24' x 20' Hand Me Down Garage

[Zedyakuza]

Hello everyone! My name is Eric, I've been lurking here for awhile and finally got around to getting my garage in order. Me and my wonderful soon to be wife live in her grandparents old house, hence the name of the title. It took 2 dumpsters (10yd) to clean the garage out, and 3 to get the basement cleaned out! Now on to the pics.

Overview of the garage, kind of a mess right now but working on it! Walls are OSB, garage is fully insulated. Picked up 2 Rustoleum floor epoxy kits for a single car garage ($5 a kit! Was a mistint at the local hardware store, sitting on the clearance shelf. Color is battleship gray.) Blue MR2 is my 88SC, red one is my parts car.

Workbench area, both of the cabinets are hand me down Craftsman. Pegboard was a freebie from work, have a set of vintage offset Craftsman wrenches to hang still. The near table will be turned into my welding area with a sheet metal top. Welder is a Lincoln 220v "Tombstone".

Earlier this summer I had a new breaker box installed, and a new 240v 100amp run. Also ran coax cable, and CAT5. I plan on running new outlets in conduit on the outside of the OSB, lights are currently run off the house circuit.

My current storage for parts, I have another metal shelf unit that needs to be sanded down and put back together before it can go back in. I also have quite a few parts stored in the rafters, and plan on installed my air compressor up there so I can get some floor space back. I still have more parts in storage I'm trying to make room for, it's a never ending battle!

Thanks for looking guys, hope to keep this updated!

 

[Zedyakuza]

Now on to some of the goodies in the garage.

My American flag that was found out there.

This pic is upside down, as I have it hanging from hooks. It's a "Liberty" bike, made by Schwinn in Chicago. Plan on restoring it when I get a chance.

Dunlap 5244 3.5 inch vise. It's currently unrestored.

I'm trying to get more information on this vise. It say "Armstrong" and "Bridgeport" across the top, and Made in the USA on the bottom.

My baby.

 

[shopnut]

That's a really cool DUNLAP vise with the riveted placard. Looks really stout too.

Good on you for hanging up that flag! Before you anger a few veterans though, you might want to flip it around as a matter of flag etiquette (stars go on the left when hanging on a wall, horizontal or vertical). See this link point #8 Flag etiquette. Honestly, I didn't know about this either until several years ago, so don't feel bad. Just trying to get the word out. God bless America!

Keep up the good work with the the "hand-me-down"

 

[JSBriggs]

Speaking of flags, that is a 48 star (1958 or older).

Love the art deco Dunlap. Don't restore it. Looks great as it is!

-Jeff

 

[SweetD]

Don't "restore" that vise. It's got a great original patina to it. Just clean and oil it.

And also, always listen to what a total Internet stranger tells you to do.

LOL - cool stuff man!

Dave

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

Got any pictures 'pre-dumpster'? You'll want to keep that picture visible to remind yourself of what you had to start with; it can be a great motivator!

Looks like the grandparents left some treasures behind for you to enjoy.

 

[Zedyakuza]

Time for an update!! Better late than never, life has been busy for me since I started this thread. Got married, my wife and I had a baby, the list goes on. Finally getting life in a pattern again, and getting more free time. After reading several threads on here that helped motivate me, it was finally time to get my *** in gear and get working again. On with the pictures!!

As you can see, my garage is a little bit packed. My goal is to clear all the pathways around the cars, and "unshelf" the rx7. Also to redo my workbench area, and parts storage.

Sorry for the blurry pic, this is all I grabbed before I started moving stuff around. This is my welding station, tool box, parts washer, and small pegboard. The parts washer is getting moved, to make room for my drill press and new (to me) cabinet.

This is my "mini" pegboard. I got it out of a dumpster (I have no shame lol) from a retail store. I keep my often used tools, and a few special ones. I know some people here love pegboard, and some despise it. I don't think a bigger one would work for me, so I'm happy with how it looks.

This is one of three craftsman cabinets that I got given. It was converted to my welding cart, welded casters on I had laying around, found a sheet of metal for a top, bolted down my dunlap vise, and took the cabinet door off the left side to fit the Lincoln. I have a HF flux core mig welder I use for tacking and light work. Keep all the welding sticks, files, sawzall, and grinders in the drawers. Works great

Some more of my handed down goodies, the machinist toolbox came with a nice collection of files, stones, and carbide drill bits. Thanks for looking, more updates to follow.

 

[smokey0810]

Nice garage and nice tools!

 

[taumac]

Ok I see tons of unused space. If you looked at my garage you see a shelf about 18in off the ceiling. That's tons of storage for bins, totes or anything. I would stud the walls laying 2 x4 flat against the wall and go all the away around the garage 24in on center. Then build a shelf using this construction.

