. The interior is fully painted. The last bits of interior tile are going in on fireplaces, etc. Most counters are in although we have a small issue with a few cabinets in the kitchen (made wrong) and are waiting for a fix. We are also just about to commission the solar - batteries are in too. Some of the outdoor stuff might wait until spring...not sure. We need some stone added around some concrete bases but the weather isn't behaving. Although it is never too late to build another tent to heat some outdoor work...the grill area has the blocks in. It needs to be finished in stone, get the counters installed, and the grill of course. I use the grill a ton - probably more than anything except the fridge and freezer. So a killer grill and space is key. I heated the slab in that area so there shouldn't be too much snow removal needed.
And the garage doors on the shop are done with openers, etc. They just need the final power up. The garage doors on the main house were ordered wrong - 1 ft too short - so we have another set coming in. From a home automation standpoint, I've heard that Chamberlain group is continuing to try to keep anyone from remotely managing their doors without their cloud ****. Hopefully ratgdo can push through the chamberlain corp greed behavior. I have ratgdo modules on my house now and they are great. I really don't want someone else's cloud service to manage my doors.
Things are starting to feel like a house now. Flip a switch and lights go on. Heat is running - with only one thermostat for now. The interior is fully painted. The last bits of interior tile are going in on fireplaces, etc. Most counters are in although we have a small issue with a few cabinets in the kitchen (made wrong) and are waiting for a fix. We are also just about to commission the solar - batteries are in too. Some of the outdoor stuff might wait until spring...not sure. We need some stone added around some concrete bases but the weather isn't behaving. Although it is never too late to build another tent to heat some outdoor work...the grill area has the blocks in. It needs to be finished in stone, get the counters installed, and the grill of course. I use the grill a ton - probably more than anything except the fridge and freezer. So a killer grill and space is key. I heated the slab in that area so there shouldn't be too much snow removal needed.
And the garage doors on the shop are done with openers, etc. They just need the final power up. The garage doors on the main house were ordered wrong - 1 ft too short - so we have another set coming in. From a home automation standpoint, I've heard that Chamberlain group is continuing to try to keep anyone from remotely managing their doors without their cloud ****. Hopefully ratgdo can push through the chamberlain corp greed behavior. I have ratgdo modules on my house now and they are great. I really don't want someone else's cloud service to manage my doors.
cccoltsicehockey
Well-known member
Coming along nicely. If you are open to making your own garage door controller, I can share with you what I am going to use for my Liftmasters which use the same MyQ cloud setup as Chamberlin I believe. I am not a fan of the cloud stuff so all mine is ZWave based for whatever home automation system you are using it should be able to work with.
Would love to hear what you are doing. I have ratgdo modules installed now and they are compatible with Chamberlain/Liftmaster Security +2.0. The module hard wires in but the newly announced +3.0 standard is all done wirelessly. I assume the Liftmaster 98022 and 98032 are not yet updated - older hardware - so I may be fine with the path I've been down before.
cccoltsicehockey
Well-known member
Someone had just shown me those ratgdo modules a month or two ago. They definitely look like slick devices. I do believe since the 98022 and 98032 came out already a year or two ago that they are still only +2.0. At least that is how I was planning on approaching that they were in my case as those are the openers I have as well.
For some reason, I have always hated the thought of putting home control devices on my wifi network. For that reason, I have done everything in my power to try and use ZWave devices for anything I do with home automation.
My original garage door controller was just a dry contact controller with a sensor port as well that was hardwired to the opener in the regular wired button location. Obviously, you know this doesn't work with these newer openers. My search was to find something that would still use a dry contact controller for each door.
I happened on a guy selling these premade or you can obviously make your own which was my plan. https://www.garadget.com/product/security-2-0-dry-contact-adapter/ You just buy a cheap battery powered remote and use the dry contact controller to trigger the button press instead of actually pressing the button. Here is a little more detailed write up of what is being done, but in this case they are using a Zigbee module, but the principle is still the same. https://community.hubitat.com/t/local-control-options-for-myq-garage-door-openers/78570/177
I have not built the three controllers I need to build yet, but that is my plan on how to do it. Then you can just use a door contact like this to report if the door is open or not. I think you likely needed these anyways for the ratgdo modules. https://a.co/d/a61lUpI
For some reason, I have always hated the thought of putting home control devices on my wifi network. For that reason, I have done everything in my power to try and use ZWave devices for anything I do with home automation.
