Thanks, I appreciate that. It's been too long.
The Model A is coming along, well. There's a little more hammer and dolly work before I call it good and start prepping for paint.
This summer there will be a lot of progress.
Thank you!
Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT A Garage Rehabbed
- Thread starter -Brent-
- Start date
Workspaces between 485 and 705 squarefeet.
Thanks, I appreciate that. It's been too long.
The Model A is coming along, well. There's a little more hammer and dolly work before I call it good and start prepping for paint.
This summer there will be a lot of progress.
Thank you!
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Hey Brent. Glad to see you're updating. The toolbox turned out amazing. Nice job. 
The 80 gallon Quincy Qt-5 moved on and for a while I didn't have a shop compressor. I got by with a pancake compressor, cordless, and hand tools.
Since I'm taking on painting the coupe, I needed a compressor. While I love "heavy-duty" and plenty of air flow, I couldn't deal with the noise. Plus, one day I asked my wife, "could you hear the old compressor from inside the house?" To which she responded that "everyone around us could hear that compressor." Something smaller and more realistic for the setting was necessary.
I picked up this Kobalt 60 gallon. It runs well. The auto drain didn't work anymore. At least a gallon of water was sloshing around in there. I contemplated rebuilding it but plumbed in a ball valve I had and ran a hose barely long enough to shoot whatever out onto the driveway.
Later, I found another Kobalt compressor of unknown condition and I dragged that one home. I figured if I could get it up and running without too much fuss or $, great, if not, I would use it to hold extra air when the time came to spray the A. It may not be necessary but it was $50.
Since I'm taking on painting the coupe, I needed a compressor. While I love "heavy-duty" and plenty of air flow, I couldn't deal with the noise. Plus, one day I asked my wife, "could you hear the old compressor from inside the house?" To which she responded that "everyone around us could hear that compressor." Something smaller and more realistic for the setting was necessary.
I picked up this Kobalt 60 gallon. It runs well. The auto drain didn't work anymore. At least a gallon of water was sloshing around in there. I contemplated rebuilding it but plumbed in a ball valve I had and ran a hose barely long enough to shoot whatever out onto the driveway.
Later, I found another Kobalt compressor of unknown condition and I dragged that one home. I figured if I could get it up and running without too much fuss or $, great, if not, I would use it to hold extra air when the time came to spray the A. It may not be necessary but it was $50.
My $48 butcher block counter tops!
The rest was covered with gift cards earned through business rewards.
They will get stained to match the other stained wood in the shop. It's been so long, I hope I can find the match. Maybe I have that info posted somewhere in this thread?
The new side box will get something on top. I cut a piece of leftover butcher block but it would need to be planed 3/16" to match equal the height. Or, I could cut a piece of finished ply or find some rubber mat... I am not sure, yet.
The rest was covered with gift cards earned through business rewards.
They will get stained to match the other stained wood in the shop. It's been so long, I hope I can find the match. Maybe I have that info posted somewhere in this thread?
The new side box will get something on top. I cut a piece of leftover butcher block but it would need to be planed 3/16" to match equal the height. Or, I could cut a piece of finished ply or find some rubber mat... I am not sure, yet.
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The Kennedy side cabinet is currently only mounted by the hanging bracket but I'm not confident it would hold well if the drawers were loaded. Not like I would max the box out or anything but some insurance would be nice. All of my other side cabinets hang and are bolted.
Utilizing what both boxes have as far as mounting holes, I fabbed up this bracket.
It's currently in primer. I'll shoot it in the same red and it will look like it belongs (and hopefully blend in).
Utilizing what both boxes have as far as mounting holes, I fabbed up this bracket.
It's currently in primer. I'll shoot it in the same red and it will look like it belongs (and hopefully blend in).
The bracket is done. It had been baking in the sun for 8 hours and felt good enough to pop in but it's not fully tightened up. Tomorrow when it's all cured, I will snug it up and reassemble.
I found these little plugs ($1.50) at the hardware store when I bought the stain to plug the mount holes. They help finish off the box. There's still some evidence that this box was "well used" but I dig that imperfectness.
