The 5 Stitches Garage.

[taumac]

Good to hear the last brace has been installed on the WOC. I need to do some test powder coating so send the brackets up so I can coat them and you can call the Wall complete.



On the tool box, can you put it on a scale as is and tell us how much it weighs. I think it would be interesting. I see a lot of duplication. How many ratchets are needed? A bit driver with an assortment of bits would eliminate all those screwdrivers.



Thank you for Ms. September.

You know that wives do not allow scales in their house. LOL. I ran next-door and I use one of their scales.



The box came in at a little over 75 pounds. I don't have too much of duplicates in there I have set of metric wrenches standard wrenches, metric and standard sockets in deep and shallow, and I have 1/4 3/8 and 1/2 socket wrench in there with extensions for each size. The big drivers are basically just for specialty heads and I like to have a regular screwdrivers flat and phillips. I also head hex ( Standard and metric) sockets , as well as male and female Torx. I do more automotive side work then anything so many of the sockets and the ratchets or stuff that I would grab when doing knows my automotive work.

 

[taumac]

Gerard, I think Stewart is on to something. Instead of all 3 Craftsman Nextec tools, you could get by with the drill and 1/4" hex impact driver. If you need to drive sockets, a 3-piece adapter set could handle all of them.

I prefer the hex driver so I use hex drive drill bits most of the time. With a hex drive twist drill set, spade drill set and hole saw set you wouldn't need the Nextec drill either. A spare battery would of course be handy.

While you are correct Bob I only have the impact and screwdriver the other next tech tool is my LED flashlight also I do use those socket adapters a lot especially on that right angle impact I have.

 

[cbacres]

G, are you still wanting to build a shelf for the DP?

 

[taumac]

Well I thought about it and thought I would show all the stuff I packed into the cantlever box.

Ratchets and extensions.


Sockets.


Wrenches.


Screwdrivers.


Now for the bottom.




Only thing I don't have is small drill bit set but like I said before looking for about everything I use for most automotive and working around the shop. There's no way I can have everything in one small box. LOL.

 

[taumac]

G, are you still wanting to build a shelf for the DP?

Yes sir! What's up?

 

[G20-Budo]

Hello Gerard, I haven't looked at your thread in awhile, but I see you're still making great progress. The new cabinet is going to come in very handy for all of the welding supplies. And I think the DP is in a good location

Sorry to hear about your accident, but sounds like you're doing ok.. so good to hear.

Take care and keep up the good work!

 

[taumac]

Hello Gerard, I haven't looked at your thread in awhile, but I see you're still making great progress. The new cabinet is going to come in very handy for all of the welding supplies. And I think the DP is in a good location



Sorry to hear about your accident, but sounds like you're doing ok.. so good to hear.



Take care and keep up the good work!

Thanks man and great to see you around again.

 

[rmalkow2]

Holy Hernia Batman!!! At 77 pounds I think you better whip up one of your usual good ideas for making that thing mobile. You have it well stocked and maybe a custom mount in the back of your truck is in order so it can travel well.

 

[Grumblebum]

Gerard, do you still have the canopy on the back of your pickup ? I have another idea for you maybe.

 

[taumac]

Holy Hernia Batman!!! At 77 pounds I think you better whip up one of your usual good ideas for making that thing mobile. You have it well stocked and maybe a custom mount in the back of your truck is in order so it can travel well.

Yes sir. I tried pickling it up and after my accident a week and half earlier I fell it for sure.

 

[taumac]

Gerard, do you still have the canopy on the back of your pickup ? I have another idea for you maybe.

Canopy in meaning bed cover. Yes I have a spilt folding locking hard cover my truck.

 

[rmalkow2]

Gerard,
Pardon this brief hijack of your thread but, if you remember our phone conversation some months ago about the pros and cons of the Sport Trac like yours I was helping my daughter in Texas look for one to buy. All these months no luck until last week and right here in Michigan. We found a really nice 2007 with only 96k miles on it and in her favorite color. I'm getting it cleaned up for her to fly up here and drive it home. She's pretty excited. It is a nice truck and with the Leer topper will be good for transporting her dog on occasion and keeping the interior clean. It also came with the factory hard bed cover too. Thanks gain for the good discussion and sharing your experience with these vehicles. It's always helpful to get first hand testimony before buying.

PS. It originally came from Florida too! Only spent 2.5 years here in MI.

