in what conditions

[NJHandyGuy]

Do you get the most done??

Gotta be honest i found it hard to get motivated to strip cars/work in the shop. then i thought about it.

i found for me i need Clean space easy access to tools and as dumb as this solund i put on instrumentals (no lyrics) of my favorite songs

how about you

oh yeah a sandwich helps also

 

[930dreamer]

The earlier I can start the day the better, I don't begin without a large cup of coffee.

 

[BrokewrenchLS1]

After 9pm on a slow Saturday night. There have been times I started working on my car late Saturday, and didn't stop until after breakfast time Sunday morning.

 

[muibubbles]

for me, typically getting close to a deadline and being by myself gets me in the zone. also having forgetting sarah marshall play in the background also helps!

 

[back2class]

Very interesting topic. When I had my construction company, I always found that working as a two man team produced the most efficent work situation. Two good man would do a little more than twice what a single guy working could do. I believe this was for two reasons. On being there was less struggle with something obtuse. A good example would be someone holding something up while you nailed it. Two guys that takes 1min. One guy has to set up some boards to hold it and so on that takes 5min. But the main reason it works is it keeps you motivated. When one guy starts to feel lazy most likley the other guy is not having one of those moments. So he gets right back to working and that energy feeds off eachother. Nobody wants to be a jerk..but it is real subtle and just part of human interaction. I did however find three man teams did not have the same efficency. Seems one on one the need to work and carry eachother is strong. Three guys and that falls apart some and communication starts to be needed more and efficency starts to decline.

Working myself, I take about 15min to mentaly digest the job at hand. Kind of just look and think. Then once I get started if I am not interupted I "get in a groove". Get that focus I used to get racing where nothing is on your mind but wiat is happening at the moment and hate getting interupted. takes about 15min to get back to the "groove" if I have to stop and change gears talking to someone.

A clean organized space is paramout to get motivated. When the shop or even house is a mess, I dont feel like doing anyting. As soon as I do a major cleaning of either, that is when big projects that I have been putting off suddenly start! It is almost like if I see a claen organized space....I have to start doing something productive with it. However, I do not clean untill the job is done. When I was doing house flips, I would just walk over piles of junk..tools..supplies for weeks while I worked. Just hate to stop and clean in the middle of a project. However, when I would get burned out, I would take a few hours to clean the site and modivation would return as soon as it was clean.

Basicaly I need a clean and organized enviornment to get into the groove. Having to look for things or frustrations like broken tools you need that you did not bother to fix before hand can take me right out of the zone.

 

[six-T-seven]

dollar signs motivate me pretty well ...

 

[NJHandyGuy]

honestly i don't know what it is it seems i work faster with better faster beats on

b2c i am the complete opposite but can see your logic someone around less done

fwiw i pulled apart a acura integra in 14 miutes yeterday looping this beat

i'm so proud tha'ts a personal best for me

 

[Vinny]

I'll tell you what, since putting that chassis back on my Beetle and essentially doubling the space in my garage, I find it a lot more fun to go out there and work. I think the most important part of doing things is having a good facility.
And the best thing remedy for taking the edge off car work: HAVING THE RIGHT TOOL! I'm just really getting serious about this, but man, I used to dread putting it bearings and such. Now that I bought a shop press, I actually kind of enjoy it!

 

[5lima30]

One big thing I have found is that I am more productive when my wife is at work. One other big factor is weather. When it is HOT I don't get near as much accomplished as I do when its cold. The older I get the less cold bothers me even with RA, however cannot handle heat like I used to. Some ZZ-Top or Eagles helps as well! YMMV.

 

[rwhite692]

This is an interesting thread.

I find that (aside from having a clean space and the materials to do the job, etc) I find that I am my most productive, BY FAR, when things are humming along well with the REST of my life.

The checklist is short and sweet:

-(number one) Wife and Kids are Happy

-The required stuff around the house is taken care of (example, the broken dishwasher is fixed, the daily driver cars are in good shape, stuff is maintained, etc)

That's it.

If those two things are in good shape, Look out, because sh!t is getting DONE!

