Above 1200 Sq/FT The ASYLUM - Happy 40th Birthday to Me! (Est. 2005)

shopnut · Jul 27, 2009

autoist said:
I've already copied your stairs & am getting ready to add ceiling fans in the main part of my garage....just read an article that said ceiling fans should be at least 14" from ceiling to provide maximum efficiency uplift/downforce of air. Though you'd like to know that also.

Thanks for sharing, Autoist.

Unfortunately in my office, the fan is stuck between a rock (my head) and a hard place (the ceiling)

The downrod that came with the fan kit positions it at a good compromised height. I don't feel the need to duck when I walk under it. The blades on the low side of the ceiling are about 8" from the ceiling, while the high side is about 16". If it was a 52" fan, I would be worried, but with this little fan, there is virtually no chance it can swing far enough for the blades to hit the ceiling (I tried it).

I totally agree with the efficiency comment, though. If too close to something the energy of the fan gets converted to noise/friction instead of actual air movement.

Vernmotor · Jul 27, 2009

Shopnut Just to let you know I check in every week .To see what you got done so far,,Very nice !

shopnut · Jul 28, 2009

Vernmotor said:
Shopnut Just to let you know I check in every week .To see what you got done so far,,Very nice !

Thanks Vernmotor. It's folks like you that keep me posting.

sp00led · Jul 29, 2009

I'm attemping my first detached garage build w/ lift (25'x32') or really my first build ever. Since I'm young (28yrs old) and I know this won't be my house forever. I went with a brick garage to match the neighborhood, for resale purposes.

I know it's been said several times in this thread but I have to say it once more. Your abililty to not waste space and engineer one off designs is amazing. So many ideas I want to borrow (or steal...) from you for my dream garage. A few of them will even work in the "learning experience" garage I'm building now.

shopnut · Jul 30, 2009

sp00led said:
I'm attemping my first detached garage build w/ lift (25'x32') or really my first build ever. Since I'm young (28yrs old) and I know this won't be my house forever. I went with a brick garage to match the neighborhood, for resale purposes.

I know it's been said several times in this thread but I have to say it once more. Your abililty to not waste space and engineer one off designs is amazing. So many ideas I want to borrow (or steal...) from you for my dream garage. A few of them will even work in the "learning experience" garage I'm building now.

Thanks for the kind words, sp00led.

Hopefully, you will use your "learning" garage as a good test bed for your own ideas. There really are no limits and not everything has to cost a ton of money either.

Remember that everyone's wants and needs are different. As you work in your first garage, take note of the things you would change and the things you want to add in the "dream" version. Its hard to remember them all when you finally make the switch.

Lastly, try to keep in mind that your own needs tend to change slighty as you age. Things that seemed fun when you were younger may not appeal to you as you get older.

Just let me know if you have any questions and I will try to help.

Call me the Breeze · Jul 30, 2009

shopnut said:
I FINALLY REBUILT THAT OLD FLOOR JACK…
A little side line project here. This jack has been in the family for years and I managed to find a rebuild kit for it. It’s a ‘50s vintage Walker 5 ton and I'm sure it will outlast me. While it was ripped apart, I decided to brighten it up a bit since the original paint was a bit too boring. I like the match of this shade of blue with the yellow cabinets and I will be painting the jack stands, engine hoist, engine stands, and other misc. things the same color someday.

Not to get off subject with the amazing shop you have going on here, but I was wondering if you can tell me where you got the rebuild kit for your jack? I have one like it that leaks fluid and haven't been able to find anyone who can fix it. It is such a great jack, and would love to use it more. Was yours originally green? thanks for the inspiring pictures of your shop. -Breeze

autoist · Jul 30, 2009

I'm taking my 3-year old grandson to DisneyWorld in September.....you near there?

shopnut · Jul 30, 2009

Call me the Breeze said:
Not to get off subject with the amazing shop you have going on here, but I was wondering if you can tell me where you got the rebuild kit for your jack? I have one like it that leaks fluid and haven't been able to find anyone who can fix it. It is such a great jack, and would love to use it more. Was yours originally green? thanks for the inspiring pictures of your shop. -Breeze

My jack is a Walker "Roll-A-Car" model No. 784 Series D with a lift range of 4-24". It originally was blue with off-white handle and I just painted it with brighter colors. There are a few places out there selling rebuild kits and the following link is the place I bought from. Kit URL134 sold for about $50. If your rebuild kit comes with leather seals like mine, be sure you soak them in hyd oil for a couple of days to make them pliable.

http://blackhawkparts.com/store/page18.html

Here are some before, during, and after pictures:

Here are some other sources of info. Some have diagrams and user manuals to download.

http://hydraulicpartsnow.com/JackKits/WalkerJackKits/tabid/472/Default.aspx
http://www.vorishyd.com/lincoln10.shtml
http://www.ohiohydraulic.com/store/page6.html

Good luck!

autoist · Jul 30, 2009

shopnut....you have a PM.

