Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT When Not Committed to the ASYLUM, You Will Find Me Here

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

*******************************************************************************

I no longer have this 2-car garage... Jump to new 3-car garage story (posted Feb 2017): Link

*******************************************************************************

BEFORE THE ASYLUM WAS BUILT, THIS CRAZY NUT STILL NEEDED A PLACE TO DO HIS THING…

This is my current garage in the city. In recent years, this place has mainly become a place to park the cycles and tinker on projects after work. I’ve made a few upgrades over the years (almost 2 decades now) but I haven’t bothered going bonkers on it because I knew the ASYLUM was on the horizon and once it was built, a majority of my free time (and effort) was going to be spent out there. I never even finished the concrete floor here! I do, however, feel some of you could benefit from the things I’ve done in here since all of it is easily “within reach” for the average GJ subscriber out there. Most of you visit these types of sites to gather ideas, right?

Since I got out of school, I strived to make an efficient workplace to “do my thing”. And being a packrat by nature, I’ve always tried to cram things in to whatever space I had (you should have seen my dorm room!). Sure, this place is not at all flashy or glamorous, but it works extremely well for me. I hope you too can find and create what works for you.

PLEASE NOTE: As always, I’m trying to stay somewhat anonymous on this site (for security), so if you happen to recognize this place, please PM me rather than announcing my location in this thread to everyone reading. Maybe we can hook up and hang out in the future.

Take a minute to thank the people that maintain this wonderful website free of SPAM - we wouldn't have all this if it wasn't for them: Thanks to Garage Journal Staff

Here’s a panoramic shot (click to enlarge any photo):

When comparing it to the ASYLUM, I can’t help but think of the movie “Twins” with Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The ASYLUM is the large, genetically engineered shop with all the right stuff (at least in my opinion). The city shop is the smaller sibling that just gets all the leftover stuff. Both work extremely well for me, however.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFO...

When we moved to Florida in 1992, we decided to purchase a house, a first for me. We found an area we liked and it was close to work. It came with a decent-sized (22x22’) garage, but I still kick myself for not buying one of the houses on the other side of our small neighbor with the 3-car garage. At the time, we deemed them lower quality houses and opted for this one. Unfortunately, our builder didn’t offer any plans with 3-car garages.

OKAY FOLKS, RIGHT THIS WAY, LET'S START THE TOUR

USE THAT SPACE OVER THE GARAGE DOORS...

The very first thing I did the week we moved in (before the moving van even showed up) was add the hanging storage lofts over the garage doors. It just seemed like wasted space to me. Now you can buy metal racks to make this easy, but twenty years ago, stuff like that wasn’t available, so I built it out of wood. Some 2x4’s were lag-bolted into the ceiling joists and everything hung down from that. I mainly store lighter-weight stuff up there.

Some aluminum tubes are fastened to the underside of the platform to store more stuff, such as flattened cardboard boxes and air conditioner filters.

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

HIDE THE HOME MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT...

Next, I added a sliding storage rack in front of the air conditioner air handler. The handler takes up a large corner of the garage and I tried to make the most of it. It ended up being a great place to store low profile stuff like paints, waxes, and lubes. I also have my larger nut/bolt bins mounted on there. One half is stationary, while the other has casters to let it roll towards the side wall gaining access to the A/C unit.

The rolling rack went through a transformation a couple years ago when a larger A/C air handler was installed. The design use to include a simple closet door panel with shelves attached to the front face, but the refrigerant line running along the front of the air handler forced a change.

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

LOOK UP - THERE’S ALWAYS EXTRA SPACE TO BE HAD...

The overhead storage rack above the front of the garage was soon to follow. Again, a lot of wasted space up there (I have 9’4” ceilings). I few years later (~15 years ago), I built the original hinging banner door to finish it off. Threaded rod suspends the shelf from the ceiling. If you are hanging a bunch of stuff from your ceiling, be sure to reinforce your roof trusses.

A simple PVC prop rod holds this one open, but I much prefer the pull cord method I use on the ones at the ASYLUM. Between the shelf and the wall cabinets, there’s room to store portable drill and saw cases.

LOOK FOR THOSE SMALL NOOKS TO STORE STUFF...

Another spot to store things is on the wall directly above the main door. Just build a shallow shelf. Of course, the door must be down to access this spot, but it’s great for occasional use items (like snow skis in Florida!).

