The Garagenous Zone

[GarageHonky]

I really dig your garage...color and all! Functional, yet clean.
This is alot like how I want to finish my garage!

Dave

 

[cdrewferd]

Very nice garage. Hope to have something like that one day.

 

[Louver Dude]

Well I'm Off to my garage to clean it now thanks !

 

[batmbl]

Beautiful garage. I've borrowed some of your ideas as I continue to put mine together.

 

[bhays]

Apologies in advance for the blurry shot, but here is a shot of a drawer using tooling foam to locate some pliers. When a tool is removed, a section of RED foam below shows the outline of the missing tool-- so you know to look for it before you button up the job. This technique is used extensively in the military where they won't let a plane out of the hangar if there is a tool missing to eliminate the possibility of FOD.

Where does one acquire 'tooling foam'?

 

[Rowdy Rat]

Where does one acquire 'tooling foam'?

Here's one place...

http://www.toolfoam.com/

Regards,

Stan Falenski

 

[amishman]

Apologies in advance for the blurry shot, but here is a shot of a drawer using tooling foam to locate some pliers. When a tool is removed, a section of RED foam below shows the outline of the missing tool-- so you know to look for it before you button up the job. This technique is used extensively in the military where they won't let a plane out of the hangar if there is a tool missing to eliminate the possibility of FOD.

[/IMG]

-Will

Nice setup and I like the foam tool organizer!

tj

 

[OldOneEye]

Nice setup, love the foam in the tool boxes, love just about everything you've done (like the paper towel dispenser) About how much time did you spend per drawer? I'm thinking of doing mine the same way.

Juan

 

[BoostAddiction]

Nice setup, love the foam in the tool boxes, love just about everything you've done (like the paper towel dispenser) About how much time did you spend per drawer? I'm thinking of doing mine the same way.

Juan

The tool foam was relatively easy to do, probably not more than an hour or so per drawer. Of course, most of the drawers aren't using the tool foam as it makes sense only in cases like the pliers drawer show in the pics.

The rest of the drawers use plastic boxes designed for Lista cabinets, or things like the Hansen socket organizers, etc.

I'm working on building custom socket and wrench holders.

-Will

 

[ALLNTRL]

By far, one of the Best Garages I've seen, VERY well laid out, Nice job!

 

[Gusagain]

Any type of thin foam of will do!
I used a sleeping bag mattress pad for my box.

 

[stimpee]

Quick question on your garage, what is the size of the primary "working" bay that you show?

I am getting ready to refurbish and set up my lift in my "regular" 2 car garage, and then enclose a screened in porch off the back of the garage as a workshop (about 15x21), but I may eventually knock that off, and build a single bay attached work bay. Trying to figure out how big it would need to be as a single bay.

Great job!

Steve

 

[BoostAddiction]

Quick question on your garage, what is the size of the primary "working" bay that you show?

I am getting ready to refurbish and set up my lift in my "regular" 2 car garage, and then enclose a screened in porch off the back of the garage as a workshop (about 15x21), but I may eventually knock that off, and build a single bay attached work bay. Trying to figure out how big it would need to be as a single bay.

Great job!

Steve

Thanks!

The bay with the lift is about 15' wide at the widest point and about 27' long.

The width is ideal, as there is room for the stuff you need quick access to around the car, incluiding adequate room around the lift.

THe length could be shorter; it would work almost as well with a couple of feet less, but I enjoy the added depth when I need to park the racer sideways in front of the lift occasionally.

-Will

 

[BoCRon]

Will,
I love your set up. Very bright and clean. I'm glad to see you are pleased with the floor. I'm currently in the debate between epoxy (a professional grade, but we would do the application) or rubber tiles. Looking at your floor is making the epoxy seem like a great choice.
I love the Legends car!!! I had never heard of them until I was at Road Atlanta last weekend for the BMW Club School. There was a huge Legends race going on across the road at Lanier Speedway. I tried to watch them run some, but I didn't want to miss my own track time so didn't get to see much. My son has been begging me ever since to look into getting him one!
Anyway, thanks for all the great pics and ideas. I'm hoping to utilize a few in my own little garage.
Annette

 

[BoostAddiction]

Hi Annette,

Glad you like the Garagenous Zone!