Call me the Breeze · Aug 3, 2009

shopnut said:
Mine is a Walker Model 884 5-ton jack. It originally was blue with off-white handle and I just painted it with brighter colors. There are a few places out there selling rebuild kits and the following link is the place I bought from. Kit URL134 sold for about $50. If your rebuild kit comes with leather seals like mine, be sure you soak them in hyd oil for a couple of days to make them pliable.

http://blackhawkparts.com/store/page18.html

Here are some before, during, and after pictures:

Here are some other sources of info. Some have diagrams and user manuals to download.

http://hydraulicpartsnow.com/JackKits/WalkerJackKits/tabid/472/Default.aspx
http://www.vorishyd.com/lincoln10.shtml
http://www.ohiohydraulic.com/store/page6.html

Good luck!

Thanks, I'll check it out

Blk63Vette · Aug 4, 2009

Dude that place kicks *** place.. I wish I had a place like that where I live...

Arcticf7ext · Aug 5, 2009

I agree with everybody that is one interesting garage and love the updates. It is the first thread I look for. Shopnut, the detail and thought put into every project is great and to share the ideas with benefiting garages everywhere!

Thanks...

PS. I vote that "the Asylum" get set as a sticky, so we can all review the new updates easier.

Call me the Breeze · Aug 5, 2009

I like the way you have utilized so much space!

shopnut · Aug 10, 2009

I’M NEVER CLEANING THIS PLACE AGAIN…

I’m letting the Dirt Dog do it! Since my wife is somewhat of a “Mrs. Clean” and she has had good experience with one of these iRobot’s with two very large dogs in the house, she decided to give me one as a gift for the shop. These things are actually pretty cool. This shop version doesn’t have all the advanced features that “Dozer” has (we call him Dozer because he has a tendency to move chairs around), like auto docking and programmable timed cleaning, but it is made more for the garage environment. You just charge him up and push the button and off he goes in a “random” pattern. The neat thing is it goes under things since it is less than 4” tall, so it gets under the cabinets and cars. The under belly view shows counter rotating brushes and a little string-trimmer type brush that gets in the corners. When the black bumper hits something, it changes direction and continues on. The only downside I foresee is it hitting a puddle of oil or something – it will spread it all over the place so I will need to keep an eye on that.

AND SOME EXTERIOR WORK…

I needed to spend some time on the exterior of the building. On one side of the building, there’s a pretty steep embankment that I have to protect from washing away. I always intended to build a deck along this wall that looks towards the lake, so I originally installed some temporary sheeting. Well, four years goes by in a flash and the sun has finally deteriorated my temporary fix. The thin plastic I used was simply flaking away underneath and water was starting to wash the dirt away.

So this time, after building the mound back up again, I used 2 layers of 6mil plastic on the bottom, and landscaping cloth on top to hide and protect the plastic sheet. Hopefully I will get that deck built before another 4 or 5 years goes by!

shopnut · Aug 14, 2009

SHOP TIP ==> SHELF LINER…

I posted this tip in a separate thread but forgot to mention it here.

I bought magnetic sheet to line my metal-shelved cabinets. If bought in bulk roll form, it is not cost prohibitive. I paid about $1/linear foot for 24" wide material when I bought a 60ft roll a couple of years ago, but it seems to cost more now.

It absolutely does not shift around once stuck down. Heavy things slide nicely on it and it doesn't bunch up. Unlike most of the cheap rubber shelf liners, I doubt this stuff will ever degrade. And most of all, there is no chance that the paint on the original shelf will get scuffed/scratched up.

I wouldn't recommend it for roller boxes as the tools inside will slide around, but for stationary cabinets, it is perfect, IMHO.

heffneil · Aug 14, 2009

Where are the red storage boxes from? Home Depot and Lowes have the Yellow ones but I thought red would be nice for a different type of storage so I could easily identify it.

