Garage Shenanigans 21x22

[CarbideSpork]

Hello! I have decided to post my progress on my new to me garage. I have purchased my first house last year and have been trying to make the garage more my own and a nicer place to work in. The forums here have been a great place to get ideas so I want to show what I have taken away.

Here is the best before shot I have. It almost stayed that way for a year. Just cluttered and not enjoyable to work in. The garage is not big at 21x22 but beats nothing.

Started really working on the garage this May. New drywall up, oh how I hate drywall.

Still had to much junk like lawn equipment taking up precious floor space. Every day I worked on the garage I pulled everything out to have room to work then placed it all back in at night. You can see how neglected the challenger was getting all dirty.

First coats off paint

Garage "Finished" Still a lot more to do and I have done some other things since.

 

[CarbideSpork]

Having the opportunity to set up my garage now, I wanted to make sure it would not end up getting filled up with junk! Here are some things I've done to insure it stays a clean garage.

I purchased a shed which was the best investment so far for the garage! Only $ 1500 completely installed 8x10 minus paint. Makes so much extra room removing bikes, riding mower, ladders etc.. from the garage's minimum floor space.

I'm lucky enough that the garage as an attic that I am able to take full advantage of. I wired up some lights and bought some nice shelves from Home Depot. The shelves are pretty empty now but I think I would be happy if it just stays that way forever.

Also bought some cabinets from Menards. These cabinets are tall and deep compared to other garage specific cabinets. The seem sturdy enough for what intend to use them for and I just painted over them with extra paint I had to match the theme I have going.

 

[CarbideSpork]

Even with all that thought in to keeping clutter to a minimum I'm still trying to find ways to make more room. Until I get enough cash for a bigger garage this one will have to do for a couple years.

So here is a more updated photo of the garage. I have added some more shop items like a engine lift, Quincy air compressor, electric heater, Eastwood TIG 200 with a plasma cutter, blanchard ground plate (future welding table project) , rolling work bench, and parts washer.

So its either an awesome one car garage!

Or a 2 car garage that is pretty small to work in...

The F-100 is currently my daily driver when there isn't any salt on the ground. It will become my next project very soon though. I plan on painting the truck, doing a semi restoration staring this fall. But with the Challenger in the garage there just wont be enough room. Thinking about putting the blue toy in a storage unit this fall/winter so i can work on the truck. Thoughts?

 

[1/2 Cup]

CarbideSpork luv what you have done..

 

[CarbideSpork]

1/2 Cup Thanks!

 

[jblnut]

Thinking about putting the blue toy in a storage unit this fall/winter so i can work on the truck. Thoughts?

If you're not opposed to storing it outside you could always get a high quality car cover and keep the Challenger at home. I've got a Budge cover for my Jeep toy and love it. Haven't had any issues with the cover yet and would buy another in a heartbeat. My $0.02 was that there was no way I was going to pay someone to store it when I had space at home. Granted it's not heated indoor space but it's still at home.

Oh yeah, the garage looks great !! That attic space is an amazing thing to have !!

 

[captain14]

Is that a detached garage? Very nice space you have there after painting and drywall work.

How much would you pay to store the car off site? Enough to pay for another larger shed to store the car?

Just a thought.

 

[RogueFab]

I'm with you on hating sheetrock. That two tone with the Border came out great. The walls look awesome split up like that. You are very very lucky to have that attic space above your garage. Keep up the good work and pictures. Thank you.

 

[CarbideSpork]

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback on my garage!

Yes it is a detached garage. I would be afraid to leave my Challenger outside even with a nice car cover, as I have a lot of big trees along my driveway. I have had some decent sized branches fall on the truck already just when I park it outside overnight. I have thought of putting up a carport to store some cars to make more room. Between the money and the spot I want it to put it I don't think it will be an option this year.

Here is a survey of my property. In red is where I want to put carport. I would want to lay down some concrete and extend the garage roof to over hang the concrete. The green is a big *** tree that likes to drop branches at parked cars and just by nature be in the way. The garage itself is already at the minimum setback of 15 feet. Even If i had the cash I don't think i can build it to code.

I tried getting it quoted to be built but I never heard back from the company I had come out. Any ideas on cost?

