Cheap Summer Projects?

[71burton]

This is my first post on Garage journal and I have to say its a cool site!

I'm looking for summer projects to do in the shop. I have a 16x36 shop at my house that is mine. I use it to store our rock crawler, my atv, dirtbike, do the oil changes on our vehicles. I recently had bought a wrecked Toyota Tacoma for a winter project to fix it and drive it for my first vehicle. I did that at our family business. Our shop there is around 10,000 sq ft.

Right now i'm looking for idea's on cheap summer projects to do in my shop. I had thought about buying a lawn mower and taking the deck off and building it up to go fast and what not.

Post up some of your cheap previous projects in the shop.

 

[IndyGarage]

Honda cb350 - cb750 restoration - they made a ton of them - easy to fix - fun to ride when done.

Old powerboat. You can buy them for next to nothing.

I like to do tools I'll need later. I've done winches, a Lathe, A mill, a few forklifts, a few bench vises (about two hours each), a sea doo, an old punch press, right now I'm doing a car hauler trailer, a couple of hot water pressure washers and an old SA200 welder.

 

[sam03]

I just picked up a 85 yz125 summer project.

 

[BWS]

Assumin you'all have a nice air compressor..........look into building a spraybooth for small sized stuff.3 pcs of plywood,hinged together(can be folded flat when not in use)with appropriate fan/filter/ducts can be mighty usefull.Beats the snot out of not having one?

Look at used spraybooths online.....as a guideline.

 

[71burton]

That is a great idea! Thanks!

 

[D.J.]

My advice would be to buy some used rider mowers and rebuild them and get into the lawn care mowing bussiness, to make some extra cash to buy other summer projects.

 

[NUTTSGT]

How about working on the shop, painting, new lights or a workbench modification ?

 

[James Aiello]

CHEAP? ha ha ...
Does not exist...

Garden Tractor is what I'm working on now... 1966 Cub Cadet 122..

How about some old Tonka trucks.

 

[sirsloop]

get some guns, a reloading press, make bullets, and shoot em! FUN! (not so cheap)

 

[Falcon67]

Cheap summer project - sitting on my *** drinking Shiner.

 

[keithh2oskier]

I just picked up a 85 yz125 summer project.

First step - Turn the front fender around! Its on backwards...

 

[brownbagg]

cheap summer project

bambo cane fishing rod. find you some wild cane, cut dry varnish, go fishing

 

[MikeGyver]

First step - Turn the front fender around! Its on backwards...

Lol, that thing has so many steps to rebuild I wouldn't know where to start.

 

[71burton]

My advice would be to buy some used rider mowers and rebuild them and get into the lawn care mowing bussiness, to make some extra cash to buy other summer projects.

I'm actually already into that sorta. I have 2 yards I keep mowed and I work at our family business every other week because work is slow right now. I inheirted a 717 John Deere commercial zero turn when my Grandpa passed and thats what I use.

How about working on the shop, painting, new lights or a workbench modification ?

I put some new lights in a few weeks ago. I could really use 1 in the very back though where my work bench is. I had a 2002 honda cr80 on craigslist for $200 new tires new just about everything but the motor was locked up and needed to be put back in. Was supposed to go get it tomorrow and its sold now.

I did think about the workbench modification but my shop really isn't big enough and I have 3 pretty good sized work benches. 1 for the tool box, and spare parts. Have engine parts on them as well, 1 for all the fluids drill press metal working and car washing, and 1 for all the wood working.

 

[5lima30]

How about some building some more storage or workbenches for your work space?

 

[Highbeam]

Look for and buy non-running or non-driving 4 cylinder cars or trucks with clean titles. Get them home, get them running, and resell. There is a strong market for gas sippers and a non-driving vehicle is worth much less than a driver. Simple stuff like a timing belt or a blown head gasket and you will be able to flip it.

 

[TonyF]

Look for and buy non-running or non-driving 4 cylinder cars or trucks with clean titles. Get them home, get them running, and resell. There is a strong market for gas sippers and a non-driving vehicle is worth much less than a driver. Simple stuff like a timing belt or a blown head gasket and you will be able to flip it.

I agree with this. The market is huge for anything with good gas mileage. Cheap though...that's all relative.