Thanks,

Neil

shopnut · Aug 14, 2009

heffneil said:
Where are the red storage boxes from? Home Depot and Lowes have the Yellow ones but I thought red would be nice for a different type of storage so I could easily identify it.

Thanks,

Neil

I have never seen the red ones again after I bought a bunch of them at Cost Co many years ago. They had packs of three (1 big, 2 little) for about $15 or $20. They are the high quality Stanley/Zag versions.

I noticed Harbor Freight now is carrying black/yellow ones, but they are of course, knockoff versions.

shopnut · Aug 17, 2009

THIS MAY NOT BE MUCH TO LOOK AT, BUT…

An outdoor workbench sure does come in handy. I call it my “black-widow” workbench and it resides just outside of my rear rollup door.

After a few weeks of dragging out unstable saw-horses, I decided to build something quickly that was semi-permanent. The legs are made out of pressure-treated lumber. The leg set nearest the shop is sunk in the ground about 2 feet for stability and the other set simply rests on the ground. A couple of 2x4’s reinforce the plywood over the 8 foot span. It is not fastened together so I can take it down in 2 seconds for mowing and such, although I’ve never bothered to do so yet.

I didn’t dream up the shape - the plywood I used was just scrap from the 4x8 sheets the contractor used to gusset the main rafters. (Back when the Asylum was being built, I figured I would have SOME use for that 7/8” plywood, so I rescued it from the dumpster.) To save time, I didn’t even bother to cut the plywood for table top but it turned out that unique shape is extremely functional. I can rip sheets of paneling down the middle without cutting into the work surface. The opening down the middle also provides a great place to drop a bar clamp down through to keep those shorter pieces from sliding around while working on them. I can also cut out holes in the middle of a panel (over the notched-out V area) with a jigsaw and the workpiece doesn’t sag or bow over the edge of the table.

Well, after 4 years, the plywood finally gave up the ghost, but luckily I had some replacements pieces waiting. Rebuilding it reminded me to mention it in this thread.

I do all of my dusty jobs outside like wood cutting, grinding, sanding, etc. (if it’s not raining) so I think I will always have some kind of workbench out there. Eventually, I plan to make one framed out of stainless or aluminum, but until my scrap supply runs out, this version will do and the cost is perfect!

cyclopsblown34 · Aug 17, 2009

My opinion of this shop is the same as it has always been...I'm amazed and inspired.

shopnut · Aug 24, 2009

I BOUNCED AROUND A BIT ON PROJECTS THIS WEEK…

Our four year old frig fried its compressor so that wasn’t a good way to start off things. On the bright side, the repair will be covered under the mfgr’s 5-year warranty. The repair man said they have been replacing a lot of compressors on that brand of frig over the last few years but he said they solved that problem – they shortened the warranty to one year! Great news. Luckily I had a small beer frig in the shop to keep food cold temporarily while this one gets fixed.

Anyway, back to the shop. I spent a little time framing the exhaust fan ducting and the area around the crane mount area in hopes of attaching the white vinyl material in the near future. The duct inlet will be flush with the wall containing the blue bowties for a “clean” look. Vinyl siding is purchased and just waiting to transform the looks of this place. Before I can do the siding, I still need to route air lines and finish the electrical wiring for a number of things. I also need to figure out how to mount fairleads for the hose/cable reels where they exit the wall just below the crane. All this work is high on the scaffold so work is at a snail’s pace.

I installed the last two sills in the office. The large one underneath the exterior windows and a/c took quite some time but it ended up looking good. When I ordered the trim material, one 8ft stick was damaged in shipment (I got a refund) but that meant every cut I made had to be correct. There was no extra trim for mistakes so I was being extremely cautious with measuring and cutting. The display case sill was much easier. I still need to finish off the mitered end caps on all the sills and install all the shoe molding around the tops of the sills, but that material is cheap and readily available, so I can work a little faster.

autoist · Aug 24, 2009

shopnut: How's your Dirt Dog working? Does he get stuck under cars & around tool boxes, etc. very much or often?

shopnut · Aug 25, 2009

autoist said:
shopnut: How's your Dirt Dog working? Does he get stuck under cars & around tool boxes, etc. very much or often?