I ordered some 3/4" rubber for the top. I'll have enough for this and another piece elsewhere in the shop.
All relatively boring updates, these days.
I found these little plugs ($1.50) at the hardware store when I bought the stain to plug the mount holes. They help finish off the box. There's still some evidence that this box was "well used" but I dig that imperfectness.
I ordered some 3/4" rubber for the top. I'll have enough for this and another piece elsewhere in the shop.
All relatively boring updates, these days.
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This got me thinking. Over time, I have forgotten just how good I have it. It was worth all the money, time, effort and lessons learned.
The "before":
This picture was after some serious organizing, too. It was so unworkable. It's a bit stressful just to look at, hahaha.
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Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Man, what a difference! Good for you!
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
That is quite a difference Brent. Well done.
Man, what a difference! Good for you!
Thanks, fellas. You both know a little something about transformations. Each of your places helped inspire this shop, for sure.
The butcher block worktops are done.
I did two coats of stain and two coats of polyurethane (one coat of poly on the bottom side).
I'm going to try to keep this top clean from now on. I don't work on top of this box so it's a great magnet to collect random junk.
Next up is a shop clean-up and a little purge.
I did two coats of stain and two coats of polyurethane (one coat of poly on the bottom side).
I'm going to try to keep this top clean from now on. I don't work on top of this box so it's a great magnet to collect random junk.
Next up is a shop clean-up and a little purge.
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Finallygotit
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Flat surface disease......let see how long you can hold out. 
Flat surface disease......let see how long you can hold out.
I'm currently clearing off two other areas... then I am cured! Right?
Flat surface disease......let see how long you can hold out.
The first step is admitting you have a problem....
Got this 3/4" rubber mat from Home Depot online. It was like $22 for a 2'x4' piece, which was the least expensive I found.
The mat I have in front of this box is more dense, which is what I was expecting for this mat. This one is a bit more "porous" or "squishy". When I cut it, the edges were a little crumbly.
For this small section, it's fine. For a whole top, I'd go with a horse mat like I have on the floor.
For now, I am going to call this toolbox project done.
The mat I have in front of this box is more dense, which is what I was expecting for this mat. This one is a bit more "porous" or "squishy". When I cut it, the edges were a little crumbly.
For this small section, it's fine. For a whole top, I'd go with a horse mat like I have on the floor.
For now, I am going to call this toolbox project done.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
The butcher block workbench tops turned out AWESOME Brent. Great job.
You're spot on! Though they weren't perfect quality to start with and I didn't put any effort toward improving them because something will eventually get dropped or they'll get marred/worn through use. Still they're a nice upgrade and the mats were a no-brainer.
I have a killer 1/4" steel topped workbench but I find myself at this box, often. I put the mat back on it. I do like that the top covers both the 44 and the side cabinet. I can see the benefit to that already.
The box with the stereo on it never gets work done on it, so it became a trap for **** (expensive, rare, and fragile ****... but anything is strewn about or in a pile... it's ****).
Maybe making that nice is what it took to keep it clear? I gave myself that one rubber mat to put stuff.
Another area that had a mess of stuff, most of which was tossed out during clean-up, was this cabinet top. I used the remaining rubber mat to cover this. Now the lip isn't able to hold anything back.
Tonight I picked up a neat, old sign.
I love old hand-painted signs. This one makes me smile. A sign telling people not to steal - is shot and "removed."
After hanging the sign, I spent an hour pulling stuff to throw out, donate or sell. I posted one item on eBay, put a couple items in the truck (to donate) and the rest went into the bin.
It was cathartic. Maybe it's getting older but I enjoy getting rid of things when something new comes in. There's been a few new pieces to the shop so an offset was needed.
I love old hand-painted signs. This one makes me smile. A sign telling people not to steal - is shot and "removed."
After hanging the sign, I spent an hour pulling stuff to throw out, donate or sell. I posted one item on eBay, put a couple items in the truck (to donate) and the rest went into the bin.
It was cathartic. Maybe it's getting older but I enjoy getting rid of things when something new comes in. There's been a few new pieces to the shop so an offset was needed.
