My Texas Dream Garage

[american3.14guy]

Time for some updates. I finished up the window sills in the office and main shop. I had some cherry and maple boards I had been holding onto. The wife was not happy to see that I have better window sills in the garage than in the house.

Nice looking garage. Love the looks of cherry and maple together, always have!

 

[mws444]

Great work Nighttrain! Nothing better than getting the kids to help out with this stuff. Years down the road he will remember and charish these times with you. My 11 year old son is like glue on me, made me promise once I get the transmission back in the 2010 Camaro, the '69 is next. He really loves that old car, looking forward to turning a wrench with him on it.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

 

[mws444]

Hey you guys expecting any snow your way? I just noticed it looks like a blizzard outside here. Wind is blowing about 40 miles an hour and the snow flakes are huge, I doubt much will pile up. I guess the pecan harvest will have to wait, but Wow! I have always loved the snow.

 

[Nighttrain]

MWS I it feels like snow here but I do not believe it will. I have work tonight (flying) so I hope it is a clear night. My boy in the picture (13) is usually not too often in the garage with me, he really likes to read and we have to get him outside. My younger one (12) is always out there. We usually have to do the opposite with him and get him inside to read/study. Doing all the garage work on my own I have to really sometimes take a break to do stuff with the kids, they are really growing fast. My daughter will be a senior next year, she is going to paint the name of the garage for me on the office front this week for my Chrismas present. Have a great Christmas with your family.

 

[Nighttrain]

Yogi - Thank you!

Trooper Joe - Yes a garage that is bigger than the house was a dream of mine. You should consider it for your next house/garage build. Welcome to GJ!

 

[Nighttrain]

Update time. Had a pretty productive week over Christmas. Was able to get all the 6' sections of the cabinets assembled and installed.

This is the back wall

South wall with the 6' roll up door between the two sets of cabinets.

I tested the height of the sit down work bech at the end of the day. works good for a Blue Moon.

The kids got a dart board for Christmas and we installed it. This is a great way to spend time in the shop.

And last is an overhead shot a buddy took for me last summer. Very dry year this year.

I will be installing two layers of the 3/4 plywood to all the tops. I think this will be enough, will probably place a rubber matting on the work areas. The doors will be next and will be making frames and using a piece of sheet metal for all the inserts. The more I look at the top cabinets the more I am not happy with them. Way too many doors. I will remove the doors and make matching door fronts that will match the bottom cabinets.

 

[ConstructionBoss]

Nice work on the shop Nighttrain. I love the "indoor" outside storefront theme. I saw that done in some hot rod shops that a friend of mine from Houston has shot and thought it was pretty cool. I have never been over on the Dripping Springs side of Austin, but spent a lot of time a year ago on the Manor side on 290 when our company was bidding on the new toll road project. Six months of my lift driving back and forth to Austin every week from DFW and we came in second! Drats. Keep up the great work!!! I noticed you said you had to fly for work, not sure if I missed it, but are you a commercial pilot?

 

[Nighttrain]

Constructionboss -Thanks. It really is a different part of Texas starting on this side of austin. Yes I fly for a living flying helicopters. Something that I really enjoy. Hwy 290 is still crazy here. They just started to do a widening project b/t Dripping and Austin, it really needs it. We fly out here a lot to pick up head on collissions accident patients. I am following your garage over haul also. Very nice transformation going on. Looking foward to seeing that truck be built.

 

[tinbender 66]

Those cabinets are lookin' good. You guys might inspire me to actually build something out of wood one of these days.

Love the aerial shot. I've got one of my place somewhere.

 

[impala_631]

Veryvery cool

 

[FltEngCPO]

Wow, your shop is awesome and I am pirating a few ideas from you! I was not nearly as productive over the holidays as you were.... Ordered windows today and have things lined up for garage doors but desperately trying to get a roof on is slowing me down.....

 

[machine_punk]

Looking good, as usual, NT.

I have a workbench with a double-3/4"-plywood top and I think you will be very pleased with yours. That top will take a LOT of abuse, and will be easy to replace, whenever it does get too beaten up.

That overhead shot of your place is great.