I have only taken him for a test spin in the apartment so far - certainly found a lot of dirt I missed with the broom. I haven't had a chance to check for liquid spills in the shop yet, so I've been hesitant to to let him run free out there.

More to come...

shopnut · Aug 25, 2009

SO IT’S BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD…

Board mounting system, that is. I’ve included some photos of the first wall bracket temporarily clamped to the patio pillar. When I get the geometry just right, I will make the mirror-image part.

Each bracket assembly will consist of 5 main pieces: the wall channel, 2 slides (shown in an earlier post), and 2 arms (the bottom one being telescopic). The 4ft dark colored piece is an angle iron that will fasten to the back side of the drawing board. This first photo shows it completely collapsed against the wall. The cool thing about this position is that gravity is actually holding it against the wall even with the top slide free to move. I thought a latch would be required to keep it in the stored position. When I pull the bottom of the board out from the wall about 4-5 inches, the top slide starts moving down and gravity tries to make the board fold out flat. I will have to be careful not to let it get away from me and slam down.

Here are some other photos with the arms in various positions to demonstrate the adjustability. I plan to have some spring-loaded pins lock the sliders in 2 or 3 key positions. I also need to add some clamps to the sliders to give them a little resistance and allow them to be fully locked in any position when needed.

R1chy · Aug 25, 2009

I really like this idea, please post your final plans if you don't mind me doing the same thing.

R1chy

shopnut said:
SO IT’S BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD…

Board mounting system, that is. I’ve included some photos of the first wall bracket temporarily clamped to the patio pillar. When I get the geometry just right, I will make the mirror-image part.

Each bracket assembly will consist of 5 main pieces: the wall channel, 2 slides (shown in an earlier post), and 2 arms (the bottom one being telescopic). The 4ft dark colored piece is an angle iron that will fasten to the back side of the drawing board. This first photo shows it completely collapsed against the wall. The cool thing about this position is that gravity is actually holding it against the wall even with the top slide free to move. I thought a latch would be required to keep it in the stored position. When I pull the bottom of the board out from the wall about 4-5 inches, the top slide starts moving down and gravity tries to make the board fold out flat. I will have to be careful not to let it get away from me and slam down.

Here are some other photos with the arms in various positions to demonstrate the adjustability. I plan to have some spring-loaded pins lock the sliders in 2 or 3 key positions. I also need to add some clamps to the sliders to give them a little resistance and allow them to be fully locked in any position when needed.

shopnut · Aug 27, 2009

R1chy said:
I really like this idea, please post your final plans if you don't mind me doing the same thing.

R1chy

R1chy,

I wouldn't be spending the time posting all these ideas if I wasn't trying to help some of you out. I will be glad to share all I can. My plan right now is is getting both halves made, mount it to the wall (even though I will hate drilling into that fresh drywall!), and make sure it works to my satisfaction. At that point, I will disassemble everything and do a final paint job. That will be a perfect time to snap a set of pictures of all the component parts and post them with brief descriptions of how I made them. Keep in mind, however, that most of the little bits and pieces are coming from my misc parts bins and it will be hard tell you exact where to find similar parts.

shopnut · Aug 31, 2009

autoist said:
shopnut: How's your Dirt Dog working? Does he get stuck under cars & around tool boxes, etc. very much or often?

The "Dog" got aquainted with the shop today for the first time and it was interesting to see what trouble he got himself into. I knew from experience that boards leaning against the wall can get knocked over when Dozer pushes them tight against the wall and then they tip over on him. So I "childproofed" the room as best I could.

So I sent him off on his merry way to conquer the filth. He almost immediately headed under the Chevelle to do his thing. I thought great - it's really dirty under there. After about his third turn, he managed to jump the rim of my large shallow drip pan under the car - and in he went! :shocking:

Never expected that! Luckily, I fixed all the oil leaks on the Chevelle last year so the sheet pan was basically clean. That could have been a disaster two years ago when the ****** was leaking like a sieve. I was also surprised when he managed to get himself out too.

He found lots of cobwebs under all the cabinets and looked like something out of a horror show as he cruised around. I saw bugs scurrying for their lives. He filled his hopper this time, but should have less to do next time. He ran out of juice after about 45 minutes but that's because he cleaned the apartment for about 30 mins prior. And he didn't get stuck anywhere.

