Setting up Shop... 30x40 Time Capsule... Suggestions needed!

[SLOWBRAH]

Good Afternoon Guys,

I have FINALLY finished school and am in the 50% of "blessed" graduates that landed a decent job. My father built a 30X40 garage 15 years ago and has just let it set... it is a disgrace. My wife and I have moved three miles from my parents and Dad has given the "Go-ahead" to organize and establish a Mave.


SO... step ONE is to clean her out. Throw away the trash, place tools in one area, move the Spitfire, and Smushtang out into his 40x60 Pole barn (Yes... all this is NOT being used??? He STILL changes oil and brakes in the yard??) Step two... well this is where I'll need assistance. I need to reorganize this mess...


Keep this in mind... I am JUST outta school and am not bringing much cash home (who is these days??). So I need to do the best I can with what I have. We do have a fair amount your basic tools... but no real tool boxes, or work benches. Dad has also placed shelves all around the garage (Invites Clutter), I may remove them... and put up press board all the way around to make a "Cleaner environment".



With this garage I plan on tinkering with motor swaps, minor welding/fab, working on My 01' C5, Redneck Rail Buggy, and other future projects. So... based on the treacherous pictures below... what are your suggestions? Where should I start??

 

[darkk]

First thing you're gonna need is a floor...

 

[dreamingmuscle]

First thing you're gonna need is a floor...

I think it has a floor.. I think he needs a good broom and pressure washer to move all the dirt and leaves out.

Next is shelves. Start garage selling deals are out there but you need to hit them bright and early Saturday mornings.

I went today, and seen a lot of shelves. I did pick up four or five. snap-on SAE sockets for four bucks along with some other sockets. They had them bagged by sizes. 3 to 5 sockets per bag. So I went through and picked up all the bags that had snap-on sockets in them at $1 to $2 dollars a bag.

Good deals are out there so start looking.

 

[SLOWBRAH]

First thing you're gonna need is a floor...

Yes... it has a floor.. the place is JUST that dirty. I'm starting on it today!

 

[egnorant]

Been there...feel your pain!

Be strong and let all involved know that you are about to transform this space to YOUR liking. Don't overthink your initial plan. Make it clean, make it useful and change things as you need or wish.

Cleaning supplies get all the usual suspects, I needed a breathing mask for a lot of my stuff. Push broom, regular broom, hand broom, trash bags...LOTS of trash bags!
Rafters need cleaning too, otherwise you will sweep one day and have a new coat of dust the next day.

I found that a list really helps due to the feel good factor of scratching stuff off...even if you only finish 1/4 of an item.

Do something even if you think you cannot get much done (One of my failings) even if all you get done is was a clean window, it is still a step in the right direction. Often you will find that once you START, you will accomplish more than you thought at first.

Bruce

 

[stingry]

Good Afternoon Guys,

I have FINALLY finished school and am in the 50% of "blessed" graduates that landed a decent job. My father built a 30X40 garage 15 years ago and has just let it set... it is a disgrace. My wife and I have moved three miles from my parents and Dad has given the "Go-ahead" to organize and establish a Mave.

What's a mave???

As to your cleaning project, it is probably best to do the cleaning when your father is not around. When we moved back to the farm many years ago, I found the same conditions in the barns and sheds. If dad was around, it seemed like he was carrying things back in as fast as I could carry them out saying "we might need that one day"!!!

Good Luck
Steve

 

[White04mach]

What's the story on the 4 eyed fox?

 

[classicharleyj]

Is a MAVE like a MURSE?

 

[KPSquared]

As long as you promise to never use the word "mave" again (you are running a serious risk of a man card cancellation with that one. . .)

Make sure everything has a place. If it doesn't, make a plan, find a place, and always put it back there.
Start by gutting then sweeping (rafters as mentioned). Pressure wash the floor.

Get a HF box or a good garage sale deal and get the tools put away.

Craig's list up a few cabinets.

Just go slow, stay organized, get some beer, work hard.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

MAVE - Man Cave

That looks like a 72-73 Triumph Spitfire. That should stay in the garage instead of going to the barn. Though the best place for it is in *my* garage.