 

[ChrisStarks]

Loud music. Clean shop. If disassembling, tubs marked and ready to drop parts in. If reassembling, clean tables with parts spread out. Refrigerator with drinks. NO CUSTOMERS COMING BY!

 

[sumner52000]

Very interesting topic. When I had my construction company, I always found that working as a two man team produced the most efficent work situation. Two good man would do a little more than twice what a single guy working could do. I believe this was for two reasons. On being there was less struggle with something obtuse. A good example would be someone holding something up while you nailed it. Two guys that takes 1min. One guy has to set up some boards to hold it and so on that takes 5min. But the main reason it works is it keeps you motivated. When one guy starts to feel lazy most likley the other guy is not having one of those moments. So he gets right back to working and that energy feeds off eachother. Nobody wants to be a jerk..but it is real subtle and just part of human interaction. I did however find three man teams did not have the same efficency. Seems one on one the need to work and carry eachother is strong. Three guys and that falls apart some and communication starts to be needed more and efficency starts to decline.

I totally agree. I used to hire my brother to help me on bigger jobs around the house just to make my lazy **** work. He has since moved out of town so I hired a high school kid I know to help do some painting. His step brother wanted to work too so i had them both come over. We got it finished, but by the end they were moving real slow. Two man team is the way to go.

Also i do better when it is cool. When it is hot i like AC.

 

[2oolhound]

I understand what you're saying about 2 guys as a team but it can go the other way too. My 2 best buddies are both head strong and think they know everything or at least more than me. It seems when ever I get them over to help we spend a lot of time arguing. Eventually I stop everything and tell them it's my project, my design and I'm the boss on this show so either shut up and put up or F-off (good buddies can talk to each other like that). They've both experienced this situation before with other people and totally understand and you can start reasoning with them. At the end of the project they have a revelation and begin to understand what you were trying to get into their thick sculls.

Another thing is one of them will call me over and ask me to "hold" a tool or some part or bolts while they use something different for a few seconds. I absolutely hate that. All you're doing is standing there holding something as if your hand was a shelf. I feel like a crutch in a Salvidore Dali painting. I usually put it down on the closest surface and walk away. I'll do the same jobs and never need anyone to "hold" stuff for me, I can always tuck it in a pocket or tool belt or rest it somewhere.

I know you've said "good partner" but the 3rd thing I've noticed with partners is some people can't work and talk at the same time. They have to stop working and look at you when they talk. That can really slow things down. I was shingling a roof with a friend one time and I'm bang bang bang and yak yak yaking all the while but when they respond to the conversation you don't hear them hammering and look over to see they've stopped working. I discussed it with them but they just couldn't work and talk at the same time.

This is why I prefer to work alone.

 

[plinker]

Around 60*, not too sunny (blinding bright), calm.
Evenings prefered, but bugs are a turn off.

Music may or may not help depending on situitation and type of music, Sometimes silence is the best sound.

Having stuff organized is a big thing as is not being in a rush to go somewhere or do something. I agreee on having the right tool(s).

Very interesting topic. When I had my construction company, I always found that working as a two man team produced the most efficent work situation. Two good man would do a little more than twice what a single guy working could do. I believe this was for two reasons. On being there was less struggle with something obtuse. A good example would be someone holding something up while you nailed it. Two guys that takes 1min. One guy has to set up some boards to hold it and so on that takes 5min. But the main reason it works is it keeps you motivated. When one guy starts to feel lazy most likley the other guy is not having one of those moments. So he gets right back to working and that energy feeds off eachother. Nobody wants to be a jerk..but it is real subtle and just part of human interaction. I did however find three man teams did not have the same efficency. Seems one on one the need to work and carry eachother is strong. Three guys and that falls apart some and communication starts to be needed more and efficency starts to decline.

Interesting, sounds about right too.

 

[HotRodKush]

I do most of my work after midnight, mostly midnight-5am, with the rest of work in the afternoon. I'm not a morning person, and I've adjusted my business around that.

On the other hand, there's something productive about waking up very early and getting to work - but I tend to get into a rut around noon and am not productive again until it gets dark. Weird, I know.