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SilverJimmy
Well-known member
I’ve been told by friends that I suffer from separation anxiety! I tell them I just really like cool stuff. A couple of my friends even offered to come over and help me get rid of some of my junk. After they wandered around in my shop for a bit, I asked them what “junk” I should toss. They both agreed that they wouldn’t toss any of it! You’re a better man than I am, you have restraint!
Probably around the time I started this thread I had a mental shift in behavior and habits which lead to a cycle where I deep clean.
But first, I don't have a shop big enough to wander around! Haha. When stuff is left here and there to be dealt with later, it cramps up quick.
2nd, I grew up with one parent who was a legitimate hoarder and the other was extremely disorganized and never cleaned up or attempted organization. When my shop gets messy, I picture the garage I grew up with that had a walking path. Talk about flat-surface disease, the floor, toolbox, table saw... no flat space was safe! Hahaha. Also, I'm really aware of collecting things. I keep it focused and limited. I once passed up this HUGE local tire sign, which had to be 15'-18' long. It was impressive, unique, vibrant, and really well painted - plus it was a bargain because of the size. However, I would have had to get rid of pretty much everything on the wall. Most things I'd be able to send on down the road but there are a couple items that are meaningful. Without an alternative place to hang them - they won out.
All too often I let messes go to a point where it's cumbersome. Stepping over stuff or not having proper space is frustrating. I once read "anxiety is your body begging you to deal with the mess..." and that is enough of a mental check-engine-light to get me into action. Still, sometimes it takes me a while to get into action. That compressor sat in the corner, unusable, for a long time.
Luckily, the Salt Lake valley has a lot of options for hardware and such. I do keep certain hardware and consumables on hand so I'm not interrupted and having to run out However, with the access we have, I'll let them store the oddball stuff.
Some of my favorite places to visit have been shops that were like the best antique store you've ever visited. Packed coolest stuff in every space, hanging from rafters, and displayed to the point that you really did need to look at the layers of things to see the whole collection. Every time I'd visit, I'd see something I never noticed before. But, I couldn't have all that stuff... not at this point in my life - not even with 10x my space.
SilverJimmy
Well-known member
I fully understand. I’m just not that guy. Mike @zmotorsports has an amazing shop, and I aspire to be 1/2 as organized as he is. I just have too many projects and just as many interests to only have a couple. So I’ll just build a bigger shop, and hope this Goldfish doesn’t just get bigger!
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Thanks Sterling. It is definitely a journey. My last shop was small and unfortunately, I had saved way too many parts from previous projects and client work. When we started boxing things up to move we made several trips to the dumps as my son was adamant that we not move things just to toss in the garbage afterwards.
I must have had 40+ carburetor rebuild boxes stacked on the shelves notated with what vehicle they were from and the owner which corresponded to my notes in my ledger. I also had about 20 or more transmission kits in the same state. I combined and kept some things but many went to friends who I thought they could use them or the garbage.
Nowadays, I just can't seem to function like that. I have to be able to know where every tool is located and be able to walk right to it at a moments notice. If I have to hunt for something I'm doing something wrong.
These last few weeks I've been taking things out of the shop or attic and dropping them into the can.
Tomorrow is trash day and I had a rubber mat from one of the 44" tool boxes that either needed to be used or tossed.
This Snap-On box top where I keep my drills was the perfect candidate.
Then, over by the Craftsman block grinders I cut a piece to fit.
What was left over I put in a couple narrow drawers that weren't lined. The small bits left went into the bin.
A day here and there I hung up a few derelict signs and plates on the header above the garage door.
If I want to take this shop to the next level, I'll have to take the parts off of the "project shelf" and finish the Samurai.
Tomorrow is trash day and I had a rubber mat from one of the 44" tool boxes that either needed to be used or tossed.
This Snap-On box top where I keep my drills was the perfect candidate.
Then, over by the Craftsman block grinders I cut a piece to fit.
What was left over I put in a couple narrow drawers that weren't lined. The small bits left went into the bin.
A day here and there I hung up a few derelict signs and plates on the header above the garage door.
