Garage turned obsession

[Average Joe]

New to the forum, first time ever posting anything. Forum looks great, everyone is so helpful and supportive. I love it!

I've been working on my garage for abbout 3 years and still counting. I am a bit of a cheap skate in the since I refuse to pay anyone to do anything. I take great pride in the fact that everything that is done, I did it myself. It is very slow going due to 2 factors, 1) I am only really dooing it on the weekends due to everything else in life and 2) its all pay as I go, no debt here. I wouldnt have it any other way

I hope some of you guys will chime in and give me some ideas and constructive criticism.

Thanks in advance,
Joe

 

[cool50]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Looks great makes me wish i had more land for a project like that

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Thanks, I have lots of pictures but I think I can only post a couple at a time, they are Rather large files. These first 3 pics were about 3 years ago, here are a few more in the next stages of the build.

These are a few of the pics of my electrical, the electrical turned out to be probably the single largest part uf my build. I wired for everything I could think of...and what 4-5 friends could think of (turned out to be more electrical than some houses I have built. Bad thing is, as of today I still had to wire 2 more circuits I didn't plan on after the fact.

"Best layed plans of mice and men"

 

[3bay]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Garage turned obsesion

Hehe...join the crowd Joe...nothing wrong with a pay as you go, thats the way I roll also. Looks good!

Rich

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

I have spent a large part of my working life doing mechanical trades including HVAC. I, like most in the business have lots of contacts. my HVAC equipment is a 100k BTU 90+ gas furnace and a 3.5 ton Condensing unit w/ a matched coil. big thanks to one "contact" in particular. He had a surplus of furnaces and I was able to pick it up brand new in the box for $200.00, the Cond. and coil was a used Item but works great. You may have heard about a little flood we here in middle TN had back in the first week of may. well, the cond. and coil was completely submerged and was replaced by the insurance. I was lucky enough to get it and resurrect it. All the duct and sheet metal was more time than anything.

 

[traveler4717]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Lookin good so far. The best part of pay as you go; no interest, and you own it!!!!!!!!

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Amen!!

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

After HVAC it was time to get the attic framed out and floored and I added batt insulatioon in the areas the floor was.

Next was the cieling, there was much depbate about what I would use for the cieling cover. Cost was a huge factor but I also was looking at rigidity of the material because my truses are on 5' centers and my attic floor was framed between the trusses on 2' centers.

I finaly decided on using the same 5v metal that was on the outside of my building. Some of my customers forms the metal and I had the idea of running the metal thru the former up side down so the color would be on the back and the white primed side would be seen. now I just had to find 1 of my customer that had 300' of a color that they needed to get rid of (@ a discounted price, of coarse) finally I found one with an uglu dark copper color, and I had my cieling.

I used 8' T8 4 bulb fixtures from Lowes for my lighting I have 3 rows, 24' long in my 30' x 40' shop. Using the "Great Garage Makeovers" magazine from the editors of WOOD magazine (which is ultamatly what led me to this forum) for referencce on light temps, CRI ratings, bulb and fixtuer types. The lighting turned out great! thanks to my reference material.

Joe

 

[joe6749]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Looks like a cool garage. What will you be doing in the garage?

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

"Just your average Joe that has a massive garage we'd all kill for and contacts to build it cheap" Can you tell om jalous?!

Very, very nice. Will you be installing a lift cause it sure looks like you've got the space for it? How about a mezzanine or loft area?

What are your plans for cabinets? Floor treatment, if anything?

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Looks like a cool garage. What will you be doing in the garage?

To be completly honest I'm not sure what I plan on doing inside the shop. It has taken many forms ovver the coarse of the 3 years I have been working on it.

At first I was going to do a reloading room for my ammo but now I am questioning that. Seems the more I do the less space I have. 30 x 40 seemed huge when I started and now its just OK (I think its a disease, I always want more) space seems to have a primium now a days. Everything I do I have space in mind. Like making sure eveything is on wheels so I can clear out an area easily.

Quite honestly any more the garage is more just for what ever comes up, working on the cars / motorcycles and 4 wheelers, fixing whatever. Fact is that for so many years I have had a piece of plywood laying under a car in a gravel drive way or scared to start any large project due to having to do it outside I am just thankful for having aa garage to work in.

My first "Man Space" was about 17 years ago, It was a tool closet on the back of a condo me and my wife (at the time) were renting, it was about 4'x6' just big enough for a small kitchen table we had and a chair. I built my model cars out there and had a little space heater running of an exxtension cord for heat.... Man, I have'nt thought about that in years! amazingly, at the time I was just hapy to have it.

I have come a long way since then, but in some strange way I am as happy with what I have now as I was then.

