Jim Johnstone
Well-known member
I've been lurking around here the last week or so and figured I'd say hi. My name is Jim and I've always been a garage nut and about to have my own garage in the very near future.
My wife and I just bought our first home, and move in just over 3 weeks. I had always told my wife that I would be building a garage at whatever house we purchased. Fortunetly she understands the needs for a guy to have a garage, since her dad is a general contractor and her grandpa was a tool and die maker, they both lived in the garage.
Well I lucked out in the house we bought. As much as I enjoy the act of building a garage (my buddy and I built an 18'x24' gorgeous garage in his yard two summers ago), I get to walk right into an existing 24'x24' garage with an attached 8'x24' boat port.
The home is from the late 50's, and the garage from the late 70's, and I know that things can always be a little bit uncertain when buying an existing structure, but I have some unique insight into this one. The home I am buying is my great aunt and uncle's who was the originial owner of the house, and is ready to move to a retirement village. The garage was built by my great uncle, my grandfather (a builder and carpenter by trade) and my dad. So I know exactly how it was put together, and know it was done right.
My great uncle worked for the city's hydro department, and has #2 aluminum wire run to the garage, but only hooked it up to a 40 amp breaker. The garage is wired with old school screw type fuse boxes, so one of my first projects will be to install a 60 amp breaker in the panel at the house, and a proper breaker panel in the garage.
I am a mechanical engineer and certified machinist, and the best news is that my father in law informed me on the weekend, that his dad's mill, lathe, and surface grinder will be on a flatbed coming to my shop this summer. Add to that my 5hp, 18 cfm compressor has been stored at my brother in law's shop and will be joining the mill and lathe in my shop, and I should have a nice little setup!
I'll post some pics in a few weeks after I move in, and start soliciting for advice on organization and upgrades in the meantime.
Cheers,
Jim
My wife and I just bought our first home, and move in just over 3 weeks. I had always told my wife that I would be building a garage at whatever house we purchased. Fortunetly she understands the needs for a guy to have a garage, since her dad is a general contractor and her grandpa was a tool and die maker, they both lived in the garage.
Well I lucked out in the house we bought. As much as I enjoy the act of building a garage (my buddy and I built an 18'x24' gorgeous garage in his yard two summers ago), I get to walk right into an existing 24'x24' garage with an attached 8'x24' boat port.
The home is from the late 50's, and the garage from the late 70's, and I know that things can always be a little bit uncertain when buying an existing structure, but I have some unique insight into this one. The home I am buying is my great aunt and uncle's who was the originial owner of the house, and is ready to move to a retirement village. The garage was built by my great uncle, my grandfather (a builder and carpenter by trade) and my dad. So I know exactly how it was put together, and know it was done right.
My great uncle worked for the city's hydro department, and has #2 aluminum wire run to the garage, but only hooked it up to a 40 amp breaker. The garage is wired with old school screw type fuse boxes, so one of my first projects will be to install a 60 amp breaker in the panel at the house, and a proper breaker panel in the garage.
I am a mechanical engineer and certified machinist, and the best news is that my father in law informed me on the weekend, that his dad's mill, lathe, and surface grinder will be on a flatbed coming to my shop this summer. Add to that my 5hp, 18 cfm compressor has been stored at my brother in law's shop and will be joining the mill and lathe in my shop, and I should have a nice little setup!
I'll post some pics in a few weeks after I move in, and start soliciting for advice on organization and upgrades in the meantime.
Cheers,
Jim