My original garage door controller was just a dry contact controller with a sensor port as well that was hardwired to the opener in the regular wired button location. Obviously, you know this doesn't work with these newer openers. My search was to find something that would still use a dry contact controller for each door.
I happened on a guy selling these premade or you can obviously make your own which was my plan. https://www.garadget.com/product/security-2-0-dry-contact-adapter/ You just buy a cheap battery powered remote and use the dry contact controller to trigger the button press instead of actually pressing the button. Here is a little more detailed write up of what is being done, but in this case they are using a Zigbee module, but the principle is still the same. https://community.hubitat.com/t/local-control-options-for-myq-garage-door-openers/78570/177
I have not built the three controllers I need to build yet, but that is my plan on how to do it. Then you can just use a door contact like this to report if the door is open or not. I think you likely needed these anyways for the ratgdo modules. https://a.co/d/a61lUpI
I have already built a Home Assistant controller that ties into and unifies everything across wifi, zwave, zigbee, matter, etc. For wifi I have a separate subnet to put all home control stuff on with different firewall rules, etc to manage any risk around that.
And my next weekly update...getting close, real close!
We have internet service at the house! And I was told Xfinity threw in connectivity for business class service, which for now is asymmetrical speed (gb down, 60mb up? - that's what my brother has up the street). But they say it'll be symmetrical soon. I originally thought I'd be stuck with DOCSIS 3.0, which is a hybrid of coax and fiber. But this box just has fiber connections so that's a good sign I hope. Let me know if you know what this is. With video conferencing these days, upload speed starts to matter.
I learned that we've been running power off some temp lines but they ran the final lines last week and will hook them up next week. One of these sets are the mains, the other goes to the shop. The smaller set on the left is for the solar/battery setup.
I was finally able to stand on my deck and take in the view. Railings are done. I like how my builder has the posts anchored under the decking. Another nice detail.
Still need one more counter set to be installed now that the cabinet mixup is resolved.
Lots of gas lines. I ran gas to a bunch of outdoor locations for additional heaters. Looking at it a second time we are missing a few labels - probably the stove and living room fireplace. I know we ran more than one line out to the bbq. One for bbq and a decicated one for the gas firepit. Going local-ish with that. Anyone ever heard of Breck Ironworks?
Nice weather - the M3 had no issues making the trip up.
And the shop was getting prepped for epoxy coating by moving everything out. One problem in the shop though. That's not enough light. Will either replace those with UFOs or add some. From what I can tell those are 5500 lumens each. Easy fix I'm told.
We have internet service at the house! And I was told Xfinity threw in connectivity for business class service, which for now is asymmetrical speed (gb down, 60mb up? - that's what my brother has up the street). But they say it'll be symmetrical soon. I originally thought I'd be stuck with DOCSIS 3.0, which is a hybrid of coax and fiber. But this box just has fiber connections so that's a good sign I hope. Let me know if you know what this is. With video conferencing these days, upload speed starts to matter.
I learned that we've been running power off some temp lines but they ran the final lines last week and will hook them up next week. One of these sets are the mains, the other goes to the shop. The smaller set on the left is for the solar/battery setup.
I was finally able to stand on my deck and take in the view. Railings are done. I like how my builder has the posts anchored under the decking. Another nice detail.
Still need one more counter set to be installed now that the cabinet mixup is resolved.
Lots of gas lines. I ran gas to a bunch of outdoor locations for additional heaters. Looking at it a second time we are missing a few labels - probably the stove and living room fireplace. I know we ran more than one line out to the bbq. One for bbq and a decicated one for the gas firepit. Going local-ish with that. Anyone ever heard of Breck Ironworks?
Nice weather - the M3 had no issues making the trip up.
And the shop was getting prepped for epoxy coating by moving everything out. One problem in the shop though. That's not enough light. Will either replace those with UFOs or add some. From what I can tell those are 5500 lumens each. Easy fix I'm told.
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Anyone know what's going on with only being notified on threads you created, not ones you've posted on? Or lack of notifications at all from GJ? I know it isn't just me. What's the fix? @Nolift911 and I need to know!
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ericm
Well-known member
What's inside the spectrum box? I thought we'd get coax too but it was fiber all the way to the house. It goes to a small modem that has an RJ45 on the other side which goes to my network. We're getting 1GB or more from the router, symmetric.