Joe

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

"Just your average Joe that has a massive garage we'd all kill for and contacts to build it cheap" Can you tell om jalous?!

Very, very nice. Will you be installing a lift cause it sure looks like you've got the space for it? How about a mezzanine or loft area?

What are your plans for cabinets? Floor treatment, if anything?

First let me say thanks for the kind words, that is whhy I liked this forum from the begining. Its sentiments like that, that make me realize that I acctually do have something someone else might want. Some how I always figure that if I have it, then everyone else must already have it.

As far as a lift goes I have thought about a car lift but my cielings ar only 11' tall, tall enough for a lift but not ideal, still a little short. I do have plans for a motorcycle / ATV lift. As far as a mezzanine or loft area I dont think I have enough cieling height (once again, only 11') I think my pictures may be a little decieving?

It is funny you ask about cabinets, I have been working on a set of cabinets for about the last 5 or 6 weeks. (very slow going, weekends only) I kept watching craigslist for a set of cabinets from someone who had remodled or something, I looked for probably about 8 - 10 weeks. I kept seeing cabinets for $400, $500, $600, I was really looking to spend only $200 maybe $300 (I know cheap right) I had seen them for those prices I just couldnt get to them quick enough. When I had just about given up and decided I was going to just have to spend whatever I had to, My dad called and asked "are you still loking for cabinets?". I got so lucky, he had a whole large kitchen worth of cabinets (cherry), he had goten them from one of my aunts that I haven't seen for years. Her house got flooded back in May (about 4' inside) and her insurance replaced everything (including the cabinets) my dad was going to use them and at the last minute my mom says "no, they are going to be too much work, lets just get some new ones" They did and I benifited from it. I went to get them the next morning.

These are some pics of what I have doon to them so far. they dont look so bad in the pics but you can imagine 4' of water for 3 days what it does to wood. they were terible, all the base cabinets needed completly rebuilding.

I will post the final pics when I get them completed. sorry for the bad photo quality, used my phone on these.

 

[rburke65]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Nicely done. I too get great joy from buying on the cheap, doing it myself and scrounging for free stuff. I'm not adversed to go dumpster diving either. The wife gets a little embarrassed, but that's ok.

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

After my ciieling and lights it was time to start on the walls, the worst part of the walls was having to clean out all my junk I stashed in them. Once cleaned out I insulated and covered all the insulation weth aa heavy black polly for 2 reasons, 1) it served as a moisture barier and 2)it blacked out behind the soon comming pegboard.

As soon as the walls were covered in plastic I started ffuring out the bottom 3 foot to get it where my "Z" strip would work the way I wanted. Next was the peg board itself, about 30 sheets of it in all. It was very slow going with using the spacers on the back like I did so I didnt loose any of my hangin holes except only where the screws are. Along the way of the walls being covered I used alot of stainless steel pieces to trim everything.

I will get some close up pics of the stainless trim asap.

Joe

P.S. I think I finaly may have this picture resizing thing figured out (not too big...not too small. I this one works ok I will try to go back and fix the other "too small" photos if anyone cares abbout seeing them better?

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Not alot to say here, these are the close up pics of the stainless trim on the walls and around the front door.

 

[Todd.Brock]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Will you plan on running the air conditioning often? I would assume that would get to be a pricy venture in the summer time.... I think that I would work a part time job to make it happen if I had it!!! Thats what keeps me out of the garage most of July and August.

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Will you plan on running the air conditioning often? I would assume that would get to be a pricy venture in the summer time.... I think that I would work a part time job to make it happen if I had it!!! Thats what keeps me out of the garage most of July and August.

I probably will not run the a/c very much except in maybe July or August when it gets really hot. I almost didnt put cooling in at all, the anly reason I did was I got the condensing unit and coil for free. At that point all I had inveested was time to install it.

The heat on the other hand was always a given. That unit cost me $200 new in the box and worth every penny. I use it constantly even though it too gets Expensive keeping the propane tank full.

 

[ambenz]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Very cool build!!!
Love the way you installed the HVAC...out of the way, but accessable!
I would landscape material around the condenser area and add some pea gravel to keep down the dust from getting into the coils.
That's what I call a Monster Man Cave!!!!!

 

[Motown 454]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Very nice garage and nice work inside its looking great.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

You're right that the pictures don't reflect that the cabinets are rough. They look good. Flooding will flatly RUIN the cheap particle board that a lot of base cabinets use - was that the case with yours? If so, what did you do to try to "restore" them?

 

[aqr81]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Nice space you have created. You have a lot of interesting ideas and have made some shrewd purchases. Good work.

 

[4StarCstms]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Sweet! I'd love to have that space to work and piddle in. Excellent obsession!