If I want to take this shop to the next level, I'll have to take the parts off of the "project shelf" and finish the Samurai.
SilverJimmy
Well-known member
I forgot you had a Sammi! I‘ve got 5 of them in various stages of repair and ability. I even still have the 1988 Tin-Top I bought new for my Mom for Christmas. My 86 has the most mods and has done the Rubicon 3 times, what fun these little Japanese Jeeps are!
I just miss the days when they were practically free! Please more details on your Sammi build.
I just miss the days when they were practically free! Please more details on your Sammi build.
madison069
Well-known member
I hear ya on needing to deal with clutter. I'm slowly purging my ****. It all started with dealing with my parent's stuff after they passed. It made me realized that they were holding onto stuff that just didn't matter to anyone but themselves while thinking that someone would need it. I'm guilty of it myself and i'm trying to purge anything that I just holding onto for "just in case" reason.
With my Camaro mostly complete now, I'm starting to attack the pile of extra stuff that I collected for the Camaro as I don't need to keep all of it. My goal is to get rid of 80% of it and properly store what I decided to keep so I'm not tripping over it or it's getting damaged by dirt and the environment. Then try to get my garage setup better to tackle projects more efficiently. So like my bench grinders are on shelves. Instead of having to pull them out and set them up each time I use them, I'd like to have them setup and ready to go at all time. Same with the welders, would be nice to have them setup and all I got to do is place my project on a table and flip a switch to start welding, not having to drag the welder out and plug it in, move stuff that's not safe from sparks and then I can weld. Waste so much time welding that I tend to put it off.
I feel like a deep purge is coming this weekend and this post and since i have a 4 day weekend.
madison069
Well-known member
When I painted all of the door jambs, hood, underside of the trunk lid, trunk jamb, and inside of the fender, I used two 30 gallon air compressors connected together into a manifold that went through a series of copper tubing that cooled the water down and allowed moisture to drop into the drop leg of the system.I found the original stuff I used. I guess the organization paid off... hahaha.
The 80 gallon Quincy Qt-5 moved on and for a while I didn't have a shop compressor. I got by with a pancake compressor, cordless, and hand tools.
Since I'm taking on painting the coupe, I needed a compressor. While I love "heavy-duty" and plenty of air flow, I couldn't deal with the noise. Plus, one day I asked my wife, "could you hear the old compressor from inside the house?" To which she responded that "everyone around us could hear that compressor." Something smaller and more realistic for the setting was necessary.
I picked up this Kobalt 60 gallon. It runs well. The auto drain didn't work anymore. At least a gallon of water was sloshing around in there. I contemplated rebuilding it but plumbed in a ball valve I had and ran a hose barely long enough to shoot whatever out onto the driveway.
Those two compressor did the job with no issues really, and I suspect that I could have painted the whole Camaro with no issues but I would want a dryer in the lineup. So, for a model A, I would think that a single 60 gallon would be just fine with the right spray gun.
I'm currently planning to sell one of the compressor of mine and keep an eye out for a 60 gallon setup to reduce the foot print in the garage. Part of my reduce clutter and increase efficiency plan.
madison069
Well-known member
What is that bench that's currently holding your bolt drawers? That must be a pretty solid unit to hold that bolt organizer up like it does! Would be a good solution to my area with the bolt organizer I have now.I'm currently clearing off two other areas... then I am cured! Right?
I'll admit, I'm a fan of being a bit overkill. I wanted a bench that could really be worked on, handle oil, mess, hammering, etc., and also tall enough to be comfortable to stand at.
I made the bench during the original (re)build of the shop. It's got to be about 6 years or so.
The bench is made from 24" pallet racking uprights and beams shortened to give me the width I wanted.
Here's a pic from when it was new:
and from today:
The top is 1/4" steel as that was the heaviest duty I could afford and in reality, I didn't need anything more. I'm not sure I'd want to see today's cost.
There's been a time or two when it has been too small but overall it's been an awesome bench. The racking, drawers, and scrap ply were all cheap or trades. I just made the best of it that I could.