 

[taumac]

Gerard,

Pardon this brief hijack of your thread but, if you remember our phone conversation some months ago about the pros and cons of the Sport Trac like yours I was helping my daughter in Texas look for one to buy. All these months no luck until last week and right here in Michigan. We found a really nice 2007 with only 96k miles on it and in her favorite color. I'm getting it cleaned up for her to fly up here and drive it home. She's pretty excited. It is a nice truck and with the Leer topper will be good for transporting her dog on occasion and keeping the interior clean. It also came with the factory hard bed cover too. Thanks gain for the good discussion and sharing your experience with these vehicles. It's always helpful to get first hand testimony before buying.



PS. It originally came from Florida too! Only spent 2.5 years here in MI.

Don't eve worry about you hijacking this thread and don't mine if you do. That's a really nice looking truck. I've seen some with the full top like pictured and they can been really functional. Especially with the dogs. Also the rear seats fold down good and with some blankets good place for the dogs. Are you gonna make a lift system to remove top and put other on? I'm thinking of it cause even the factory top needs 2 people to remove it. I wish her the best of luck with hers.

 

[dlcwent]

Wow Gerard. I take the weekend off and I'm two pages behind. You have had a trying couple of weeks for sure. I'm glad you faired well from the accident. But sometimes things don't show up until later. Keep aware of new neck and back issues. Don't brush it off as just aging. Your (unpainted) projects look great. I'm am also curious if you cut the DP stand or found a differ one.

 

[taumac]

Wow Gerard. I take the weekend off and I'm two pages behind. You have had a trying couple of weeks for sure. I'm glad you faired well from the accident. But sometimes things don't show up until later. Keep aware of new neck and back issues. Don't brush it off as just aging. Your (unpainted) projects look great. I'm am also curious if you cut the DP stand or found a differ one.

Thanks Dan. I've been taking it easy not over doing it and keeping notice. As for the drill press I ended up cutting the original column that came with it down. I figure that I'll be in this place for awhile and when or if time comes I just weld it back together.

 

[rmalkow2]

Don't eve worry about you hijacking this thread and don't mine if you do. That's a really nice looking truck. ……..Are you gonna make a lift system to remove top and put other on? I'm thinking of it cause even the factory top needs 2 people to remove it. I wish her the best of luck with hers.

I will have to talk to her about her plans for keeping both toppers. Where she lives there is currently no garage to build any kind of lift system so that would be nice but won't happen. I'm thinking she may just leave the Leer topper on and never take it off but time will tell. I won't be surprised if Dad gets the honor of storing the other cover since I'm still storing other things for my kids and she has no storage room for it. The PO bought it used as an afterthought but found he liked the Leer topper best and never put the hard tonneau on the truck.

 

[Grumblebum]

Ah ok, what you call a "topper" we call a "canopy". Although we don't tend to change them out. Once attached they generally stay on.

I'll take a pic of my truck-tool-drawer setup. Might be something to save carting that heavy cantilever box around to jobs for you.

GB

 

[taumac]

Ah ok, what you call a "topper" we call a "canopy". Although we don't tend to change them out. Once attached they generally stay on.



I'll take a pic of my truck-tool-drawer setup. Might be something to save carting that heavy cantilever box around to jobs for you.



GB

Im still learning all the translations. Watch a lot of wheeler dealers and it fun to learn. There are few names for them like camper shell or topper but generally a topper is what rmalkow2 posted on the blue truck.


What I have is called a tonneau cover. They can be hard, soft folding, rolling but anything that covers the bed in fashion like I have is a tonneau cover. Ive have a soft, fiberglass and now this spilt folding hard tonneau which IMO is best one I've had so far.

 

[Grumblebum]

So we have "topper = canopy" and "tonneau cover = tonneau cover", I had a soft tonneau cover when I first got the truck before I purchased the canopy, you can still see the black loop clips on the side of the truck in the first pic for it.

Anyway, I was thinking that you could make or get a set of drawers for the back of your truck so that you can carry everything you need. I have basically a duplicated set of tools that I always have with me. But this will largely depend on the work you go out to do. Often I will grab a subset of tools from the shop if I'm helping doing building work or something.

I made this set of draws 16 years ago after being out 4x4'ing one day and someone broke a rear trailing arm in their truck - so we got stuck and had to muck around getting it off and having it welded up before that vehicle could get going again. Since then I've had everything upto 32mm (about 1.25") with me. At some point soon I'm going to get a new set of draws that go full length of the tray also allowing for a fridge slide on one side.

View media item 63779
The grey box on the left is my trolley jack. On the RH side is spare oil and water and a solid block of ply. It's a bit messy in there at the moment. RH side drawer is jumper cables, recovery gear, shovel etc. Middle is tools, LH draw is grease, shackles, spare radiator hoses and belts.

