Garage Update - Small 2 Car - Houston TX

[hatdragracer]

Been a long time lurker here, and the workmanship and organizational skills of the people on this board is inspiriational.

This is my first time updating a garage, I work on car restoration projects, and am sick and tired of having parts and tools +home misc stuff scattered..but the thing I have come to hate more than anything are the open garage shelves that become cluttered and worthless. My current garage is an unorganized mess that makes even simple jobs much too time consuming.

So this will be both a garage update and hopefully a personal update for me to keep this space organized and clutter free.

My goal: Less Clutter, no shelves, everything stored in an organized sensible manner in cabinets...simple, clean looking and hopefully low buck.

I started a few weeks ago buying scratch and dent cabinets and some countertop material. I added 2 circuits to the garage so I have 45amps total on seperate breakers to the garage. I also added a garage attic access to move large parts that cant go into cabinets into safe storage in the attic.

After 3 weekends this is what I have done so far...the color may not be for everybody...but it is what I had and the floor will have orange accents.

The two unused boxes in the ceiling will be fore celing fans..a must here in Houston.

 

[918rhino]

Great start and keep up the hard work.

 

[Jeffvette]

Good job, especially on the wiring for the lights and lighting.

 

[Kaasdief]

I know exactly where you coming from. You are however a hell of long way further down the road to order in your shop than me. Good luck and just keep at it.

 

[CNGsaves]

That's a good clean start.

Curious why so many lower cabinets?? I would have put couple US General 42" tool boxes (ie Steevo style) under that countertop rather than the cabinets. Those wooden cabinets instead could be hung up at ceiling level above the other cabinets on back wall to take advantage of wasted space up high.

I'd also put vertical compressor in corner, after installing some black pipe steel airline system up near ceiling with drops back down where needed.

Good luck with making garage your own.

 

[jdeck]

Great start so far! I agree about the lower cabinets. Anything lower than the bench should be drawers in my opinion. It's nice that the dry wall is already finished! I'm on your side about the shelves too, I also like everything tucked away.

 

[Rockuf8]

Nice start, curious to see how it evolves.

Not sure how the base cabinets would look up on the wall up that high as someone else suggested. The lower base cabinets are good for storing larger power tools, I kind of wish I had a few more in my garage.

 

[Jay Sco]

Good start. Those bottom cabinets are great, I keep jack stands, power tools, shop lights, etc in mine. Drawers would just accumulate clutter in my garage. You mentioned flooring, can you elaborate on future plans for your floor and walls?

 

[zeke67]

Looking good!

 

[aps63]

You could always put drawers in the base cabinets if you want that at a later date.
Very good start though. I'm with you on keeping everything in drawers and behind doors.
No visual clutter.

 

[55cadillacking]

Orange as an accent colour is cool. Going to need waaaaay more pics, though!

 

[hatdragracer]

That's a good clean start.

Curious why so many lower cabinets?? I would have put couple US General 42" tool boxes (ie Steevo style) under that countertop rather than the cabinets. Those wooden cabinets instead could be hung up at ceiling level above the other cabinets on back wall to take advantage of wasted space up high.

I'd also put vertical compressor in corner, after installing some black pipe steel airline system up near ceiling with drops back down where needed.

Good luck with making garage your own.

Its like you are reading my mind!...I already have one 42" US General HF box...picking up number 2 tomorrow...these will go up on the gas curb and be the bench I will use for heavier work....Steve-O style with frames around them...still wondering what to choose for bench top

The number of cabinets is more to do with what I could find over a couple months in the scratch and dent sections...the drawer bottom sections were hard to find and when I did find them they looked like they were run over and drug by the truck.

The Compressor and welder will go in the corner...Good idea on the pipe work! That will be much neater than my current set up.

 

[hatdragracer]

Good start. Those bottom cabinets are great, I keep jack stands, power tools, shop lights, etc in mine. Drawers would just accumulate clutter in my garage. You mentioned flooring, can you elaborate on future plans for your floor and walls?

The walls will be repainted contractor white, I will be painting a blue racing stripe around the perimeter of the wall (think vintage Gulf Oil colors)

For flooring I am going back and forth between race deck free flow, and peel and stick tiles. I have had epoxy floors in the past, but was never happy with how they last.

 

[hatdragracer]

Looking good!

Thanks for all the help...Ill make sure to have some Morgan and coke around this weekend!

 

[dubber]

Off to a great start and vision for the next steps. I really like the lights

 

[safexcrane]

Great job. Specially lighting system is very nice.

 

[zeke67]

Do a more commercial grade of VCT rather than peel and stick. Black and white would look good. But I'm guessing orange is going to end up in the floor.

Going to do anything with stand up cabinets, or just the HF done Steevo style?