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

You're right that the pictures don't reflect that the cabinets are rough. They look good. Flooding will flatly RUIN the cheap particle board that a lot of base cabinets use - was that the case with yours? If so, what did you do to try to "restore" them?

The cabinets fell victim to several things, 1) obviously the flood its self, luckily the cabinets were well constructed 18 years ago. They are all wood plywood with Cherry faces so the water definitely didn't help them it didn't totally destroy them either. Most of the door frames were separated and coming apart and I had a few of the face frames that were buckled. Nothing some pipe clamps, wood glue and screws couldn't fix. 2) the other thing I had to deal with was the fact that they were not going to be salvaged in the beginning so when the demolition crew came in to gut the flooded house the were anything but gentle with the removal of the cabinets.

Honestly the worst part of reviving them was having to clean them. Imagine 4' of muddy sewer filled creeks and rivers filled with God only knows what and lots of other debris. The water rose allot faster than it receded so there was a lot of "funk and a*s" all over all the base units. Thankfully the wall units weren't nearly as bad. Lots of bleach, water, degreaser, industrial cleaners were used in trying to get them usable to the point you didn't think you would catch something when you got near them.

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Very cool build!!!
Love the way you installed the HVAC...out of the way, but accessable!
I would landscape material around the condenser area and add some pea gravel to keep down the dust from getting into the coils.
That's what I call a Monster Man Cave!!!!!

Yeah, the picture of the condensing unit was right after I got everything put in. as you can see it is behind a fence but what you cant see is the other end of the building has a fence as well with a gate. This keeps my dogs from stiring up dust around the unit and it also lets me have a 30, long x 10' wide pin to keep misc. junk in that I dont want the dogs to get to or taking up space inside the shop.

I do have plans on puting down plastic and some crush and run inside that pin just for that reason though, keep dust down and keep id from getting so muddy.

Thanks for the suggestion, as with lots of stuff on my list, I just haven't gotten to it yet.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

First let me say thanks for the kind words, that is why I liked this forum from the beginning. Its sentiments like that, that make me realize that I actually do have something someone else might want. Some how I always figure that if I have it, then everyone else must already have it.

As far as a lift goes I have thought about a car lift but my ceilings ar only 11' tall, tall enough for a lift but not ideal, still a little short. I do have plans for a motorcycle / ATV lift. As far as a mezzanine or loft area I don't think I have enough ceiling height (once again, only 11') I think my pictures may be a little deceiving?

It is funny you ask about cabinets, I have been working on a set of cabinets for about the last 5 or 6 weeks. (very slow going, weekends only) I kept watching craigslist for a set of cabinets from someone who had remodeled or something, I looked for probably about 8 - 10 weeks. I kept seeing cabinets for $400, $500, $600, I was really looking to spend only $200 maybe $300 (I know cheap right) I had seen them for those prices I just couldn't get to them quick enough. When I had just about given up and decided I was going to just have to spend whatever I had to, My dad called and asked "are you still looking for cabinets?". I got so lucky, he had a whole large kitchen worth of cabinets (cherry), he had gotten them from one of my aunts that I haven't seen for years. Her house got flooded back in May (about 4' inside) and her insurance replaced everything (including the cabinets) my dad was going to use them and at the last minute my mom says "no, they are going to be too much work, lets just get some new ones" They did and I benefited from it. I went to get them the next morning.

These are some pics of what I have doon to them so far. they don't look so bad in the pics but you can imagine 4' of water for 3 days what it does to wood. they were terrible, all the base cabinets needed completely rebuilding.

I will post the final pics when I get them completed. sorry for the bad photo quality, used my phone on these.

This weekend: I have finished the rest of my plumbing, got all my doors and drawer faces on built 2 drawers from scratch, and a few other loose ends I had going.

I am receiving 130' of 1" Ash lumber tomorrow and will be riping it into 2" strips to make a 2" thick butcher block work bench top. Hope to have it done some time in the next couple of weeks.

I was wondering if anyone could give some advice on what you guys have finished Butcher block tops with that will be good and durable. As of now this is what I have been thinking of using http://www.buybutcherblock.com/mm5/...odstuff-finish4&Category_Code=maintenanceProd.

Any thoughts, suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
Joe

 

[IMXCITD]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Nice shop! Has great potential!

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

It has been a while since my last post, been working alot... at work and on the garage. With a little work and patience and even less money you can get some thing really great. these are my cabinets in my shop I have about 100 hours invested in rebuilding and refinishing the cabinets and about $300.00. The counter top is the same way I nhave about 20 hours in time and about $200.00 invested in materials. So for $500.00 I have a pretty kick *** set even if I do say so myself. they are not completely done but I think you will get the idea. Here are a few pictures before and after.