Up the front is just the first aid kit (orange box) and my box that I use for work on occasion if I have to do an odd cabling job (grey lid) which is just pliers, side cutters, crimpers, cable testers etc.

View media item 63764
I made trays to sit in the middle draw to hold what I wanted to put in there.

View media item 63780
Top ones just lift out.

View media item 63781
So I thought that may be an idea for you to save carrying a massive box around any time you need to do a job that is away from home.

If I need to grab a sheet of 8'x4' something, then I use the box trailer.

Cheers GB.

 

[shortykorte]

Very nice GB. Thanks for sharing. I plan on something similar for the back of by Tahoe.

 

[taumac]

GB, really like that idea and if had a topper like yours that's something I would definitely building. I've seen something premade like that. Think it was like $500 on CL. I liked it but would loss a lot of bed space height wise. I also seen a low profile full sliding deck which would be easier than climbing in back of truck. The bed does have 2 small compartments on side near back of bed and bigger one at front. Right now I have a 12v tire pump in one, straps in other and tow hitch and jumper cables in the big front one.

 

[taumac]

Wow, it's been good past couple of days at the 5 Stitches lately. NO NO I havnt done anything in the garage but I have had some FC visitors. I want to thank SnookerSniper and Craptains for their visits. I can't say how much I enjoy having a few beers and shooting the ****.

 

[Craptain]

Wow, it's been good past couple of days at the 5 Stitches lately. NO NO I havnt done anything in the garage but I have had some FC visitors. I want to thank SnookerSniper and Craptains for their visits. I can't say how much I enjoy having a few beers and shooting the ****.

I thank you for the hospitality and tour. There's actually more room in the garage than I imagined. And I can't believe the number of vises hidden in the wall of Craftsman.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

 

[cbacres]

I thank you for the hospitality and tour. There's actually more room in the garage than I imagined. And I can't believe the number of vises hidden in the wall of Craftsman.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

There's all kind of stuff hidden in the wall of Craftsman, G hasn't even found yet

 

[dlcwent]

There's all kind of stuff hidden in the wall of Craftsman, G hasn't even found yet

In boy can we have a scavenger hunt in Feb.???? "Thars gold in them there hills"

 

[Grumblebum]

Very nice GB. Thanks for sharing. I plan on something similar for the back of by Tahoe.

Thanks shorty. Have a look here for some ideas. The dual cab option 2 in the link is the ones I'm planning on updating to.

http://www.drifta.com.au/4wd-drawers/

GB, really like that idea and if had a topper like yours that's something I would definitely building. I've seen something premade like that. Think it was like $500 on CL. I liked it but would loss a lot of bed space height wise. I also seen a low profile full sliding deck which would be easier than climbing in back of truck. The bed does have 2 small compartments on side near back of bed and bigger one at front. Right now I have a 12v tire pump in one, straps in other and tow hitch and jumper cables in the big front one.

A slider like this you mean ?
http://www.drifta.com.au/drifta-sliding-top-dst/

GB

 

[taumac]

Thanks shorty. Have a look here for some ideas. The dual cab option 2 in the link is the ones I'm planning on updating to.



http://www.drifta.com.au/4wd-drawers/







A slider like this you mean ?

http://www.drifta.com.au/drifta-sliding-top-dst/



GB

GB those would be awesome in your truck. I often thought about the whole sliding bed but havnt decided all about it yet. I tonneau cover is PIA at times so not sure if want to add another item. I also do keep many items in the back. My truck only just hit 60k and it's a 2007. I do keep my OBD scanner and a multimeter behind back seat and jumper cables in the bed.

 

[taumac]

I havnt really accomplished much on anything lately well thats until this week. I decided to take a BIG swing at the tote/storage wall. Now this wall has been a issue for the longest time. There was bins overflowing, stuff tucked behind totes, and just generally totally disorganized. Here's some of the mess.






I started going through totes and starting tossing stuff. Just stuff from one tote.

Picture 17 totes like this. After all the dust settled I got rid of 4 33 gal trash bags and 1 55 gallon trash can of stuff. That left me with 3 large totes, 2 medium totes, 5 orange buckets and 3 cardboard boxes empty. I was able to rearrange things on the wall and give it a cleaner look and make it more user (me) friendly. Some of the finish shots. Funny, wife came out and said it looks the same. [emoji35] I can't complain because if didn't know my place like I do than you would know.







After that I did roll the new cabinet in place and the welding cart behind it.