 

[HSpencer]

I think VCT on the floor would be spot on. I would put it in mine if it were not so much work to move everything out to do it. I had VCT in a shop once and it held up great. Not sure what driving on it would do though---probably would be ok.
Your place is doing great!!!! BTW: I am into orange.

 

[hatdragracer]

Some Progress this weekend.

Moved the re purposed cabinets into the corner, this will be the one and only spot that will not be for automotive use, wife will be using this for planting, hobbies, decorating etc.. Since I had a lot of extra bricks I have been trying to find a spot to hide them, so I have then under my cabinets...see pics

Also started the Steve-o style US General cabintets/workbench. Still undecided what to do with workbench top. Leaning toward making a poor mans butcher block from ripping 2x4's

 

[hatdragracer]

Test...I have submitted pics of progress this weekend but everything I post says "awaiting moderation"

I have tried to PM Ryan and bmpower but I dont appear to be able to send PM's

Frustrating to say the least...if any of you can contact a moderator to see what I did wrong with my account I would definitely appreciate it.

 

[hatdragracer]

Test...Got the US General 42"Boxes placed and started the bench around it

 

[HOTFR8]

Test...I have submitted pics of progress this weekend but everything I post says "awaiting moderation"

I have tried to PM Ryan and bmpower but I dont appear to be able to send PM's

Frustrating to say the least...if any of you can contact a moderator to see what I did wrong with my account I would definitely appreciate it.

As a new member a couple of your posts got caught up with the anti spam system. Any Moderator can approve your posts. Should be fixed now. You have done nothing wrong. Looking good and I hope you post more progress.

 

[dubber]

As a new member a couple of your posts got caught up with the anti spam system. Any Moderator can approve your posts. Should be fixed now. You have done nothing wrong. Looking good and I hope you post more progress.

Completely normal happened to me when i started. Joining up and then guns blazing!

 

[hatdragracer]

As a new member a couple of your posts got caught up with the anti spam system. Any Moderator can approve your posts. Should be fixed now. You have done nothing wrong. Looking good and I hope you post more progress.

Thanks HOTFR8. I have read most of the build of your truck...truly awesome.
I work for Caterpillar, but I am sure you had a great reason to choose Cummins

 

[dipan]

Looking good! I like how you have the lighting directly over the work areas. I will have to revisit my layout to see if I can improve lighting over work areas like yours. Thanks!

The workbench is looking good too .... Gotta do something like that also.

 

[HOTFR8]

Thanks HOTFR8. I have read most of the build of your truck...truly awesome.
I work for Caterpillar, but I am sure you had a great reason to choose Cummins

Thanks. I know very little about the Cat Diesels and the Cummins can be swapped into almost anything and adapted to almost any automotive application.

If you need help or have a problem any of the Mods will always be happy to help.

 

[zeke67]

Are the crinkle finish and smooth finish HF cabinets slightly different colors, or is that a camera aberration?

You staying with one cabinet on either side?

Too bad your side counter isn't the same color as Ms. Hatdragracer's counter, the dark looks better.

 

[patent pending]

looking good...any more progress on the workbench?

 

[JesterMX6]

i'm liking the direction you're taking. might have to steal a few ideas for my space.

 

[hatdragracer]

Are the crinkle finish and smooth finish HF cabinets slightly different colors, or is that a camera aberration?

You staying with one cabinet on either side?

Too bad your side counter isn't the same color as Ms. Hatdragracer's counter, the dark looks better.

The older crinkle finish US General Cabinet is a darker than the new US General box..other than that and the logo difference they are idnetical....dont worry they will both be orange here soon.

 

[hatdragracer]

I went on Hot Rod Power Tour, then packed and moved so progress has been slow lately. I did mount some glass door cabinets. These are US military surplus gas mask cabinets, they were cheap and cool so I bought 3 at a military surplus center.

 

[Rockuf8]

haha those look so cool, nice find and what a neat addition, they work great with the US Generals.

 

[jesse72]

Cool cabinets! Also I like your US General boxes workbench as well, someday I will build a similar one and have been eye balling Steve-O's and the many others like it for a while.

 

[maxspeed96ct]

Nice build ! I really like the emergency escape cabinets !

 

[HSpencer]

I really like the cabinets a lot!!! I would be tempted to paint them red to match the new tool cabinets below. Everything looks great!!! I am also liking the conduit run of the receps above the bench top!! Good move on that.

Best Regards
Herb Spencer

 

[UN4GTBL]

Looking good so far!

 

[Rockuf8]

I really like the cabinets a lot!!! I would be tempted to paint them red to match the new tool cabinets below. Everything looks great!!! I am also liking the conduit run of the receps above the bench top!! Good move on that.

Best Regards
Herb Spencer

I like them in white just like they are now, even with the writing on them.

 

[Jeffvette]

Any updates?