The temporary solution would be the storage unit but damn are they expensive at $150 a month and ill need minimum 3 months $450.

 

[LaneRover]

Would having the ability to push the Challenger right against the wall help enough? Get the mirror as close to the car as possible, put some sort of soft material (furniture pads, styrofoam?) against the wall as a just in case, put the car on some wheel dollies and then push it over? Sometimes an extra foot or two makes all the difference.

 

[CarbideSpork]

LaneRover I will be getting some cheap car dollies and try that out. I would be willing to buy an expensive set if the casters were so amazing that it felt like I was moving the Mars Rover in NASA's shop but I haven't seen reviews like that on any car dollies.

 

[CombatNinja]

If you are trying to maximize the space, you need to get everything off that left side wall. You've got to keep these tight two-car spaces 'slick' on the sides or it kills your parking room. It looks like you have enough room behind the Challenger for those benches and whatnot with a little creativity. Second thing to do is once you get that pickup backed in close to the wall, pull the Challenger in front-first so that the doors of the two vehicles open into the common space in the middle.

 

[CarbideSpork]

In this thread I will also be posting my progress with my basement wanna be machine shop. They previous owner had built a workbench and put up some peg board in this corner of the basement for his little workshop. I heard he used it to get away from his 6 daughters and wife lol. I have all my machinist tools and extra tools down here finally somewhat organized.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=801455&stc=1&d=1534690085



I have my Kennedy down here filled with machinist tools

Here is the South Bend 9" lathe project with a 42" bed. I got it for a deal on craigslist but of coarse it was rough. I have stripped off all the old paint/repainted, the ways seem to be in ok condition. It was a model C so I'm converting it into a Model A. I bought the model A gear box and rebuilt it cleaned it up. Still need to find a lead screw to complete the conversion and find a motor.

Also have a Clausing 8530 mill. This one was kinda pricey but I though it would be better then a new grizzly or the like. Table is in decent condition. Its missing some components for the manual rapid feed handle but other wise complete and running. I want to put a VFD on both machines eventually.

Also have a granite plate on the bench.

Right now my machines seem to be more of the projects themselves rather then tools to help work on projects. I want to get them in operating condition so i can actually use them. I'm on the hunt for other equipment as well like a horizontal bandsaw, wilton vise, arbor press, maybe a surface grinder if the price is right. But all of this equipment has to go down a flight of stairs so yea hopefully nothing to heavy.

 

[CarbideSpork]

If you are trying to maximize the space, you need to get everything off that left side wall. You've got to keep these tight two-car spaces 'slick' on the sides or it kills your parking room. It looks like you have enough room behind the Challenger for those benches and whatnot with a little creativity. Second thing to do is once you get that pickup backed in close to the wall, pull the Challenger in front-first so that the doors of the two vehicles open into the common space in the middle.

I parked both cars backwards really just for the photo, it did really **** trying to open the car doors. As for the layout I was trying to take advantage of the extra space width wise of the garage as i have an extra 5'-6' from the garage door to the wall. I have yet to do any real work in it yet but i'm sure once I start the work flow will dictate where I put things.

 

[CombatNinja]

I parked both cars backwards really just for the photo, it did really **** trying to open the car doors. As for the layout I was trying to take advantage of the extra space width wise of the garage as i have an extra 5'-6' from the garage door to the wall. I have yet to do any real work in it yet but i'm sure once I start the work flow will dictate where I put things.

I see what you are saying about the width now. It was not so obvious from the photos that there was that much width on the left side. I would still get all the benches and anything off the floor on that side and tuck that truck tight up against the wall. Maybe with all that width I would leave the upper cabinets. I am a big believer in getting the sides slick on two-car garages. My double is about 21'6" wide and I have 12" wall cabinets on one side only. Even that I am not thrilled about.

 

[CarbideSpork]

Small update. Just picked up some hardware organizers from my local Ace. I bought as many that would fit in my cart lol. The bins don't have any dividers so I'll have to figure something out when I start filling them up.

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[FUTBOL626]

Nice work, for bins and storage for organizing small parts, I like to take cheap square food storage containers from the dollar store and trim them down to the height I need. The plus side is they sometimes come in long rectangular sizes too for awkward parts.