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I'm thrilled whenever I see someone purge and keep what's necessary. In four days you could absolutely change your shop/clutter/life.
I do have a small space in the attic dedicated to spare items for the hot rod. Mainly it is stuff that would be difficult to replace in a pinch should something happen. But, I'm pretty realistic about what goes in that space, too. If I were to put a percentage of the parts I had amassed and what I kept, it'd be like 1% (or less) now. Hahaha.
Workability, efficiency, and organization seemed unattainable when I was dealing with a space that was trying to be storage and a work space. A shed really helped. Tag me if you post up before and after progress pics somewhere. I'd love to see.
That's good to hear. I have a dryer and water trap plumbed into my system already. I feel like I'm pretty well set for a DIY job, I think... aside from actually having experience.
I'd like to troubleshoot the spare compressor and see what's up with it. If it's an easy fix I think running them separately might be a neat experiment.
I have a pal with an offroad rig that I would love to practice on. It's the perfect candidate.
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Your rig is awesome!
I have had a number of Samurais, as well, and I hadn't ever paid all that much for them. I certainly dumped more money into them than I ever paid initially.
I still have an sj410k in storage back east.
I thought I overpaid for this Sammy 10 years ago. I think it was $3,500.
I'll do a proper post on it and tag you
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I was looking for oil, yesterday, and found everything except the oil. I was pulling bottles and cans that I forgot I had - half-used duplicates and A LOT of stuff I've had for ten years and never used. I can't even recall buying tire shine, haha. I do remember getting a big box of Turtle Wax products for Christmas one year. Which year? I'm not sure.
So, I did what any self-diagnosed ADHD guy would do on July 4th - I emptied the cabinet and reorganized.
I combined a couple bottles, like Sta-Bil. I stared at a few spray-paint cans wondering "what I used these colors for?". As well, I questioned my younger self on why in the hell I held onto some of this stuff.
I don't know about you guys but I'm much more of a chemical product snob, these days, especially with lubricants. I don't even own WD-40 and can't recall the last time I've had some. There are a few spray-wax bottles that will last forever because I only use them on the tool boxes and such, like twice a year.
So, I did what any self-diagnosed ADHD guy would do on July 4th - I emptied the cabinet and reorganized.
I combined a couple bottles, like Sta-Bil. I stared at a few spray-paint cans wondering "what I used these colors for?". As well, I questioned my younger self on why in the hell I held onto some of this stuff.
I don't know about you guys but I'm much more of a chemical product snob, these days, especially with lubricants. I don't even own WD-40 and can't recall the last time I've had some. There are a few spray-wax bottles that will last forever because I only use them on the tool boxes and such, like twice a year.
Bob Heine
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Brent, I put a wall of shallow cabinets in the current garage to reduce the time I spend looking for stuff I know I have but can't see. I used 30" pieces of 1"x8" pine for the carcass with 1"x4" mounting strip and plain (cheap) 15"x30" MillsPride doors. I didn't plan it but gallon cans (including F-Style) fit on the shelf perfectly.
I had double rows of paint spray cans on the shelves but was able to make them single rows on the shelf with racks on the cabinet doors holding the second row. Turns out spray cans fit in 2-3/4" ID exhaust pipe couplers (https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...2-3-4-inch-exhaust-pipe-connector/nic0/548586). Cut a coupler in half and you have two holders. I mounted a couple of single can holders next to the band saw and drill press for spray oil cans. One shallow 30"x30" cabinet holds a fair number of spray cans.
Did the same thing with 16-ounce plastic bottles. They fit perfectly into a Walker 41957 2-1/2" ID exhaust coupler (https://www.summitracing.com/parts/wlk-41957). Got the empty bottles from US Plastics and in 14 years, none of the bottles have degraded, even the nasty stuff like acetone and lacquer thinner (https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=152043&catid=897).
Since they are the same size as a lot of Chemical Guys cleaning and detailing stuff, I made a few more racks for those as well.
You could put the most frequently used stuff in racks on the doors of that deep cabinet. Even if you don't weld exhaust tubing racks, they sell door or wall mount racks for those big quart spray bottles. I have three and five bottle racks in the garage.