 

[canuckian]

First and foremost for me, I can't work in a place that has a lot of what I call "uncontrolled noise". At my work, it's the office girls cackling and Gossiping because they have nothing better to do. In the garage, an example would be a constantly barking dog or kids screaming while playing. When I have to concentrate heavily on something, I can't even have music going but if I'm just banging repetitive things out, heavy metal music gets me in a groove. Basically, I prefer that the only noises going on are the ones me and my tools are making. It's one of the reasons my garage is so heavily insulated- blocks outdoor noise out. I couldwnt survive working in a big shop with lot of noise. I'd be fired in a week because I'd get nothing done! I guess I have a short attention......oh look...something shiny!

 

[diesel research]

Need noise, occasional breaks, late day/evening, decent weather, a good partner can help greatly.

I know having another person can bog things down, BUT having the right person around is often a benefit. Cannot be too similar to me, cannot be too different from me. As Chong said "ya, the same...but different" Sometimes it is a competitive attitude that keeps me going. Other times it is different ideas on how to accomplish a new task. Sometimes it is just physical hands/labor. Sometimes motivation, other times a way to make a mundane task seem less painful.
______________________________

I think back to late nights, well after the sun has settled in the middle eastern desert. It is 1am and an engine needs to be pulled out to change the oil. It is a common monthly task for some vehicles. It's hot/cold/rainy/dusty, I am in a place I don't want to be, and 100 other complaints.

Having multiple hands around served so many benefits. Double checking or serving as a second set of eyes, to figure out why the engine is getting hung up in the chassis. Apparently in my semi-comatose state I forgot to disconnect something. I am 6ft up in the air trying to disconnect said part, and forgot a certain tool. After hours of slaving away, I have lost all motivation to get down and get said tool. Ready to just throw in the towels and quit. Not to worry, other guy doesn't have anything to do, and actually brings me a soda and lunch w/o even asking.

Such a relief and back to work. Now I need a 2nd hand to operate the boom crane and pull. Mean while, talking kept me going. My hands went into auto pilot ratcheting back and forth like 100x before. If I didn't have something to distract me, I might well have gone insane. Having them around suggesting multiple ideas on how to remove the seized fastener was great. Each of them brought their own previous life experiences to the table.

_____________________________

Similar story when a slow day in the office had a coworker confess he has some coolant leak and was worried about overheating and needing a tow home. We were not "mechanics" by any means, but had a wide variety of personal hand tools around work. A civil war history major (vehicle owner), a former cummins engineer, a former McClaren/Ford engineer, a student-intern, and myself decided he wasn't getting towed home that night. Pressure tested the cooling system, found a leak coming out of bellhousing, drove up on to some ramps, and proceeded to drop his ****** right there at work. Sure enough, freeze plug completely rusted away, paper thin. Someone brought beer and pizza and made the parts runs, and he drove home fully operational.

Not sure if I could have found the motivation if I was by myself....

 

[camarotoolman]

I hate to work with a smoker.

 

[Kev442]

When in the garage, I need the radio. It can be music or a ball game, but no talk radio. I work alone, people would rather yak than help.
I also prefer to be protected, so cooler weather where I can wear a sweatshirt and mechanic gloves is ideal.
Just tore a finger open trying to yank an electrical wire out of a wall and I am so tired of all the nicks, cuts, bruises etc that I used to shrug off. I think having weak nails from psoriasis has a lot to do with this. It really ***** to bend/tear a nail way past the quick and into serious OW territory.
Lastly, although I have learned to work in my cluttered garage it is not ideal, but I am really tired of no light to see by. I am on a huge tear this summer to relamp my spaces with 4' T8 lights with 6500k Daylight strength bulbs. I cannot have too much light!

 

[bushhawg73]

I would prefer to start early, work alone with no outside noise such as a radio and prefer it to be cool - somewhere in the 55 to 65 range. A clean shop is also a must. Maybe one day I will get to move to a cooler climate and build myself a shop.

 

[muddyjoe15]

The earlier I can start the day the better, I don't begin without a large cup of coffee.