THe "huge Legends race" you saw at Lanier was the 2006 Asphalt Oval Nationals. Racers from all over the country converged there to run against the top oval drivers in the country.

THe Legend cars are lots of fun, and have a very competitive set of drivers. Many Legends drivers have gone on to do well in other series, including Dale Earnhart, Jr, Reed Sorensen, and Kyle Busch. You can learn more from http://www.600racing .

The cars also run road races as well as ovals, and one of my favorite tracks is Road Atlanta. We turn times that would put us in the front of the Spec Miata grid there, but at a substantially lower cost, and with (I think) less cheating.

-Will

 

[chaingang]

I may have missed it in some of the posts but where did your sheetmetal brake/shear/bead roller come from? I have been looking for some combination like that to minimize space used. It looks well built and about the perfect size for a small shop.

 

[BoostAddiction]

I may have missed it in some of the posts but where did your sheetmetal brake/shear/bead roller come from? I have been looking for some combination like that to minimize space used. It looks well built and about the perfect size for a small shop.

I'm sorry I mised this, but I got the shear/brake/roll at Harbor Freight. They sell two versions, a 30" and a 40" (IIRC). Mine is the smaller one, and they have them on sale regularly for $100 off the nominal list price of $399. I bought mine on sale- it just got too cheap not to try it out. Of course, it's typical Chinese stuff, but it does a good enough job for the kinds of things I fab from sheet metal (most of the stuff is from .040 6061 Aluminum). You won't mistake it for a CNC brake, that's for sure, but considering what it cost me, I'm happy with it.

I've only used it to shear and bend so far, but the rolls look like they would work.

You'll need to buy or build a stand as I did, or bolt it to something pretty stout as it is very heavy (I had to use my lift to get it off the shipping pallet and onto the frame I built!).

-Will

 

[73super]

Where's the big screen?

 

[Aeroman]

Because I live in an area with cold winters and hot summers, I wanted a way to control temps.

The garage is heavily insulated (even the Wayne-Dalton doors have foam insulation and anti-leak contruction); I calculated that a 2-ton unit would cool the garage adequately. I chose the most efficient mini split unit I could find. From Daikin, it installed very nicely, and is extremely quiet.

Hi, how does that AC/Heater work? Is it complicated to install? What do they run (cost) if you dont mind me asking? Thanks,

 

[shocksystems]

Simply an amazing garage. Beautiful. Any recent changes?

Jim

 

[Habanero52]

That i an awesome garage!!!!
Would you mind sahring the following with us all:
- Lista Cabinet configurations, i.e. Model No., Qty. and if possible price?
- What did you use for the tops?

 

[strnge]

I too would like to know how the heater/ac unit works. How many do you have installed? How big is your space these are heating and cooling?

 

[thetastelingers]

Im going to use alot of your ideas.
Thanks for sharing.
Your garage is awesome.

 

[05_gmc_slt]

WOW!

 

[1965_Stingray]

Very Nice! I love to see a well organized clean garage.

 

[Woffski]

Very nice garage man!!!

 

[BoostAddiction]

I too would like to know how the heater/ac unit works. How many do you have installed? How big is your space these are heating and cooling?

The heater/AC is a Daikin 2-ton minisplit. That means that the unit in the wall connects to an external unit that has the condenser.

The advantages to these units are that no ductwork is required, the external units are very quiet (at least mine is), they can be efficient (mine is a 15 SEER) and they are cheaper and easier to install than their ducted counterparts.

I only have one, and it heats/cools the garage (about 800 Sq Ft?) very well.

As to the Lista question, there are too many cabinets to list the entire setup, but I may have a spreadsheet that has every detail- PM to request a copy.

The tops are either the Lista stainless (about 4-5 inches deeper than tha actual cabs so there is rear overlap), or, in the front set, all gray DuPont Corian.