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

AN INEXPENSIVE WAY TO STORE THINGS...

I really like those clear plastic storage bins (totes) with the hinging lids for storing stuff. Being able to see what’s inside makes finding something a quick task. In a recent upgrade to the garage after the ASYLUM was constructed, I built some inexpensive racks of 2x3” lumber to store them on. The rack is attached to the wall near the top to keep it from falling over. You probably can’t see this in the pictures, but I grouped things and labeled most of the bins, unless the contents were obvious. It’s also nice to be able to grab the whole bin and take it to the worksite, when needed (like plumbing supplies).

If you don’t put shelves on the rack frame and also space the lumber properly, you can have the bin tilt to gain access to the contents without pulling it out of the rack. This feature has been extremely handy. Since the bins are only resting on their outer edges when stored, I put a small sheet of plywood inside each one to reinforce the bottom and keep it from sagging.

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

A WAY TO STORE LONG ITEMS...

I got a deal on the rifle cases years ago ($9/ea) and bought a bunch for holding a variety of longer items. I’ve “kitted” up certain things such as “screen repair” items that would contain the roll of screen and the spline rolling tool so I can just grab the entire case a go. Another one is filled with PVC pipe and fittings for quick repairs. Others are filled with long raw material for projects. An easy way to get them out of the way is to hang them up with some of those adjustable bookshelf brackets and stack them as high as you want.

ANOTHER WAY TO STORE LONG ITEMS...

I was looking for a way to store threaded rod and similar items on the wall for quick access. A trip to the auto parts store gave me an idea. They store brake line in a similar rack and I bought some PVC pipe to create this. The openings about halfway down each tube assist in allowing you to lift the stuff up and out.

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

DON’T GO CRAZY WITH WORKBENCHES IF MAXIMIZING STORAGE…

At one time, I had full perimeter workbenches in here, but then a lot of the bigger tools moved out to the other shop. When I started doing research on how to equip the ASYLUM, nearly every reference book I read warned about having TOO much workbench area. Workbenches are not very efficient for storing stuff and end up being magnets for clutter. For those neat people who are disciplined enough to clean up everything all the time, it probably works. But for me, I can mess up 24 linear feet of bench in 3 hours flat - just ask my Dad about me working in his old shop as a teenager. So now I’m down to 2 small work surfaces in here, and it works better for me. The ASYLUM is similar in that it has limited workbench area (intentionally), and one of the main benches docks under the other to force me to it clean up when finished. Flip-up or flip-down benches also force you to keep them cleaned off and there are a lot of cool aluminum or stainless steel versions on the market that are really tempting to me. If I ever store cars in here again someday, I might consider flip-up benches where the car doors open. No need for that right now, though.

A cover hides the drill press when not in use. If you look closely, you will notice I flipped the base around on the press to give a bit more bench space. I don’t have it mounted so the white angle bracket keeps it from tipping towards me if I get a little over-zealous when drilling.

I left the workbench top overhang the base cabinet enough on one corner to mount a vise, but I found the vise on the drill press is sufficient for everything I do here and never added one. I have a big post-mounted vise at the ASYLUM if I ever have a big job to do.

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

FOR A SMALL GARAGE, A ROLL-AROUND TOOLBOX ISN’T REALLY NEEDED...

Initially, I had my tall roll-around toolbox in here. I spent the time building plastic racks/trays to organize all the tools nicely, and still to this day, I smile when I pull a wrench out of the drawer. The old picture below doesn’t do it justice, but rest assured, every tool has a spot. I will snap a few more pix inside the drawers when I get a chance. (Edit: New pictures were inserted in next reply)

When the ASYLUM was finished, I decided to move the big tool box out there and buy a meager set of hand tools for in this home workshop. The new sets come with tray organizers (as shown below) so you don’t have to do build them yourself anymore. I decided all the tools would be fine in a stationary cabinet, and for five years now, it’s been working out great. How many of you really roll your box around in your 2-car garage anyway? My roll-around didn’t move for 13 years, except maybe to clean under it. The large box works better at the lake place since it can actually be rolled around close to the project and the place is big enough to justify moving it. No matter what you store your hand tools in however, take the time to organize it - you won’t regret it.

This old microfilm cabinet is used to hold small electrical component parts, such as switches, relays, etc. It’s great because if it’s full extension drawers and I wish I had several more like it.