Brent, I put a wall of shallow cabinets in the current garage to reduce the time I spend looking for stuff I know I have but can't see. I used 30" pieces of 1"x8" pine for the carcass with 1"x4" mounting strip and plain (cheap) 15"x30" MillsPride doors. I didn't plan it but gallon cans (including F-Style) fit on the shelf perfectly.
I had double rows of paint spray cans on the shelves but was able to make them single rows on the shelf with racks on the cabinet doors holding the second row. Turns out spray cans fit in 2-3/4" ID exhaust pipe couplers (https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...2-3-4-inch-exhaust-pipe-connector/nic0/548586). Cut a coupler in half and you have two holders. I mounted a couple of single can holders next to the band saw and drill press for spray oil cans. One shallow 30"x30" cabinet holds a fair number of spray cans.
Did the same thing with 16-ounce plastic bottles. They fit perfectly into a Walker 41957 2-1/2" ID exhaust coupler (https://www.summitracing.com/parts/wlk-41957). Got the empty bottles from US Plastics and in 14 years, none of the bottles have degraded, even the nasty stuff like acetone and lacquer thinner (https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=152043&catid=897).
Since they are the same size as a lot of Chemical Guys cleaning and detailing stuff, I made a few more racks for those as well.
You could put the most frequently used stuff in racks on the doors of that deep cabinet. Even if you don't weld exhaust tubing racks, they sell door or wall mount racks for those big quart spray bottles. I have three and five bottle racks in the garage.
Incredible. One specific thing I love about your Emporium (aside from the palm-tree-filled location) is your thoroughness in attention to detail.
A magnetic can holder would fit and hold a couple cans on the backside of the door but I'm actually in this cabinet so much that organization and remembering what's actually in the cabinet serves me better.
A benefit of living in the Salt Lake valley is my access to whatever I need. I could drive 20 minutes from the east side, where I live, and head northwest and pass a dozen places (at least) to buy hardware, chemicals, paint, automotive fluid, etc. Hardware is the one thing I stock up on and store, other than that - if it doesn't fit in the cabinet, I'll let someone else store it.
I'm pretty modest about what I keep "in stock". This past weekend I worked on a partial bathroom remodel and I only picked up drywall, mud, and a piece of lumber from Home Depot. Everything else from wiring to fasteners I had in the shop. That doesn't happen often though.
Where I grew up, if we didn't have it in our small town an hour or two could be wasted chasing down a list of items. As well, we were limited to what was in the neighboring towns. If that were my current situation, I'd definitely keep more around. I went back a few years ago to help family and I was brought right back to that reality. I remember thinking how Salt Lake spoils guys like us.
xtremek
Well-known member
Yeah, living near a decent size city helps a lot.
Same here... I never understood why Dad always saved random hardware and supplies until I was an adult and moved to an even more rural spot in South Dakota. This created my 'measure twice, cut once' learning moment.
I'd already relocated to Iowa but still needed to do a few things in the SD house before I put it on the market. I made a trip out on Friday afternoon to wrap things up. Saturday went really well and I was way ahead of schedule. Early evening on Saturday, I realized that I only thing left to do was to install trim on the last two windows in the bedroom. That meant I could head back to Iowa on Saturday night. I'd get home late, but at least I wouldn't have to spend another night sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag.
I made a bad cut on the second to last piece of trim I needed to install, leaving me short to finish the job. The nearest Menards was 45 minutes away, and they closed in 20 minutes. There was no way I'd be able to make it there in time, which killed the idea of getting home early. I woke up early Sunday morning so I could be there when they opened at 6am. When I arrived, I realized that they didn't open until 8am at that location on Sundays. Nothing like getting kicked while you're down. Once the doors opened, I grabbed the piece of trim, got back to the house, cut and installed it, and was on the road by 9am. One moment of inattention created a 12 hour delay in my getting home.
Now I've got at least a dozen big box and hardware stores within a 5 mile radius of my house. It did take me a good 5 or so years of living here to break the habit of over-buying on supplies and keeping every nut, bolt, and washer I came across.