As for recent changes, I R&R'd the sink to replace the faucet with a much better one from the restaurant world. I also built a storage cabinet for my metal and plastic stock. Finally, I built a custom wrench storage rack out of sheet aluminum for one of the drawers in the mobile tool cabinet. It's pretty efficient of space, and I can find the right wrench when I need it. Here's a pic:

Hard to tell, but there are magnets at the top and bottom to locate the wrenches, and small alum sheet "boxes" for the wrenches to live in. I've since labeled the sizes.

Thanks for all the raves- I still love working in it, and have the racer up on the lift right now!

-Will

 

[strnge]

So the Daikin 2-ton minisplit is remotely ran? Where do you keep the remote? Is it inferred? Wall mounted? Automaticly set to cool or heat like a thermostat? Can you take a photo of the outside portion of the unit? I am guessing the outside looks like the old a/c units from the 1970's, but the inside looks much more sleek.

I tried to google the unit, ut only got sites which sold them, not enough info.

 

[BoostAddiction]

So the Daikin 2-ton minisplit is remotely ran? Where do you keep the remote? Is it inferred? Wall mounted? Automaticly set to cool or heat like a thermostat? Can you take a photo of the outside portion of the unit? I am guessing the outside looks like the old a/c units from the 1970's, but the inside looks much more sleek.

I tried to google the unit, ut only got sites which sold them, not enough info.

Yes, you run it by a remote control, just like a TV. Like a TV, it is infrared. I keep mine in a drawer so it stays clean. The remote lets you set heat or cool, any of the many modes, control over the fan, setting timers, setting temp to hold, etc- basically everything the unit can do.

The outside is modern, compact and very quiet.

-Will

 

[PA Z06]

Sick garage, seems like everyone from nova has a nice garage

 

[JMURiz]

Sick garage, seems like everyone from nova has a nice garage

We're working on it, once I get some work done in my house I'll get crackin' on mine and post some pics...think summer time-frame.

 

[MSRTom]

using an aqueous solution that is EPA-rated to just be flushed down the drain. No solvents, no headaches, and no permanent partswasher to use up space.

Hi Will,

I've seen your garage on other forums, and I've checked to see if I've missed it, but can you elaborate on the formula you use, or is it top secret?

Thanks for the inspiration, by the way. I'm planning a similar setup, but my color scheme is more like a bruise. (Black and blue all the way. I'll include shots of my Cobra when I'm done so everyone can see why.)

 

[BoostAddiction]

Hi Will,

I've seen your garage on other forums, and I've checked to see if I've missed it, but can you elaborate on the formula you use, or is it top secret?

Thanks for the inspiration, by the way. I'm planning a similar setup, but my color scheme is more like a bruise. (Black and blue all the way. I'll include shots of my Cobra when I'm done so everyone can see why.)

If you mean the cleaner, it's Blue Gold from Modern Chemical. I buy it by the 5-gallon pail and it lasts forever. You'll like it, though it does tend to clog sprayers if they aren't flushed after use.

And don't be shy with the Cobra pics!

-Will

 

[Gabriel J]

Too say i'm jealous would be a gross understatement. Simply beautiful. -Gabe

 

[SnyperBob]

Stopping by to say nice garage man. Very clean and well executed!

 

[bmwpower]

Any updates Will?

 

[dykstra]

way cool garage

 

[TejasBimmer]

Amazing garage!
Love the Legend car and your trailer.
Any photos of the inside of the trailer?

 

[Stang65Fst]

I have seen you at the track several times. I am typically instructing but I definitely know the "Mad Cow" legend car. Nice garage.

 

[BoostAddiction]

Well, we had an Open Garage this month for the NoVA gang and had about 30 people, all up.

Here's a pic from that event:

I'm building a kit car from Race Car Replicas called the Superlite Coupe. This is one that is finished:

I recently built a small aluminum engine stand for the LS7- since it is all aluminum, the stand had to be too, right?

Sorry for the dirty floor in the pic- this is a working garage.

I'll try to remember to post some trailer pics later...

-Will