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

HERE'S SOMETHING DEAR TO MY HEART…

This was a hand-me-down originally from my grandfather. Since he was a machinist, it was chucked full of neat stuff like measuring tools, reams, taps, etc. It still has his 50 year sticker from his company on the front. One really cool thing I found in there was a stamp tool that has my last name on it. Now I can “autograph” those custom parts I make.

EDIT: Some views rollaround box drawers added as mentioned in prior post...

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

CORD/HOSE REELS, OF COURSE...

Anyone who has read the ASYLUM thread knows I have a thing for reels. It is simply fantastic when it comes to clean-up time. Although the ASYLUM has them everywhere, I have only five in this garage. One for air, light and battery tender, and two for power. I have the air and power reels mounted above the middle of the garage door so I can use them with the door up or down, and so it gives the maximum reach inside and outside of the garage. The battery tender, power, and light reels are located in the center of the shop (near the fan) so they will reach anywhere inside.

SOME “HAND-ME-DOWN” LIGHTING FROM THE ASYLUM...

The builder included a single 2-bulb fluorescent fixture in this garage and I can’t believe this was enough to satisfy me for a number of years. The original strip lights from the ASYLUM ended up making a great upgrade here. I made a T-pattern with three 8-footers and it was easy to feed them with the single ceiling electrical box. For a little more light over the main workbench, again a couple of old fixtures from the ASYLUM came in handy. A separate switch controls them. One more task light over the side workbench provides more light when I’m soldering. Don't let the dim pictures fool you - it's like a hospital in there.

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

SOMETIMES I JUST WISH I OWNED A HARDWARE STORE...

No matter how many bins of fasteners I have, I still need to run to the store to buy that specialty screw. Well, sometimes I luck out and have it, but it doesn’t happen too often. I’m in the process of rearranging some of this and filling the steel drawer cabinet below. The plastic bins are really handy, however, for grabbing the entire thing and taking it to the worksite.

I save a lot of old fasteners to reuse later, but I don’t always have time to sort them. So my solution is to do a quick general sort based on the type, and later, sort and place them into their exact storage spot. Looks like I’m due for another sorting session!

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

USE THE BACK SIDE OF THOSE CABINET DOORS FOR LOW PROFILE ITEMS...

I added some pegboard to the upper cabinet doors to hang those odd shaped items. It also is a great place to hang all the misc tapes.

I DON'T NEED A LOT OF AIR HERE AT THE HOME SHOP...

A small 4 Gal/2HP compressor works great to occasionally air tires up (we have a lot of those!) and blow stuff off. This one is fairly quiet and cycles quickly. For me, there’s no need to take up a bunch of room with a massive unit since I don’t use any air tools here. A hose reel is a must-have (in my opinion), however, for reaching all the vehicles. I put it on a timer so I don't have to worry about forgetting to turn it off.

YES, I COULD PROBABLY BENEFIT FROM A SEPARATE YARD BARN...

Although I have a separate 12x20’ shed out at the ASYLUM for the tractor and all the other outdoor power equipment, I never bothered to add one here at the city house. I’m sure I could benefit from the extra space, but somehow I always managed to squeeze it all in.

I nearly burned up a corded drill while adding the 2” holes in this wooden rake storage rack shortly after moving in. It was custom shaped to store a push mower long ago, but that is long gone now. Now just a portable air tank, extra ceramic tile, and raw stock sit in it's place. They sell plastic versions of these racks now to save you some time. Some seldom used items are stored on hooks above.

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

I DO A FAIR AMOUNT OF ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONICS WORK...

On my right side workbench, I have 12VDC power available to bench test accessories for the cars/bikes. A soldering iron and gun (in a case below) are close at hand. A wire dispenser is hanging on the wall.

FOR CONVENIENCE, THE BROOMS AND MOPS STAY CLOSE TO THE PERSONNEL DOOR...

Since our water heater is just outside the laundry room door, I decided to hang these items there. The easiest way that I came up with was to add those little spring clips right to the top of the water heater. There were some sheet metal screws already holding the outer skin together so I just added a few more. Make sure you don’t drill the pilot hole in too far though.

KEEP A STEP STOOL HANDY...

On the other side of the personnel door is a folding stool ready for use in the house or garage. Two screws driven into the edge of the workbench top allow it hang.