And all within the line to park the truck.


Like I say I'm the organized hoarder. So now I dealing with some stuff that's it's real real easy for me just to throw behind the totes or behind a toolbox.



I already did the Wall of Craftsman and now the Wall of Totes. I'm thinking only place I have as a catch place is behind the DP. So that will be about the only area to put stuff. Still working on attic, outside, and the HF/sink wall but that's just a small clean up. I'm working on it but feels good to finally tackle that wall that's been such a PAIN IN THE *** for all theses years. Now not to let it get out of control again.

 

[krcoomer]

Looking good Gerard. I am getting started in reorganizing the mess known as my garage. After reading your posts I look at things thinking "What would Gerard do?"

 

[shortykorte]

Great job! You're getting closer to perfect.

What you need is some black and red totes.

 

[jon72vega]

Good job on the organizing Gerard!

 

[taumac]

Looking good Gerard. I am getting started in reorganizing the mess known as my garage. After reading your posts I look at things thinking "What would Gerard do?"

That's great.... "What would Gerard do" love it. It's all about getting out there and making your garage work for the hobbies you have and intended purpose you have. You just got to try ideas out and if do many work try another. Garages evolve over years so design has to be flexible. Thats something I learned the hard way. Wish you best of luck with your place.

 

[taumac]

Great job! You're getting closer to perfect.



What you need is some black and red totes.

Those are good looking totes. Next place I get I gonna definitely replace those ones I have. They didn't have ones like those 14+ years ago when I got mine. Actually, there wasn't that many options back then as there is today. I'm more leading toward this type.


Same idea just stronger I think. Like said when I move I'll be buying maybe 40 to 50 new totes.

 

[taumac]

Good job on the organizing Gerard!

Thanks man. Trying to declutter this place alittle but hard with my "yankee" ways.

 

[rmalkow2]

Great improvement there and it always feels good to clear out the clutter and get organized again. When you listed all the totes and pails you emptied I thought for sure you made room for another vintage tool cabinet. But even with out that it does look much more organized.

Nice putting that big cabinet on wheels. I must have missed that upgrade but that's perfect to move it around depending on the space you need for any given project.

I'd say wait a week and do a round 2 through those totes and I bet you fill another garbage can again.

 

[taumac]

Great improvement there and it always feels good to clear out the clutter and get organized again. When you listed all the totes and pails you emptied I thought for sure you made room for another vintage tool cabinet. But even with out that it does look much more organized.

Nice putting that big cabinet on wheels. I must have missed that upgrade but that's perfect to move it around depending on the space you need for any given project.

I'd say wait a week and do a round 2 through those totes and I bet you fill another garbage can again.

Thanks, I never posted making of the dollie for the cabinet. The room I made I was able to take down all the cords, hoses and stuff I had hanging there and able to sort into the empty totes. I reused 2 totes and tossed 1 that held steel. The steel was gone through and useable stuff put in bottom 2 drawers of the rolling cabinet. The totes I reused now holds my generator cords only and one above it will hold some other hurricane stuff. I think I still have couple of empty buckets and few boxes above that. I'm definitely got few more to go through on tote wall and a round 2. With all the heavy stuff on the floor and really not wanting to rebuild those shelves there are no plans to do anything with the wall of totes. Next place will be different and with different layout. I'll declutter more and when I'm happy I'll start cleaning and MAYBE start painting stuff.

 

[Grumblebum]

Good job on the totes revision. I have all mine now down to pretty much one function each so there is not a lot off crossover of content but they just need another once over to tidy them up.

I've been trying to work out getting that cabinet and welding cart integrated, but all I can come up with is re-engineering the tote wall shelves just down at the air compressor end. But I know you don't want to hack the shelves. If only the cabinet was about 4" shorter you may have been able to do something without touching the 3rd shelf with the buckets on it.

Are you thinking of moving in the near future? You mentioned a "next place" once or twice back there....

GB

 

[rmalkow2]

…..and MAYBE start painting stuff.

Ok, he's on record saying it now!!!

Either way, no worries as it's still major improvement for you.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Gerard, again you are an inspiration and I am going to do the same, paint included..

Regards

 

[taumac]

Are you thinking of moving in the near future? You mentioned a "next place" once or twice back there....



GB

Well... near future..? I don't know. Well after few talks with my inlaws we will inherit their home and when that times comes we will move from here to down the block to their house. We both lived in this area for 25 to 30 years and we both looking for a change of scenery. We don't not know WHERE so living there will give us the chance to take trips and look.