Looking at the photos, you have a dirt/dust problem there. I would rent or get an airless sprayer and spray white paint over-well, everything except the floor. Walls, rafters, ceiling- all of it. This will help in two ways. First it will help seal the walls from dust getting in and collecting. Second it will help with reflected light, and with that much space, you need a lot of light.

The second thing I'd do is insulate the ceiling if you can afford it. If not, at least tack up plastic vapor barrier over the ceiling joists up top. Keep some of that dust that settles in from the roof itself from falling to the floor and your projects below.

Third thing, and the easiest, is to make sure you have good garage door seals. All those leaves had to come from somewhere, so unless a door is left open, then it's a good chance they are blowing in from outside. I thought my doors were well sealed, but after epoxy coating the floors, I still find leaves and debris blown in under what I thought were sealed door openings.

Lastly, storage. The open air shelves do invite clutter. Used kitchen cabinets from someone's remodel helps in small areas, but you have enough open space there to have larger cabinets with doors. I'd probably build such out of wood. The bonus of adding simple doors is that it keeps them dust free and keeps the clutter down.

A couple of work benches in the middle between the two stalls would be helpful.

Well, mostly tons of stuff can be done. You have an open canvas.

What's the power like there? What amperage?

Do you have water on site? Drainage? That garage cries out for a laundry / utility sink.

 

[JC23]

What I would do...

A. Clean floor.

B. Move everything to the center of said clean floor and paint walls, benches and shelves white with cheap paint.

C. Put items on floor on the shelves and benches on an 'AS NEEDED" basis.

D. Sell the rest to generate money to buy what you NEED.

E. HAVE FUN!

F. Read GJ, learn how to get what you need CHEAPLY!

 

[78Bird]

Looks like fun.

Get a good mask, it's gonna be nasty and noone likes sneezing up black boogers. Besides, there might be something really bad and you dont wanna breath it.

I'd just try and get it cleaned out then see what you have to work with that's usable.

the spitfire is kinda cool, keep it

 

[SLOWBRAH]

Thanks Guys!! The Spit Fire is part of a Bio Desiel Project we've had going... we are shooting for 70 mpg. An old VW Turbo swap with a toyota trans may get us there! The 4 eye car is a rare 83' Turbo GT. Not many were made in 83. These have just sat there in the garage for YEARS. That's why I referred to this place as the "time capsule".



Oh yeah... MAVE = MAN CAVE



I'm going to have trouble keeping Dad out of this. I would like to take all of the shelving down and install a cheap board of some kind to clean that area up and deter dust/clutter. However, he does not want them pulled down. So, I'm going to do what I can with it.




I also saw a really cool concept... make a ~ 3.5x5 mobile island work bench/tool table. I can hang "peg board" on three sides and hang items. I'll also have doors on the front from additional storage. I haven't had time to make much head way, but I will take pictures as we progress!

 

[2mJps]

I am working in my dad building right now. Its not easy. He had a business when he sold it the stuff that hadnt sold over the years ended up their. I wish it was as clean as yours. I work on clean up on sundays when he is gone.

 

[egnorant]

Don't forget to take pictures as you go along.

Those GT turbos are fun cars! I have an 84 Gt turbo convertible that is on my top 10 list to get back on the road.

Bruce

 

[lowbucktruck]

See if you can get your dad to agree on the scope of the project, and what you are allowed to do with the building first. Cleaning it up is obviously a first step.
I agree with everyone else, the shelves have got to go, and be replaced with cabinets. That will help alot with the dust problem and clutter. See if your dad will agree to at least pallet rack instead of those shelves. Then work to make the building weather-tight. For example... check the roof for leaks and check the door thresholds to see if new seals are needed.

 

[M. Blue 240]

What I would do...

A. Clean floor.

B. Move everything to the center of said clean floor and paint walls, benches and shelves white with cheap paint.

C. Put items on floor on the shelves and benches on an 'AS NEEDED" basis.

D. Sell the rest to generate money to buy what you NEED.

E. HAVE FUN!

F. Read GJ, learn how to get what you need CHEAPLY!

This just about sums it up. If you have the money I would hang osb or drywall on the walls and ceiling, then paint. White walls and ceiling make a huge difference in how the garage feels and looks. I'd talk to your Dad about taking the shelves down, if you promise to build bigger and better shelves.