 

[neonnblack]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Wow nice counter top

 

[slimpickins]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Wow nice counter top

Ditto that definitely! Do you mind sharing how you built that? You need a pretty big thickness planer to do that unless you took it to a big shop?

Looks great!

 

[ambenz]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Love the cabinets!!!
Nice functional benches too....I am having fun watching your progress.

 

[BEAVO]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

nice i been looking on craigslist as well for some cabinets just waiting for the right set maybe i can get lucky

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

nice i been looking on craigslist as well for some cabinets just waiting for the right set maybe i can get lucky

I hope you can too. one little bit of advice, if you find some you like and they will work dont hesitate. They seem to go really fast if they are worth a darn and a reasonaable price.

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Ditto that definitely! Do you mind sharing how you built that? You need a pretty big thickness planer to do that unless you took it to a big shop?

Slimpickins,

I never mind sharing, I am always excited when someone else likes what I do.

I did have the use of a large wood working facility. I will give the complete rundown of the process as quick as possible.

First I picked up 130' of 1' thick Ash and riped it all into 2" strips. The next step was a little beyond myself and I Called on some help from a friend with a cabinet shop. He took all of my 2" strips and glued them all up 25" wide by 1 piece 12' long and the other 6' long, he charged me $100.00... that seemed super fair to me! next step was to call in another favor to one of my customers that builds tables and rocking chairs. they let me use their 3' and 4' wid belt sanders to get a rough sanding and smoothing. then I took them back to my cabinet guy so I could take them to one of his friend with a countertop shop to make a really good and true 45 deg. cut and a square cut on the ends for the final length. He also routered the draw bolt holes and gave me the draw bolts.... he asked $20.00 for all that. Once again Super fair! no more favors, the rest was all me at my own shop. some routering, sanding and glueing I was ready to finish it. I used a catalized urethane from Sherwin Williams that cost about $80.00 a gallon.

That is the long and short of it and the rundown of the $200.00 spent on the counter top.

Thanks for your comments and here are a few more pictures of the process.

 

[eddytheb]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Thats awsome

Ditto that definitely! Do you mind sharing how you built that? You need a pretty big thickness planer to do that unless you took it to a big shop?

Slimpickins,

I never mind sharing, I am always excited when someone else likes what I do.

I did have the use of a large wood working facility. I will give the complete rundown of the process as quick as possible.

First I picked up 130' of 1' thick Ash and riped it all into 2" strips. The next step was a little beyond myself and I Called on some help from a friend with a cabinet shop. He took all of my 2" strips and glued them all up 25" wide by 1 piece 12' long and the other 6' long, he charged me $100.00... that seemed super fair to me! next step was to call in another favor to one of my customers that builds tables and rocking chairs. they let me use their 3' and 4' wid belt sanders to get a rough sanding and smoothing. then I took them back to my cabinet guy so I could take them to one of his friend with a countertop shop to make a really good and true 45 deg. cut and a square cut on the ends for the final length. He also routered the draw bolt holes and gave me the draw bolts.... he asked $20.00 for all that. Once again Super fair! no more favors, the rest was all me at my own shop. some routering, sanding and glueing I was ready to finish it. I used a catalized urethane from Sherwin Williams that cost about $80.00 a gallon.

That is the long and short of it and the rundown of the $200.00 spent on the counter top.

Thanks for your comments and here are a few more pictures of the process.

 

[Sr. WiNdTeCh]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

I gotta say... I thought I was the only one that could make a panel look that good!

Great work, someday I'll be there...
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99380
You can see my panel... from the outside only tho..

 

[JC23]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Just curious more than anything else... What are the six switches by the door for? I'm thinkin' lights inside and out. What else?

 

[jktruck150]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

cool place! Looks great!

 

[BUGTHUG]

3 things. 1. I like the way all your electrical wire is all nice and straight and lying flat. Thats the way I did mine, and it drove my friend crazy helping me. 2. Beautiful counter top, I would like that in my home kitchen. Bet you can't wait to pound some nails in that? 3. Are you putting anything on the floor? paint, or color etc. OK back to work, you , not me.

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

I gotta say... I thought I was the only one that could make a panel look that good!

Great work, someday I'll be there...
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99380
You can see my panel... from the outside only tho..

Thanks, I appreciate when someone else likes the effort it takes to do something right the first time. It does take more time and effort but I believe any thing worth doing is worth doing right the first time.

My wife evidently believes I feel this way 100%, she surprised me with this shirt the other day.

Thanks again for the complement,
Joe

 

[Average Joe]

Re: Garage turned obsesion

Just curious more than anything else... What are the six switches by the door for? I'm thinkin' lights inside and out. What else?

All the switches are for lights, I will let the pictures do the talking.