It's interesting to see how closely he follows the perimeter of obstacles in a small "sawtooth" pattern. He slows down before hitting things because of the front sensors. In the apartment, somehow he knew when it was clean and just shut himself off. He might have tried to run for hours in the shop since it has been a while since I've given it a good cleaning.

All in all, I believe he will do a good job. I think he would be perfect in someone's woodshop.

shopnut · Sep 8, 2009

MORE ON THE DRAWING BOARD MOUNT…

A little bit more time was spent on the drawing board mount. Lock clamps were added and the cross member was built. Next on the project list is building the duplicate right-hand side arm assembly.

First, a trial fit-up on the actual drawing board needed before I got too far along. The board is lying with its drawing surface down on the sawhorses. The close-up picture shows the reason why the brown tubes are notched out about 1” deep near the pivot point – there needs to be clearance for the drafting machine to slide back and forth. With no show-stoppers found, it’s time to get back to building.

Here’s a shot of the left-hand arm assembly and the newly created cross-member. Cross members were made from pool screen enclosure framing (aluminum channel) that I had lying around.

For the slider lock clamps, I found cam handles available through Grainger but didn't want to spend $10/handle (I will need 6 total) so I searched ebay. It took me a while to find them, but there are lots of people selling bicycle parts utilizing these types of cam handles. The ones I bought were called “axle skewers” and they allow the quick release of the front wheel. I found some for about $1/skewer, so cheap that I had to buy some extra ones for future projects. The bicycle seat post is another place where these cam handles are used. If you compare the two pictures, you will notice the handle and locking plate in different positions. This special plate was purchased from the awning arm manufacturer and fits one of the grooves in the outer channel. It is mounted to the slider with a hinge and a coil spring (came with the axle skewer) holds the clamp open when the handle is released. The cam action of the handle moves the clamp plate about 1/8” and pinches the outer channel between the slider and the lock plate. A screw allows me to fine tune the tension.

shopnut · Sep 14, 2009

THE AIR LINES HAVE GONE FULL CIRCLE…

I now have a complete loop around the shop for my air lines. In an effort to finish routing everything in the office wall so I can install the vinyl siding by the crane, I plumbed up the air lines.

This forum taught me that a proper air piping system should consist of a loop around the perimeter of the workspace to equalize the pressure in all the drop lines (two main paths lead to every outlet and the combined length is always the same distance). Made sense to me so I continued my prior circuit around and also included another hose reel between the large roll-up doors. Someday, this one will be enclosed too, like the rest. Five hose reels should do it for now.

I used PEX tube up high where the danger of rupture will be minimal to workers in the shop (yes, I’ve read about the risks). Anywhere there are drop lines close to the ground (10 ft or below), I used copper pipe with drain petcocks. PEX tube and brass Sharkbite fittings make assembling the piping extremely easy. Bend the tube as needed, cut it with a knife or snip, and fasten it down with some straps – works for me. Plus future upgrades are really easy by cutting the tube and installing a Sharkbite tee. You can save some money and use compression fittings, but the slip-on installation and quick release feature make these fittings my choice. The Sharkbites also allow you to connect between copper and PEX tubing. The PEX tubing costs about $25 for a 100ft roll and the fittings cost between $4-$8 (but cheaper online). If you plan it right, you really don’t need many fittings since you can form the bends right into the pipe (just use a generous radius). Lastly, don’t forget to buy one of orange release collars if using Sharkbite fittings.

Be warned, however, that the PEX pressure rating goes down as temperature goes up, so don’t use it near sources of heat, like close to the compressor.

shopnut · Sep 15, 2009

THE DRAWING BOARD MOUNT IS READY TO HANG ON THE WALL…

I finished the RH side and bolted the whole thing together for a quick trial. It seems like it will work fine, but I can tell getting the main channels attached parallel on the wall will be critical if things are to slide freely. I plan to mount one channel as plum as possible and then use the top slide assembly (carriage) to locate the second channel. I still plan to add some lock pins to the bottom sliders since they take most of the vertical load and my clamps may slip if overloaded. I think there will only be two locations that the bottom sliders will really ever be in, full down and up about 24”.

HERE’S HOW IT WILL WORK…

I have it laying on the ground so try to picture this thing mounted on the wall with the ends of the main channels on the left (in the pictures) pointing straight up. Again, the drawing board will be mounted on the dark angle irons. The first picture shows it in its stored position flat against the wall. The second one has the bottom sliders locked and the top carriage sliding down to allow the board to tilt out. The third shows it completely horizontal.