I'm looking forward to seeing what you are going to do for your cabinet doors. Keep up the good work!

 

[KaotiK TrendZ]

nice place!!! i want to do something like that but i would actually live in the garage...make a bedroom area to add to what you have. might have to hold off a little more if they medically retire me, wont have the $$ to follow through. great job! keep us updated as you go.

 

[kippieland]

Those cabinets are going to be smok'in! I like the use of the 2x4 in the front. I built mine on the same sort of base as you did (mine are 2x6) but my f@#k floor is so unlevel that there's an 1/2 gap in the middle for little screws to fall in....I'm going to have to fix that. Dream shop for sure...very jealous!

 

[kippieland]

Thought you might enjoy this link. http://lumberjocks.com/projects/43891

 

[mws444]

Looking great NT! Those cabinets are turning out awsome! I have a buddy that is a air ambulance pilot in AZ. He is also in love with his job. What is not to love about flying a helicopter and landing on roads?

 

[Nighttrain]

Thanks guys. kippieland thanks for the link, I already have some ideas from there. I decided to kinda follow a desing of kitchen cabinets due to the ease of building them but I wanted to add strenght to themw with the 2x4 on the front and back. I also put in 2x4 across the top between each panel. This with two layers of 3/4" plywood should allow me to throw pretty much anything on the tops. For the bottom base 2x4 there are some gaps. I will seal this with caulk and also looking at putting metal flashing on it to protect from any hot work slag that may end up on the floor. In hind sight I should have wraped those 2x4's with metal flashing before I put the cabinets on them. O well why start now and take the easy approach on this build. Happy New Years!

 

[64 lane]

Love your shop. No matter how big you build it, it could be just a little bigger. Wow!

 

[jrd]

Nice... This garage is hard-core. Keep the pics flowing!

 

[Nighttrain]

64 lane, funny you say that, I am thinking about pouring a slab under the lean-to on the North side and possibly enclosing that side for a lift and more automotive related. This will keep the woodshop seperate. We just sold our toy hauler and now have all this open space. Can't believe I am thinking of expansion and I have yet started on any real projects yet.

jrd thanks for the comments and welcome to GJ. There are a ton of nice garages on here to get ideas from.

 

[SpeedinLemon]

Great build! I've enjoyed watching your progress. I'm really liking those cabinets you're building. Keep us posted on those. I noticed you have both the built-in tube dust collection system and the overhead air filtration....I'm strongly considering the overhead, but not sure if I do enough wood working to justify the collection system...Thoughts?

Great job again though!!

 

[jktruck150]

Man, I love the inside of your garage! That is amazing.

 

[Nighttrain]

speedinlemon. The over head dust filter is great for picking up the fine dust in the air from sanding etc. I think it will still work ok in this shop. In my smaller garages it would filter the air like 3-4x in an hour, so it moves a lot of air. Being so high in this shop I still think it will help. Yesterday while the sun was shining in the window I could see all the dust floating in the air. As for the other dust collector I would highly recommend it for your shop. They have smaller ones that are more portable and you can just attach it to the tool you are using. These will get about 90% of all the saw dust. Another option which I am looking at is to use a down draft table. I think I'll just buy sompe peg board and use it for a table top and attach a hose to the dust collector. So when I am sanding a piece of wood on it the dust will go down into this table and not inot the air. Good luck on your rebuild.

jktruck, thanks man! its just starting to get to the fun part of putting things where I want and getting my tools in the right space.

 

[TurboBlog]

I love your shop, but I REALLY love the indoor/outdoor shop front idea! I would love to do something like this in my garage.

 

[SpeedinLemon]

speedinlemon. The over head dust filter is great for picking up the fine dust in the air from sanding etc. I think it will still work ok in this shop. In my smaller garages it would filter the air like 3-4x in an hour, so it moves a lot of air. Being so high in this shop I still think it will help. Yesterday while the sun was shining in the window I could see all the dust floating in the air. As for the other dust collector I would highly recommend it for your shop. They have smaller ones that are more portable and you can just attach it to the tool you are using. These will get about 90% of all the saw dust. Another option which I am looking at is to use a down draft table. I think I'll just buy sompe peg board and use it for a table top and attach a hose to the dust collector. So when I am sanding a piece of wood on it the dust will go down into this table and not inot the air. Good luck on your rebuild.