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

A FEW CREATURE COMFORTS...

The fan blows towards the front workbench and is mounted upside down so the control knob is easy to reach. When the house was being built, I installed speaker wiring throughout, including the garage. The stereo is located above the front workbench and the speakers hang from the ceiling on either side of the overhead door. I have a cable running out to the garage, but I very seldom watch TV. I’m pretty intense when I’m working out there and music is usually all I need. As sort of an anti-fatigue mat, I’m using some old carpet squares removed from my workplace. The rubber backing keeps them from sliding around even without gluing them down. If I mess one up bad, it can replace it easy enough.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SINK IN THE GARAGE, BUT AT LEAST IT’S NEARBY...

Just inside the laundry room is a deep well sink.

A TIP FOR THOSE THAT USE A SHOPVAC ON SMOOTH FLOORS...

If you use the vacuum hose attachment like the one shown below, add some wheels to it. Position the wheels so it holds the head about 1/8” off the floor. This will keep it from getting “stuck” down on the floor from the suction and will let it glide smoothly as you roll it back and forth. It still picks stuff up fine.

shopnut · Nov 2, 2010

LASTLY, THERE'S ROOM TO STORE SOME TOYS IN THERE TOO...

The three silver bikes are my wife’s, while the more colorful ones are some of mine. The rest of them are stored at the ASYLUM.

And storage for the apparel:

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE TOUR.

DON'T FORGET TO USE THE TIP JAR ON THE WAY OUT!
(OR AT LEAST GIVE A "LIKE" LOL!)

daveroy · Nov 3, 2010

I am jealous, not only of you toys, but of the well thought out and packed efficiency you have developed. There are definitely some ideas here I will be adopting/adapting.

Thanks so much for sharing!

chiefav8r · Nov 3, 2010

Thanks, some great ideas there. I will definitely be stealing a few of them.

Hlidskjalf · Nov 3, 2010

Definitely gonna be stealing that vacuum idea. You must be a genius.

Mtriple · Nov 7, 2010

Hlidskjalf said:
Definitely gonna be stealing that vacuum idea. You must be a genius.

seriously. :bowdown:

shopnut · Nov 7, 2010

daveroy said:
I am jealous, not only of you toys, but of the well thought out and packed efficiency you have developed. There are definitely some ideas here I will be adopting/adapting.

Thanks so much for sharing!

chiefav8r said:
Thanks, some great ideas there. I will definitely be stealing a few of them.

Glad I could help you folks. Remember, it's not stealing if you have permission

Hlidskjalf said:
Definitely gonna be stealing that vacuum idea. You must be a genius.

Mtriple said:
seriously.

Genius? No. But I DID stay at Holiday Inn Express the night before I came up with that vac mod. (Sorry - old joke, but I couldn't resist)

Wanna Ride · Nov 7, 2010

Very nice, thanks for sharing. There's a place for everything and everything in it's place. I have to ask... were you once in the Navy? :bounce:

And... I thought those looked like BMW seats hanging from the ceiling. :thumbup:

twokidsnosleep · Nov 8, 2010

What a great tour of your garage. I thank you for all the photos and storage ideas..going to use the tube idea for threaded rod and dowelling ASAP!
Now if there just weren't so many Chevy logos in there it would be perfect :bounce:

shopnut · Dec 8, 2010

Oops, forgot to respond to these...

Wanna Ride said:
Very nice, thanks for sharing. There's a place for everything and everything in it's place. I have to ask... were you once in the Navy?

And... I thought those looked like BMW seats hanging from the ceiling.

Thanks. No - never in the military. But recently with my job, I have been working with various militaries (foreign and domestic) and I have a newfound respect for the way they operate.

twokidsnosleep said:
What a great tour of your garage. I thank you for all the photos and storage ideas..going to use the tube idea for threaded rod and dowelling ASAP!
Now if there just weren't so many Chevy logos in there it would be perfect

You're welcome. The storage tubes are super easy to build and custom configure to your needs - good luck with it.

Sorry about the Chevy signs, they have been up for a while now. It seems the older I get, the less loyalty I have to just one make. I honestly like them all and hope to have a very diverse stable someday.

PaulR · Dec 8, 2010

I save a lot of old fasteners to reuse later, but I don’t always have time to sort them. So my solution is to do a quick general sort based on the type, and later, sort and place them into their exact storage spot.

wow, and here I thought I was the only one! :beer:

shopnut · Dec 22, 2010

POSSIBLE AIR COMPRESSOR ENCLOSURE ???