This first picture of this set shows all the sliders moved up in the channels demonstrating the height adjustment. In the second picture, the white prop legs have been shortened and the bottom sliders locked in place. In this position, when the top carriage moves up and down to adjust the angle, the bottom edge of the board will remain at a constant height off the ground. The last picture shows a slightly closer view of the parts.

e-tek · Sep 15, 2009

I might have either missed it, or read it so far back that I forgot, but are you retired? Do you work out of the shop? Will you?
Also, what's your hobbies? - other than the shop build that is!

shopnut · Sep 15, 2009

e-tek said:
I might have either missed it, or read it so far back that I forgot, but are you retired? Do you work out of the shop? Will you?
Also, what's your hobbies? - other than the shop build that is!

Retired? No - will probably have to wait until I'm 55 or so to do that. I have a full time job that I enjoy (well, most of the time). Someday I will probably use the Asylum to make money rather than just sinking money into it. I'm just not ready to jump out from underneath the corporate umbrella yet.

Hobbies? The wife and I take our bikes on cross-country rides when we get the chance but ride them on a daily basis too. I love tearing stuff apart and rebuilding it. I love dreaming up stuff and building it from scratch. The classic cars have been on the back burner for a while now, but hopefully that will change soon. I did a little SCCA racing a long time ago and I would like to give that a go again.

e-tek · Sep 15, 2009

shopnut said:
Retired? No - will probably have to wait until I'm 55 or so to do that. I have a full time job that I enjoy (well, most of the time). Someday I will probably use the Asylum to make money rather than just sinking money into it. I'm just not ready to jump out from underneath the corporate umbrella yet.

Hobbies? The wife and I take our bikes on cross-country rides when we get the chance but ride them on a daily basis too. I love tearing stuff apart and rebuilding it. I love dreaming up stuff and building it from scratch. The classic cars have been on the back burner for a while now, but hopefully that will change soon. I did a little SCCA racing a long time ago and I would like to give that a go again.

Thanks for that...nice to know others in a similar spot in life. Fantastic shop, you should (must) be very proud!

mrstang69 · Sep 17, 2009

Can someone make it stop. im jealous. i think i'll close my acct now. I'm not worthy to be here

Tazfink · Sep 17, 2009

When I die, can I go to your shop instead of heaven? Even if I don't go to heaven, can I still come?

shopnut · Sep 22, 2009

I KNOW GOING “GREEN” IS POPULAR THESE DAYS, BUT…

That green board cover has to go! I think they sell gray versions and that will look much better. So, I had a chance to mount everything to the wall. Here’s a few shots during bench fitting and of the nearly completed system mounted on the wall.

At first, the carriage didn’t want to slide. Aluminum on aluminum actually doesn’t slide very smoothly but a little lube took care of that. The other thing that was causing some hang-up was a couple of bolts scraping the wall – I need to find another .25” of clearance. Lastly, I think the main channels were pinching closed a bit when I torqued the screws fastening them to the wall, thus pinching the sliders.

Here’s some shots with the drafting machine mounted on. Since this model was made for a larger board, I had to shorten the horizontal beam by about 8”. The vertical beam will need to be cut to match the lower edge of the board. I will do that later as a counterweight/cable/pulley system have to be re-worked inside the beam.

All-in-all, I’m happy with it and it fits in the room nicely. Of course, I have quite a long list of small updates to make when it is torn apart for final painting.

Tazfink · Sep 23, 2009

That is awesome!!! I am a drafter/designer and that is an awesome idea. I spent my whole first year at Alexandria Tech College on the boards, we were the last class to do so. I don't even think they have any of the drafting tables anymore. That is a shame, you really think about how things should go together when you have to erase a 17 x 34" (or larger) drawing and start over.

:thumbup:

shopnut said:
I KNOW GOING “GREEN” IS POPULAR THESE DAYS, BUT…

That green board cover has to go! I think they sell gray versions and that will look much better. So, I had a chance to mount everything to the wall. Here’s a few shots during bench fitting and of the nearly completed system mounted on the wall.

At first, the carriage didn’t want to slide. Aluminum on aluminum actually doesn’t slide very smoothly but a little lube took care of that. The other thing that was causing some hang-up was a couple of bolts scraping the wall – I need to find another .25” of clearance. Lastly, I think the main channels were pinching closed a bit when I torqued the screws fastening them to the wall, thus pinching the sliders.