If make shelves 16 in deep you can get 3 16in x 8ft shelves from one piece of 3/4 plywood. I really like the craftsmans benches. So I would reinstall the door where welder is and mod that another one with wheels as did the welding table. Put them next to each other for a good look. Put the taller craftsman next to that. Put each thing possible on wheels from parts washer to easily move it also helps coming to a layout the looks good and functions well. Honestly, the pegboard is wasting wall space. I would put shelves there and get stuff of bench but its easily reached and used when not needed. You could make some simple free standing wood shelves to replace those metal ones. You could add casters to roll or move if needed. I could use some full wall pictures to help in layout or stuff you need to store or have. The wood is sort of cheap and brackets are cheap. Its just time. Hope this helps and keep digging. Congrats on house, marriage and baby.

5 Stitches Garage
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211899
Florida GJ Group
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=117

 

[sean Buick 76]

Congrats on the wedding and baby!! My main focus lately has been creating more storage and it is starting to pay off... Soon I will be back to working on my cars, and have room to work with my newfound storage spots to keep stuff out of my way...

 

[ed_v]

Congrats on the starting a new family.

Ed

 

[1/2 Cup]

Congratulations all round, thanks for posting.

 

[Zedyakuza]

Well did a little bit of reorganizing. I had wanted to do a epoxy on the floor, but passed due to time and space constaits. My garage tip of the evening is to keep multiple brooms around the garage , makes it nice to not walk around. I'm planning on putting my parts washer in my attic storage, it never gets used lol. Taumac, I do plan on doing some sort of upper wall storage, my father in law might be getting his hands on industrial storage bins, and offered me some if the deal works out. If it falls through, will do the wood style shelves.

Replaced the parts washer with this metal cabinet and moved my drill press to it. Found this and my white cabinet on the side of the road coming home from work.

The red cabinet has moveable organizers in the top two drawers for most of my hardware. Also picked it up for free, however I need to build a new frame to support it. Anyone have ideas on building a stackable engine block stand? I have 3 engines to store, all 4 cylinders.

 

[Zedyakuza]

Forgot to add that the drill cabinet and big red will get casters of some sort once I get the frame built.

 

[Kyo]

Nice MR2! They are great cars and a blast to drive. Good space for it to boot.

Here is a little inspiration for your restoration. My old 1985 with sunroof..

The only thing stooping me from picking up a US supercharged model is the T-tops, currently looking for either a slick roof aw11 to swap a SC 4age into or a SC Model without sunroof/T-tops to import..

sorry for the thread jack good luck with the restoration and the garage.

 

[taumac]

Cheap cheap engine storage idea
Pallets cut down to size and 4 x 4 for legs with 2 x 4 for diagonal support. Stack them

5 Stitches Garage
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211899
Florida GJ Group
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=117

 

[Zedyakuza]

As far as I know all factory SC cars came with t-tops. Mine is a factory SC car, however it was in rough shape when I picked it up. You can see my turbo manifold and turbo for it sitting on my welding bench. Plan is to twincharge.

 

[Kyo]

You are correct for the US, everywhere else factory SC cars where non sunroof/t-top.
I would have to import one, under the 25yr old rule.

 

[Zedyakuza]

Quick update, I was driving to get gas for my mower and found a bunch of items tagged free on the side of the road. So I picked up two items that looked useful , and brought them home.

The wood top is nearly an inch thick, and the bookshelf is very heavy and we'll built. I had space above my air compressor that needed something lol. So a coat of paint (need to finsh the inside a bit, ran out of paint at 1030pm) then hung it up. Using it for a few old gas cans and my air tools in the blowmolded cases.

Started stripping down the desk top, the veneer was shot and peeling up. The wood underneath looks in great shape, I'll cut it down once I figure out what bench I'm putting it on. Debating staining it or just doing a butcher block style oil.

Anyone running a "backsplash" on their benches? I know I'm going to have some a scrap left from cutting down the top.

 

[taumac]

Nice repurposing. I would use cut piece for the backsplash. I use 2x4 on both mine

5 Stitches Garage
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211899
Florida GJ Group
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=117

 

[metalhead140]

I like what you're doing, on a limited budget like most of the rest of us mere mortals! Looking good.

 

[Zedyakuza]

The part of town where I live is pretty bad, (We have gunshot detectors in my neighborhood) however near the 1st of the month people get kicked out for not paying their rent. That leads to a lot of free stuff hanging around.

 

[taumac]

When the market tank I had few development that first of month was pickers heaven. Anything left was put to curb and mean anything.

5 Stitches Garage
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211899
Florida GJ Group
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=117

 

[taumac]

Any updates?