I decided to share this project for those needing a simple yet effective cover for a compressor or similar item outside. I built this enclosure to hide our pool equipment out on the backyard patio. It will hide the contents pretty good, protect it from rain and UV damage, and allow great ventilation. It also offers instant 360 degree access for servicing anything inside (assuming it’s not up against a wall). Of course, it probably wouldn’t be good for a location that gets snow.

The basic structure is made from 4x4 pressure treated posts sunk in the ground. Some horizontal members were added for top and bottom rails. Cross bracing of 1x2 strips in strategic spots keep it all square.

Channels were fastened to the framework to allow lattice panels to drop in from the top. Gravity is all the holds the lattice in so use plenty of screws on the bottom section of channel as it carries all the weight. Note that there is a section of channel permanently attached to the top edge of the lattice which acts as a handle to pull it up and keeps the lattice from warping. The lattice is available in colors including white, green, and several shades of brown. There is also a white version that has smaller square openings if you need to hide things even more.

I used a boat bimini top for the top cover so it could be easily folded up out of the way. We do this every time we clean the pool filter or run the spa heater. The bimini tops are available in hundreds of sizes and colors, so one is bound to fit your enclosure perfectly. I recommend paying a bit more for one with Sunbrella material (normally w/ 5 yr warranty), since I have had great luck with it over the years.

The main hoop is permanently mounted with some conduit straps while two bungee cords hold the other hoop in the extended position. Gaining access is a simple matter of undoing two those two cords and giving it a little push back.

If really bad weather is expected (read FL hurricanes), most bimini tops come with a boot that zips over the fabric top to keep it from catching the wind. It goes on in about 30 seconds.

We left an open section in the wall so we could walk in and out easily and use plants on caster carts to hide it. Plants help to muffle the noise of the pump.

cobraman · Dec 22, 2010

You for hire on your organization skills? Very creative.

Rik

shopnut · Jan 14, 2011

cobraman said:
You for hire on your organization skills? Very creative.

Rik

Well, you know every man has his price!

Seriously, it would be kind of fun to do for a living. But I would probably just create more of a mess for them :wtf:

Thanks for posting Rik.

TLCDino · Jan 23, 2011

Wow! You have built and maintained two incredible shops. Kudos to you!

shopnut · Jan 23, 2011

TLCDino said:
Wow! You have built and maintained two incredible shops. Kudos to you!

Thanks TLC - it's practically a full-time job, on top of my real full-time job, but I'm lovin' it.

Scuderia-F1 · Mar 24, 2011

This thread gives us that have small shops/garages some great inspiration.
A big thanks to you for sharing.

But I´m still dreaming about getting me my own "asylum"...

jam0o0 · Mar 24, 2011

wow. really nice organization. everything just fits. and i really feel like it's easy to find things in there.

how did you get your garage door to open far enough that you could mount your air and electric reals where you did? i would love to do this but the doors in the garage i'm using don't open far enough.

shopnut · Mar 24, 2011

Scuderia-F1 said:
This thread gives us that have small shops/garages some great inspiration.
A big thanks to you for sharing.

But I´m still dreaming about getting me my own "asylum"...

You are welcome Scuderia-F1. Thanks goes out to you for taking the time to post. Keep dreaming and that dream will someday come true - it did for me!

jam0o0 said:
wow. really nice organization. everything just fits. and i really feel like it's easy to find things in there.

how did you get your garage door to open far enough that you could mount your air and electric reals where you did? i would love to do this but the doors in the garage i'm using don't open far enough.

Thanks jam0o0.

I didn't do anything special to the door. The torsion springs pull it up so that the bottom of the door is roughly flush with the top door jamb. The curve of the door track has the lower edge of the door pulling away from the wall enough to reach up through the gap and grab the hose or cord.

Maybe the tension on your springs is set too low and not pulling the door up all the way. With proper spring tension, the door should be balanced to hold itself stationary at the half-opened position.