This, although only in cold weather could I use coffee.

Around 60*, not too sunny (blinding bright), calm.
Evenings prefered, but bugs are a turn off.

Having stuff organized is a big thing as is not being in a rush to go somewhere or do something. I agreee on having the right tool(s).
Interesting, sounds about right too.

Working in miserable hot/cold weather *****!!!
I hate a messy work area, and working with incorrect/**** tools is frustrating.
I also like to be left alone, unless im learning/doing something for the first time.

 

[JMartel]

When it's seriously crunch time.

Like when I took my motorcycle to the track for the first time last year. Didn't do any track prep before I left, and had to swap tires myself out the night before. Needless to say, the idea of working in the dark with only the headlamps of your truck motivates you.

Having to swap out the alternator on my truck in order to make it to work in time.

Having to swap out the R/R on my motorcycle in time to leave on a trip.

That sort of thing.

Oh, and working under your car when it's pouring down rain makes you get the job done faster too.




One more month till I get my garage...

 

[jethro29]

when i'm alone and the music's cranking.usually late night.

 

[crewchief888]

at home in the garage i get the most done with nobody bothering me.

i really hate extremely hot or cold weather, above 90* or below 10*.

if i can spread out my work a couple hours a night during the week i like it better.

i normally work 10-12 hr days, in all kinds of weather, last thing i want is a coule more hours tacked onto my day when i'm hot, cold or just plain worn out.

 

[Indy_500]

nobody else in the garage, classic rock music, no bugs, and good weather! I prefer over 30 and under 75 for the garage. We haven't had a break here in northern wisconsin for the past month, its been over 80 degrees every stinking day!!!

 

[Boiler]

I haven't mowed my lawn in 3 weeks (until today) because it has been 90+ every time I'm home and available to work (not sleeping). The garage has become a real mess since then, boxes and stuff everywhere due to me not wanting to be out there for more than about 2 minutes. Today we had a small break in the weather (87?) I was able to work in the morning, and I got them both taken care of.

 

[jam0o0]

temperature and company make the most difference. if it's hot like it is now (100* for a wile) i can hardly accomplish anything. if i'm by myself i usually end up wasting a lot of time thinking about the best way to do something or getting distracted with 5 other things i need to do. when someone else is there, even if they are not helping physically, i get twice as much done.

edit: o yea and having the RIGHT tool. not just one that can be kinda made to do the job sorta. example: having a welder is great but if the leads are too short to reach both sides of you truck its' gunna be really hard to get those steps, bumpers, roll cage welded and fitted.

 

[toolman1967]

The earlier the better, if I put it off til later....I will put it off til tomorrow.

 

[Hammer1963]

I work best in the early evening till........AM. Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall, or other classic Pink Floyd from the speakers, the TV on and No clutter works best for me.

 

[truckwrench1]

some hard rock or 80's hairband to get the blood moving, 65 degrees, look out the wrenches are flying and the service writer is smileing!

 

[slip knot]

Guess I'm hot natured. I absolutley hate cold weather. I always find my bigger outside jobs are done during July and August. Last July I was putting a roof on a rent house. This summer I've been putting up @2 miles of fencing around the home place. 102f this week and I'm out drilling post holes. ya just gotta stay hydrated.

 

[greasemonkey44]

i prefer nice weather; but im a southern boy and the heat dont bother me too bad
it gets old tho sweating so much you cant see what you are doing; stepping out of the shower sweating again
i like music to play usually classic rock; just kinda works with working on cars
gotta have all my tools up and clean area to tear everything down
after that its just cokes or gatorades in the fridge and an endless stream of broke *** cars to make my day

 

[illmatyk]

If I am doing work at home, I just have some music on and hope no one bothers me. If I am doing a bigger type of job( i.e, pulling out a motor ) I have someone check on me periodically to be sure I'm still ok. Good weather is also a must. I only have a 1 car garage/carport, so I need as much good weather as possible. Also, no rushing me to go somewhere or start working and then tell me I have to go/be somewhere else( unless its really important )....