Thanks for the info....You have any pics of the ductwork you installed in the wall for the dust collector? Anything special or just regular PVC? What about the corners...regular 90's or sweeps? I'm at a point where i could easily install it between the framed wall and the outer skin of the building....before wall board goes up.

 

[Palmetto]

Very nice Nighttrain! I am fixing to start on a room in my shop as well....20'x20'. I have a few questions....

For you office, Im wondering how you did your 2x4 stud walls that where up against the metal purlins. Is there anything that separates the two, like OSB sheathing, or is it just open? Also, did you insulate the stud walls too?

Hope I am making sense!

Thanks
Phillip

 

[Nighttrain]

speedinlemon - just sched 40 2" pvc pipe on the west wall about 16' then a to a 3" coupler to a 3" 90* to the north wall. from there 3" all the way to drop to the 4" to the dust collector. In my old set up I ran a copper ground on the inside and out side of the pipe. Not this time, I have read that it really does not help. The PVC is mounted onto a purlin at tha height all the way around. If you have alot of corners a sweep elbow might help. On my furthest run I will be using a router there so that will really test it out since there are always big chips with a router. So far I am happy with it. Only thing is how far the blast gates are way from the wall. I should have trimmed them another 1" closer but now with the cabinets to reach over that may be not an issue. I really like the floor sweep. So do my boys, they now fight over who is going to sweep the floor.

turbo -thanks for the comment. I really like how it sets a comfortable feel out there.

palmetto, I used a rather thin sheet of plywood on the outside of the 2x4 wall since it will not withstand any wind etc. mostly to just keep the wall square. I also coated all the walls with roofing tar paper from bottom to top to help. Yes all the walls and ceiling are insulated. Even with out heat my office is at least 20* warmer than outside this winter. I did attach the base of the walls with ramset nails to the floor, no other attachment of the wood to metal building for the office so you can say it is freestanding. The rest of the walls in the garage are 2x4" layed flat to the purlins and tapcon screwed to them. I like your avatar, I have flown over thousands of wild hogs down in SE Texas. Lots of them down in the marsh areas.

 

[bauschracing]

Nice shop! My Aunt lives no far from you in Oatmeal Texas, up by Burtrum.
Mike

 

[Palmetto]

palmetto, I used a rather thin sheet of plywood on the outside of the 2x4 wall since it will not withstand any wind etc. mostly to just keep the wall square. I also coated all the walls with roofing tar paper from bottom to top to help. Yes all the walls and ceiling are insulated. Even with out heat my office is at least 20* warmer than outside this winter. I did attach the base of the walls with ramset nails to the floor, no other attachment of the wood to metal building for the office so you can say it is freestanding. The rest of the walls in the garage are 2x4" layed flat to the purlins and tapcon screwed to them. I like your avatar, I have flown over thousands of wild hogs down in SE Texas. Lots of them down in the marsh areas.

That makes good sense. You just reinforced my idea of attaching sheathing to the purlins first, then 2x4 stud walls, then my interior wall covering.

Another question, I saw a pic of your window a/c unit. I was thinking of permanantly installing one like that, but what if you have to replace it? Im thinking window a/c units are not standard sizes, but differ by manufacturer. I would hate to have to tear my walls up to reframe an opening.

I shot the hog in my avatar in '04 on my place. I had him shoulder mounted, and put him in the dining room, above the door. You cant tell he is there until you sit down at the table. Startled allot of people! LOL.

 

[Nighttrain]

Palmeto, I bought the window a/c when the welder was framing up the walss so he framed them to the size of the a/c. I just slid them in there and have a piece od sheet metal screwed to the sides of the a/c then into the purlins. If the ever go out I will probably replace them with a split unit.

For the walls I built them on the floor just as you would a normal wall. 2x4's then the plywood then the tar paper. I then lifted the wall up. Im scheduled to go hog hunting later this month, i'll post oictures.

 

[shopnut]

Nighttrain,

I have to apologize - I’ve been enjoying your thread for quite some time, but just realized I have never posted in here. Well that stops now!