Here’s some shots with the drafting machine mounted on. Since this model was made for a larger board, I had to shorten the horizontal beam by about 8”. The vertical beam will need to be cut to match the lower edge of the board. I will do that later as a counterweight/cable/pulley system have to be re-worked inside the beam.

All-in-all, I’m happy with it and it fits in the room nicely. Of course, I have quite a long list of small updates to make when it is torn apart for final painting.

shopnut · Sep 23, 2009

Tazfink said:
That is awesome!!! I am a drafter/designer and that is an awesome idea. I spent my whole first year at Alexandria Tech College on the boards, we were the last class to do so. I don't even think they have any of the drafting tables anymore. That is a shame, you really think about how things should go together when you have to erase a 17 x 34" (or larger) drawing and start over.

Thanks Tazfink.
I spent quite a few years drafting on these things and burned through a few erasers in my day.

I don't think I will be doing much drafting on this one but think it will come in handy for many other things.

In regards to your signature defining C.I., I'm matching my age with the number of working cylinders (if you count my gas-power drill) and another 20 cylinders as spares. I guess I can go another 20 years without buying anything

(Definition according to Tazfink: The Cylinder Index (or C.I.) is a measurement device in which the total number of internal combustion engine cylinders (working or non-working) owned by an individual (single-cylinder chainsaws, lawnmowers, 2-cycle, 4-cycle, multi-clinder diesels, trucks and farm tractors) are tallied. The Garage Logician who attains a C.I. in excess of his age is revered.)

cyclopsblown34 · Sep 24, 2009

heffneil said:
Where are the red storage boxes from? Home Depot and Lowes have the Yellow ones but I thought red would be nice for a different type of storage so I could easily identify it.

Thanks,

Neil

Akro-Mils has red, yellow and blue. They aren't as cheap as the Harbor Fright ones, but they're also a better quality.

shopnut · Sep 27, 2009

THE HOSES/CABLES GET FAIRLEADS…

I built the box where the cables exit the wall under the crane mounts. I planned for one extra fairlead for future expansion, but there really is not much more room in the wall to add another reel. The box had to be sturdy because it takes quite a shot when you let the cords retract to their stops. Later, it will be trimmed out with white vinyl and a few pieces are already attached. In fact, I added the vinyl around the clock mount to see how it was going to look (note the outlets for the clock and crane). So far, so good. Lastly, I plan to add an access door by the reels for servicing.

A LITTLE MORE ELECTRICAL WORK…

Will it ever end? I guess I have no one to blame but myself!

I routed the electrical lines in the “crane” wall since this needs to be done before I can install the white vinyl wall covering. Here’s the plan…

LIGHTING CIRCUITS: I have added three light switches at the bottom of the crane post – one for a spotlight/fan combo like on the other two columns, one for the three fluorescent fixtures in the work area adjacent to the crane, and one for a spotlight that will be mounted on the crane trolley itself and move with the hoist.

The master shop lighting plan, when all completed, will consist of three main switched zones for the fluorescent fixtures (19X T8 2-bulb recessed fixtures total with 16 installed thus far), and six individually switched task light areas spread around the shop. Outside the shop, there are three switched zones on the “porch” and two switched zones on the sides of the building. Two breakers feed the shop lighting circuits (excluding the apartment and upstairs office, which have separate breakers each) with one being dedicated to the fluorescent fixtures (MAIN circuit) and another for all the rest (AUX circuit).

POWER CIRCUITS: Power circuits are being routed for the crane hoist and for a cord reel mounted on the very end of the crane arm. I bought a “cable carrier” flexible track to run parallel to the crane arm and allow the hoist to roll back and forth without the supply wires snagging. I thought the power cord reel at the end of the crane arm might come in handy to drop a cord down anywhere along the crane sweep.

Mr. Jean · Sep 27, 2009

Wow!

Excellent thread, on an excellent project. :bowdown:

I'm really enjoying your pictures/place and all the information provided. Thank you, so much for taking the time to share it.

I'm new here and look forward to following along with this and many other great shops/garage projects. Lots to learn here. :thumbup:

Above 1200 Sq/FT The ASYLUM - Happy 40th Birthday to Me! (Est. 2005)

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