Mech's Uptown Dallas double

[Mechatricity]

HI All!

I stumbled across this (fantastic) forum while searching for garage lighting ideas. I recently moved into a townhome with a two-stall garage and some extra space up front, after many years of wrenching in parking lots and soldering on the coffee table.

This is my first garage so it will very much be a work in progress. I'm a big subaru fan so you'll see a lot of that.

Move-in day:

Untitled by Mechatricity, on Flickr

PANO_20130716_101539 by Mechatricity, on Flickr

First thing's first:

Untitled by Mechatricity, on Flickr

The Move-In: It fits!

PANO_20130717_111725 by Mechatricity, on Flickr

Had purchased the toolbox in the background a few days prior, took some time to get it put together and FINALLY start organizing the tools that have been shoved into toolbags for years.

Untitled by Mechatricity, on Flickr

And here we are about two weeks later (today, 8/9):

Untitled by Mechatricity, on Flickr

Untitled by Mechatricity, on Flickr

Untitled by Mechatricity, on Flickr

8/9/2013
lots of things planned for the next couple of weeks:
This weekend i'll be purchasing socket splitters for the ceiling lights. 6x100w CFL seems like it will be plenty for this space.

Next weekend i'm purchasing a miter saw and building a workbench along the back wall.

Lots of great ideas on this forum, so thanks in advance to all of you, and thanks for looking! I'll update as i go along of course.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Welcome to the GJ, Mechatricity. Looks like you have a blank canvas there, and no there is never enough space!!!

 

[dubber]

Welcome, and great garage you have there. You are going to love this site for sure. I still remember first stumbling onto it haha.

 

[odie]

No shortage of ideas on this site.
Good luck.

 

[Jagmandave]

God, I'd be stumbling over that raised edge in the concrete all day long!

First thing to do, paint it red or yellow or something!

Nice to have a garage, isn't it?

good luck with your build - that raised part looks made for a good workbench, but again......that edge!

 

[55cadillacking]

That's a pretty cool space. Since you're in an urban setting, may I suggest going ultra modern? Gloss white, lots of stainless steel. Could be cool.

 

[bww_mnm]

It'd be worth lining your toolbox drawers or your neatly arrange wrenches will be a mess.

Great space with the raised part in the back. Congrats on your new place.

 

[HSpencer]

That is a very nice space there. I like the raised floor in the end of it. Also like the Subaru sign and car!!!

Best Wishes
Herb Spencer

 

[emrock32]

Awesome car in an awesome garage. You definitely have some great potential of doing some awesome stuff. Not sure how I feel about the stepup without a slight ramp. Cant wait to see some progress.

 

[Moose97]

Good looking space! Can't wait to see what you do with it.

 

[Anglia Guy]

Good looking space! Can't wait to see what you do with it.

2nd this. Keep us updated. And welcome to Garage Journal.

 

[EMAGDNIM]

Good luck, and I'm interested to see what you have planned...

 

[Mechatricity]

God, I'd be stumbling over that raised edge in the concrete all day long!

First thing to do, paint it red or yellow or something!

Nice to have a garage, isn't it?

good luck with your build - that raised part looks made for a good workbench, but again......that edge!

yeah. i kicked it a few times but it's grown on me at this point.

That's a pretty cool space. Since you're in an urban setting, may I suggest going ultra modern? Gloss white, lots of stainless steel. Could be cool.

Definitely, i like that thought.

It'd be worth lining your toolbox drawers or your neatly arrange wrenches will be a mess.

Great space with the raised part in the back. Congrats on your new place.

The drawers are now lined! Makes the whole box feel much more solid.

That is a very nice space there. I like the raised floor in the end of it. Also like the Subaru sign and car!!!

Best Wishes
Herb Spencer

Awesome car in an awesome garage. You definitely have some great potential of doing some awesome stuff. Not sure how I feel about the stepup without a slight ramp. Cant wait to see some progress.

Thank you!

Time for some updates...

I bought a miter saw this weekend and built a workbench. I designed it in Sketchup, the leg design was something i kind of "made up" and built a coffee table with back in school. It turned out to be extremely sturdy so i thought i would expand it to a big workbench. Turned out pretty well, i think.

I'm really bad at stopping to take pictures so this is more of a before and after

Don't look too closely, the dimensions of the top are incorrect. i made some adjustments and didn't update it. And that should be an 8" carriage bolt.

Untitled by Mechatricity, on Flickr

Untitled by Mechatricity, on Flickr


My miter table might not be OSHA-approved.

Untitled by Mechatricity, on Flickr

I came up with this light idea on the fly walking through home depot- two 4" to 3" aluminum gutter angles, mounted to a 2x4, with ceramic bulb holders mounted on the ends, with 100w CFLs. Don't worry, the final wiring job was MUCH cleaner than what's in the pictures.


Untitled by Mechatricity, on Flickr


Untitled by Mechatricity, on Flickr


Untitled by Mechatricity, on Flickr

(yes, i have TWO white subaru wagons. long story. )

I'm pretty impressed with this Skil Miter saw, especially for $100. Certainly no trouble annihilating some 2x4 and 2x6. I also picked up that 3hp ShopVac at the same time, definitely also seems to pull it's own weight for $46.

My little 12v dewalt LiI drill on the other hand had a pretty tough time with this job. Driving 2-1/2" screws for the workbench, it would really start to stall out just as the head of the screw hit the wood when running at full speed...if i gave it some heavy pressure and low speed it would start to sink the rest of the way in. Time to upgrade, i suppose.

Thanks for looking! until next time...

 

[Bib Overalls]

Lots of potential. First garage is always exciting. Keep the pictures coming. We like pictures.