The other thing that might be different is the height of the horizontal section of tracks. Mine are just slightly higher (+2") than the door opening itself so the curved portion starts below the top jamb. If yours has an extended height track, the curve may not start until well above the top jamb and the door would hug the wall much closer when opened.

csp · Mar 25, 2011

So someone actually did find a way to stuff 10 pounds of $h!t into a five pound bag!

e-tek · Mar 25, 2011

That's the most ****-OCD garage I've ever seen (and that's saying something here!!). WOW, I WISH I could not only be that organized, but that creative! You're also a great builder to put it all together.

Thanks for the detailed pics too - really helps others get ideas. Cheers!

shopnut · Mar 28, 2011

csp said:
So someone actually did find a way to stuff 10 pounds of $h!t into a five pound bag!

Yep, 10 pounds seems to be the limit of this bag! But I'm always trying to find room for 11

e-tek said:
That's the most ****-OCD garage I've ever seen (and that's saying something here!!). WOW, I WISH I could not only be that organized, but that creative! You're also a great builder to put it all together.

Thanks for the detailed pics too - really helps others get ideas. Cheers!

Thanks for the kind words, e-tek.

This garage has gone through about 3 transformations over the last 18 years. Each time, a little more gets stuffed in to satisfy my packrat nature. And probably like many of the GJ members, our needs changed a bit as time went on.

I figure there will be a couple more redo's before we sell this place, but I'm not going to touch it again until AFTER the Asylum is finished.

slimpickins · Mar 29, 2011

Nice work! Nice toys. Nice organization. Nice Nice Nice! I like Nice!

Love the little gizmos you've invented like the wheels on the shop vac floor tool. That's freakin' brilliant! Everyone has that attachment for a shop vac and they're useless because they ALWAYS **** down to the floor and the little corner knobs that are supposed to hold the thing up a bit wear off, and then nothing gets sucked up.

flybefree · Jul 25, 2011

Shopnut....great thread...another great thread I should say. I plan on stealing many of your ideas...no offense.

shopnut · Jul 25, 2011

slimpickins said:
Nice work! Nice toys. Nice organization. Nice Nice Nice! I like Nice!

Love the little gizmos you've invented like the wheels on the shop vac floor tool. That's freakin' brilliant! Everyone has that attachment for a shop vac and they're useless because they ALWAYS **** down to the floor and the little corner knobs that are supposed to hold the thing up a bit wear off, and then nothing gets sucked up.

I'll take that as a sign of approval

Thanks so much slimpickins.

Certain things just tick a guy off and force him to spring into action.

flybefree said:
Shopnut....great thread...another great thread I should say. I plan on stealing many of your ideas...no offense.

Thanks flybefree. Feel free to borrow any of the ideas - that's the main reason why most of us start these threads. It's all about sharing with the forum members (and maybe just a little showing off

).

Barquero · Jul 25, 2011

Glad this thread got bumped, I didn't see it on the first go around. Some killer ideas in here that I'm definitely borrowing!

Vernmotor · Jul 25, 2011

As much as I ***** about the vac..doing just that..I can't believe I am so dumb not to think of that idea !..smack myself in the head !

shopnut · Feb 25, 2012

GETTING BACK IN THE SADDLE AFTER A HEEL INJURY...

I would love to jump right back into my garage projects after this injury, but unfortunately there are many things that were put off during my recovery that need attending to. On the bright side, these tasks will help build my foot strength back to 100% in preparation for the bigger shop projects.

The yard is one. Grass slows down but does grow through the winter in Florida, and so do the weeds! This winter was exceptional warm (80F most of the time) and both grew more than most years. Luckily, we have a neighbor who's a professional greens keeper and he agreed to mow it a couple times when it was getting really tall. For the last several months, I've been grimacing every time I looked out at it because I could see the weeds flourishing. So now it was finally time to whip it back into shape.

Here's a couple of shots after pulling out the big patches of crabgrass that were taking over. I normally use a product called "Image" and it does an okay job if you apply it often, but sometimes there's just no substitute for pulling the weeds out.

Here it is after my first mowing job since the accident. It was really great to work up a good sweat again. I think I'm going to feel it tonight, however

If anyone has some suggestions for weed control in St. Augustine grass, I'm all ears.

After riding the mower today, I learned the vibration doesn't hurt the foot at all so I'm hopeful the covers can be pulled off of these guys in a couple of weeks when I have my strength back. The bad thing is, I (and riding buddy, Mrs. Shopnut) missed some excellent riding weather these last four months. Such is life, I guess.

Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT When Not Committed to the ASYLUM, You Will Find Me Here

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member