The place is coming along very nicely. Its great to see that you have a willing helper out there too. With all the progress ON the shop, do you find time to work IN the shop on the toys? Or are you being patient like I am and waiting until the building is finished to start any major projects in there?

Good luck with everything.

 

[thomask]

Nighttrain,

I have to apologize - I’ve been enjoying your thread for quite some time, but just realized I have never posted in here. Well that stops now!

The place is coming along very nicely. Its great to see that you have a willing helper out there too. With all the progress ON the shop, do you find time to work IN the shop on the toys? Or are you being patient like I am and waiting until the building is finished to start any major projects in there?

Good luck with everything.

Hey Nighttrain, I agree with shopnut 100%. He has a great man cave too over here in Florida and your build is special too. Great finds on those cabinets and the dust system will be a great help in that wood shop. That is a neat idea on the shop front with the roof outlines etc.

Hey shopnut hope you get well soon...BTW I grew up in Lake County.

 

[mws444]

Hey NT, have fun on the hog hunt! You taking your boys? We are so dry over here hogs can't live, but would not mind capping a few one day.
Keep us posted on the cabinets.

 

[Nighttrain]

Nighttrain,

I have to apologize - I’ve been enjoying your thread for quite some time, but just realized I have never posted in here. Well that stops now!

The place is coming along very nicely. Its great to see that you have a willing helper out there too. With all the progress ON the shop, do you find time to work IN the shop on the toys? Or are you being patient like I am and waiting until the building is finished to start any major projects in there?

Good luck with everything.

thanks. I have been eyeing your shop for a while also. Really like the overhead hoist you have (all three of them). No projects beside routine maint. on the stuff I have. I am trying to do a final push to get the shop done. The cabinets really made me get going now that they are about 80% done. Last night I moved a lot of stuff into them which opened up a ton of floor space. I still have to do 2-3 more top coats of poly on the counter tops and then decide on the door fronts. After 2 years of this build I feel like I am just moving into the shop putting tools in their respective place. I am sure i'll move them again but at least they are not all over the place.

 

[Toolfool]

Wow ! Your shop has really taken shape. Had to check it out after you posted on my thread. Enjoy all that space.

 

[Nighttrain]

Wow ! Your shop has really taken shape. Had to check it out after you posted on my thread. Enjoy all that space.

Thanks TF, It may not be as complete a wood shop as yours but I hope to beable to do everything that I can with it. My original idea years ago was to have a lot of big tools in their own space. You would think this shop would be big enough for it but its not. I am thinking that I will have to have wheels on a lot of the tools and move them around.

Thanks for looking, I'll be posting updated pictures later today.

 

[Nighttrain]

I have the cabinets pretty much done and moved some stuff into them. I sealed all inside portions with one coat of poly and then the tops with four coats. I plan on placing a rubber matting in the areas where I will be doing heavy duty work.

Hope to get the trim on the tops done this weekend and try to figure out what type of doors to put on the lower section.

After 1st coat of poly.

Final coat.

Here I needed to support the 3/4" shelf if I did not want it to flex.

I had about seven of these cabinets left over that had some damage to them. I pulled the solid oak front trim off and trimmed it down a bit and used it as a front support for the shelf.

Installed on the shelf. The paint will go into a metal locker once I find one.

 

[mws444]

Wow! Great work, You Da Man!

 

[kippieland]

Going to do stiles and rails for the doors or solid panels? I did stiles and rails..little more work but I think it looks better. Nothings that hard when you use the pocket screws!

 

[Toolfool]

Thanks TF, It may not be as complete a wood shop as yours but I hope to beable to do everything that I can with it. My original idea years ago was to have a lot of big tools in their own space. You would think this shop would be big enough for it but its not. I am thinking that I will have to have wheels on a lot of the tools and move them around.

Thanks for looking, I'll be posting updated pictures later today.

"No more wheels !" was my objective in designing my shop space. I'll be able to just move from station to station. The big ticket items will be the cyclone dust collection system ( http://www.clearvuecyclones.com/ ) and the radiant heat.
Your cabinets are looking good, waiting to see what kind of doors you build.