New guy in Texas

[Mike Britton]

Hey all,
Mike Britton here. Found you guys on the Jockey Journal. Been a HAMB member for a long time, so some of you guys might recognize the handle.

I'm on here because I'm always looking for ways to make my 19'x22' shop into a more functional area. As soon as the weather clears some I'll shoot a couple photos of this garage so everyone can start shooting ideas my way.
For me, it's mostly about motorcycles, so the size of the workspace is adequate.
I've lived in this house for 35 years, my wife died in this house, so will I. What that means is that I'm not married to any configuration except the most functional. Looking forward to gathering ideas from all of you. At 66 I'm just now learning organization, so I could really use all of your input. Thanks, Mike

 

[rburke65]

Mike, hello and welcome. Sorry for your loss.....I can not even imagine. Good luck to you.

 

[drivesitfar]

MB: welcome to our group and sounds like you have a great plan. I'm working on that "organizing" idea myself and one day would like to know where all my stuff is as well as my wife knows where hers is.

i had a bigger bench in this corner of my shop and i think this might work a bit better. these metal cabinets work great if you can find some or rolling tool boxes might fit under this style bench before you do. i'm in the process of moving things so excuse the mess, but this picture of my commercial racks gives you an idea of how i use mine.

I also like commercial racks because they don't need a bottom shelf so you can put lawnmower, tool boxes, benches and probably motorcycles under them and have lots of storage above.

post a few pictures when you can and until you start finding threads about storage and organizing maybe some members will find this thread to comment like i'm doing.

cheers

 

[Mike Britton]

Excuse the mess. It was mid 50's yesterday, it's low 30's today.
I just walked away from it.
You can see the Youngstown kitchen cabinets I bought out of a demolished duplex. I love them, they are steel, and therefore magnetic.
Bought cheap counter tops at Llowe's, and I was on my way. I have way more storage than I need.
Got a killer deal on way more compressor than I need, plumbed it all the way around the ceiling with a drop in each corner.
After three years, still trying to get the house over the year I spent in the hospital with Cris. You can't leave a house idle that long, it will hate you for a long time.
After the Ford goes away, I'll build a work table on casters to assemble bikes.
Funny story about the "hole" in the ceiling. We will put it this way. Be careful what you store in your attic, it will fall through! LOL!

 

[1/2 Cup]

Welcome aboard Mike and thanks for posting.

Lesson learned with storing in the attic.

Regards

 

[Lone Star Blaze]

welcome!

 

[rburke65]

That's were I grew up....in Youngstown! I also have some of those cabinets that were put out "on the curb" for trash pick up....and that's what I did...picked them up!

 

[Mike Britton]

"Lesson learned with storing in the attic."
I had several Go-Kart engines from a previous life that I put away in cardboard crates.
I put them up in the attic when we first moved into the house in 83. I forgot all about them. After some time, I noticed that the ceiling was sagging, and couldn't fathom why.
I found out one day when I got home from work and found that single panel of sheetrock lying on the floor with a bunch of engines scattered everywhere. I'm thinking of putting roof decking up there all around the cubby hole.

 

[mustangsean]

Welcome! What part of DFW you in? Im north near the OK border. Nice and cool out there today!

 

[drivesitfar]

MB: shop looks great and nothing a weekend of organizing won't fix if you like it nicer. funny story about the attic storage.

i didn't see a 100 year old 100 pound vise anywhere so we'll have to find you one. i too like those cabinets.

cheers

 

[Mike Britton]

"i didn't see a 100 year old 100 pound vise anywhere so we'll have to find you one."

I do a lot of swap meets. When we moved into this house and I built my workbench I happened across a big Chinese 360 degree 6" vice at a give away price and brought it home.
"How long do you think that chink POS is going to last! Ha Ha!?!" I caught it from all my friends.
That was in 1983.....I have built two street rods, a hot TR6, and 6, yes 6 motorcycles on that vice. Several of my friends have replaced their vices in the meantime, and a couple are looking for vices like mine. Don't fix it if it ain't broke.....

 

[drivesitfar]

MB: i have a lot of friends and clients that have a double headed swiveling Chinese vise and they all love theirs even though they might have broke them a couple times and made some kind of fix.

good to know you have one, use it and that it has treated you well.

so are repairs on the project list or do you have another ground up build of one that has been on your bucket list??

cheers

 

[j p smith]

Welcome MB.
What's the story on the Ford going away? Can you have too much storage? LOL

 

[txvwnut]

Welcome aboard the board! I see a flat tracker standing proud in a corner, is it Yamaha powered or British powered?